CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers — and their fans — can finally breathe a little.
The Panthers broke out of their year-long funk at home in a crowd-pleasing way Sunday, edging the New Orleans Saints, 22-14, behind a fine defensive performance and a late touchdown from a player playing his first-ever game for Carolina.
Laviska Shenault Jr. electrified the stadium when he took a five-yard pass from Baker Mayfield, sped through two would-be tacklers and went 67 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown. That TD helped short-circuit a possible Saints comeback, as did an acrobatic big-man interception from Derrick Brown on New Orleans’ next series.
