Panthers...16 Saints...13
NEW ORLEANS -- Steve Smith wouldn’t be denied.
Smith fought for yards through two tacklers to turn a short catch into a crucial first down, and John Kasay made a 52-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the Carolina Panthers to a 16-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints (0-4) were expected to be Super Bowl contenders but only the 1992 San Diego Chargers rallied from such a start to reach the title game since the NFL went to a 12-team playoff system in 1990.
Panthers (3-2) quarterback David Carr fought through a sore back to complete a pair of clutch passes on a tying drive in the fourth quarter, including Smith’s 17-yard touchdown.
The Saints had their chances to win, but Olindo Mare had a 20-yard field-goal try blocked early in the fourth quarter. And shortly before the two-minute warning, Mare lined up from 54 yards with a chance to give the Saints the lead, but missed.
Quoteworthy: “It was by far the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life.” -- David Carr, Panthers quarterback, on being sacked by Will Smith
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