CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Quarterback Sam Darnold, making his first start of the season under center, and the Carolina Panthers capitalized on an under-achieving Denver Broncos team at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday. In a 23-10 victory, Darnold protected the football well and led the Panthers to a home win — Steve Wilks’ third in as many tries as interim head coach — in a stadium draped in orange.
Darnold completed 11 of 19 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown. His best throw came on the first play of the fourth quarter, when he dropped back after faking a handoff to D’Onta Foreman and delivered a 52-yard strike to a streaking DJ Moore down the right sideline. Moore had a step on cornerback Patrick Surtian II, but it still took a perfect Darnold throw to complete.
The highlight play set up kicker Eddy Piñeiro’s second field goal of the afternoon, a 26-yard chip shot that put the Panthers up 17 points with 13:33 to play.
The Panthers’ defense clobbered Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson all game. The Broncos entered Sunday averaging a league-low 14 points per game. Carolina sacked Wilson three times, and hit him another nine times. The Panthers generated three tackles for a loss and had four pass deflections. Denver rushed for 121 yards on 19 carries, but Wilson only threw for 142 yards.
Special teams also helped swing the game. Carolina forced fumbles on two Broncos punt return attempts, recovering both, converted a fake punt, and Piñeiro was a perfect five-for-five, including two extra points. Denver recovered an onside kick with 3:17 to play, but, already leading by 13, the Panthers’ defense held on for the win.
Darnold’s legs and ability to roll out helped put Carolina up 14 early in the fourth quarter.
From the 2-yard line, Darnold kept a run-pass option, but fumbled on the rush. He also recovered he own fumble and rolled into the end zone. After a brief discussion by the officials, the play was ruled a touchdown. Tackle Taylor Moton spiked the ball in celebration as the Panthers started to pull away.
Stealing possessions is how teams like Carolina win football games. Late in the first quarter, the Panthers converted a fourth-and-short via the punt team. Up-back Sean Chandler took a direct snap and rushed it up the middle. Chandler picked up just enough for the fake punt to work.
Seven plays later, Darnold hit Moore for a 5-yard touchdown. The game’s first score was Darnold’s first home passing touchdown since last October. Darnold-to-Moore capped an 11-play, 70-yard drive that took seven minutes off the clock. Moore finished with four catches for 103 yards and a touchdown.
But Denver stole a possession back early in the second quarter. Punt returner Raheem Blacksheer muffed a return which the Broncos recovered at the Panthers’ 27-yard line. Wilson and the Denver offense stalled in the red zone, and settled for a 27-yard field goal.
The muff wasted a field-swinging sack via Brian Burns. Burns sacked Wilson for a loss of nine yards two plays prior. It was his ninth sack of the season, tying his career-high. Two series later, Burns broke his career-high sack total by strip-sacking Wilson as the Broncos neared the red zone. Burns beat tackle Cam Fleming around the left edge. He reached the pocket just as Wilson started to throw. The ball popped up and was recovered by Yetur Gross-Matos.
The Panthers extended its first-half lead with 4:46 to play in the second quarter. Piñeiro nailed a 42-yard field goal which was set up by running back Chuba Hubbard, who gained 20 yards on four carries that series.
Hubbard and Foreman helped Carolina control tempo throughout the second half. Carolina piled up 186 yards on a season-high 46 carries. Foreman gained 113 yards on 24 carries while Hubbard added 65 yards on 17 touches.
The Panthers’ defense forced the Broncos to punt three times in the second half and seven times total.
Carolina (4-8) is on a bye next week, and returns to action in Week 14 at Seattle.
