CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Heartbreak in Carolina. The Giants rallied back to take a 31-30 lead with 1:08 remaining, only to have the Carolina Panthers crush their souls with a 63-yard field goal by Graham Gano with one second remaining Sunday. The final score: Carolina 33, Giants 31. The Giants took possession down 30-24 with 2:16 left and no timeouts. Inexplicably, Cam Newton and the Panthers threw an incomplete pass on third down before setting for a Gano field goal, his third of the game. Saquon Barkley scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning and Aldrick Rosas added the point-after kick, putting the Giants ahead by a point. It was the first time the Giants (1-4) broke the 30-point plateau in 37 games, dating back to Tom Coughlin's final game as head coach in the 2015 regular season finale. Panthers 27, Giants 24 Maybe the Giants aren't done yet. A Janoris Jenkins interception set up Odell Beckham Jr.'s first touchdown catch of the season, a 33-yarder from Eli Manning. This was followed by a 2-point conversion pass from Manning to Rhett Ellison, so with 8:08 left, the Giants need a stop defensively. Beckham became the first Giant to throw and catch a TD pass in the same game since Hall of Famer Frank Gifford in 1959. Panthers 27, Giants 16 Just when you thought the Giants were getting back into this one. A bad interception by Eli Manning late in the third quarter was followed up by a horrendous call by the officiating crew that has allowed the Panthers to regain control. The Giants believed they had forced a Carolina punt when, on a third-and-13, Landon Collins made a diving pass breakup of a pass from Cam Newton for Devin Funchess. There were three Giants defenders in a crowd around Funchess and Collins leaped across the crowd and the interception went off his hands. In the process, the helmets for Collins and Funchess brushed together ever so slightly. But instead of an incomplete pass, the officiating crew called Collins for a personal foul, unnecessary roughness, and the Panthers kept possession. Five plays later, Christian McCaffrey scored on a touchdown pass from Newton. Halftime Was it enough of a spark to turn this game around? The Giants trail the Panthers 20-13 at halftime, but they finally hit on a big play, albeit an unconventional one, when Odell Beckham Jr. connected with Saquon Barkley for a 57-yard touchdown. It was the longest pass play for the Giants, and when Aldrick Rosas nailed a career-long 53-yard field goal late in the second quarter, they pulled within a score heading into the third quarter. The Giants' defense has been terrible tackling. The offense has sputtered. There have been far too many mistakes, from Beckham's botched punt return to dropped fourth down pass to Rosas kicking the ball out of bounds on a kickoff, but the Giants are in position to put some pressure on the Panthers here in the second half. Panthers 14, Giants 3 The only explanation: Odell Beckham Jr. is trying to do too much. His botching of a punt return inside the 10 early in the second quarter ultimately led to a touchdown for Carolina. It was as if Beckham was trying to atone for a drop of a pass on fourth-and-3 on the previous offensive possession. Instead of getting away from the football on that punt, Beckham ran toward the Carolina gunner and tried to prevent him from downing the ball, which hit Beckham on the way down. Janoris Jenkins picked up the football, but then he fumbled it away. By the time Eli Apple jumped onto the ball in the end zone, it squirted away from him and the Panthers recovered for a stunning touchdown. For a team that can't get out of its own way, the Giants are costing themselves in every facet and are on the verge of being blown out on the road. Terrible tackling by the Giants' defense led to Carolina's first touchdown when Curtis Samuel bounced off at least three would-be attempts on a 25-yard scoring strike from Cam Newton. Giants 3, Panthers 0 Odell Beckham Jr. is involved early with a pair of catches for 26 yards, but a pair of costly mistakes by Russell Shepard forced the Giants to settle for a 42-yard field goal from Aldrick Rosas. The Giants lead 3-0 with Beckham's controversial interview with ESPN on Sunday morning serving as a backdrop. During the interview, Beckham left open for interpretation about his confidence in Eli Manning, whether he is happy in New York (despite signing a lucrative $95 million extension) and how the Giants can turn around their 1-3 start. FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reported Sunday morning that Giants coach Pat Shurmur was "livid" with Beckham's comments, even though Shurmur downplayed his reaction when asked about certain remarks by reporters covering the team Friday. Beckham also reportedly apologized to the team Saturday night for the timing of the interview and attempted to clarify what he hoped would be a positive message. In addition to his two catches, Beckham also returned the first punt of the game for 15 yards. The Giants' defense forced a three-and-out on their first series, but a drop by Russell Shepard and a subsequent penalty by the veteran forced the Giants to settle for three points from Rosas. The ties that bind Giants, Panthers Dave Gettleman wanted no part of reliving his tenure with the Carolina Panthers this week, at least not publicly in the media. The general manager of the New York Giants made his first road trip of the season for Sunday's game, and it just so happens to be against the franchise he helped bring to the Super Bowl in the same role. Gettleman was unceremoniously fired by ownership of the Panthers months prior to the start of the 2017 season, but he was well-liked by many within the organization. Gettleman, 67, underwent what he hopes will be his final round of chemotherapy last month, and his cancer is in remission.<doc-sep>The Carolina Panthers blew it. Down a point late in the fourth quarter to the New York Giants, Carolina head coach Ron Rivera inexplicably opted to run the ball, which bled the clock and marooned his team near the 50-yard line. Their only hope to salvage a win would be a 63-yard field goal, which is less a hope than it is a delusion. Nonetheless, Carolina kicker Graham Gano stepped up to give it a shot, and I believe the ball just landed near Asheville. The Panthers didn’t blow it. They won, 33-31. Advertisement Just look at that kick. It’s downright unnatural. Did Gano make a deal with the devil? Is he casting spells with his foot? If we throw him off a cliff, will he fly away? Prior to Sunday, Gano’s best kick was a 59-yarder in 2011. His game-winner against the Giants was just a yard short of the NFL record for longest-ever field goal (and that effort happened in Denver, which is essentially space). Graham Gano is a witch, and the Carolina Panthers’ record is now 3-1 because of it.<doc-sep>FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 01: Graham Gano #9 of the Carolina Panthers celebrates with Michael Palardy #5 after kicking a 48-yard field goal during the fourth quarter to defeat the New England Patriots 33-30 at Gillette Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) The Carolina Panthers needed a career best from kicker Graham Gano to secure a 33-31 win over the New York Giants. From pretty much the time Carolina Panthers wide receiver Curtis Samuel caught his first NFL pass in 2018- and then gave practically the entire New York Giants secondary a chance to hit him for 25 yards before scoring- until Graham Gano’s 63-yard game-winner, there was a festive, solar-electric feeling in Bank of America Stadium. Giants fans can chew on their moral victory while going 1-4 and having to play Philadelphia Thursday night, and anyone who calls Gano’s boot ‘lucky’ in that thrilling 33-31 victory over New York wasn’t at the game. The fannies were rewarded for staying the whole game and definitely out-cheering Giants fans at that point. They’d cheered loudly for many quality plays their team made in Charlotte which they haven’t previously made so far this year. Many predictions about the effect NYC sportswriters might have on getting Eli Manning off the dink-throw circuit and airing it out to Odell Beckham, Jr. and letting him earn some of that $95M wasn’t shared by ohh, more than every one of their fans in attendance. That boot would’ve been good even five yards further, easy. There wasn’t a waver in its tracking. – Everyone in Sect. 524, 7th row upper bowl Nothing lucky about it, and earlier this year the Panthers showed recognition of Gano as a “Money” kicker- with a 96.7-percent success rate and Pro Bowl status in 2017- in tangible form with a 4 year/$17M contract after he’d been franchise tagged. In 2013, Gano was a perfect six for six over 50 yards, and during the Super Bowl year, he pumped in two 50 yarders in heavy rain against the Colts to save an unbeaten streak. That’s being clutch, not lucky. Sunday was a terrific finish, winning beats the alternative for sure, but this game was never in the bag some thought when Carolina was up 17-3 after Beckham muffed a punt that Colin Jones recovered for a touchdown. Poorly as the Giants have been playing to be 1-3 coming in- or having Beckham questioning some manhood’s during the week- that going downfield vs. dinking pass offense benefited from changes in philosophy and execution. The Panthers defense doesn’t have to apologize for a one-sack performance, although… When it stuffed Saquon Barkley and the Giants run game at fifty, that will win you a lot of games. Although Saquon’s two receiving touchdowns caused New York fans to revel wildly in brilliant warmth that October football in Charlotte presents. Beckham got 8/131, TD+1 passing, and if it’s possible for that to not look bad, it didn’t feel like James Bradberry got whipped. Hey, he draws the No. 1 guy every week, and Beckham is out front about having something to prove Sunday. Yes, we saw gaps in coverage, Mike Adams was the deal with those picks, and it looks like Rashaan Gaulden can be counted on in all situations now. Examine the pieces of offense, it kept moving the sticks Quarterback Cam Newton looked solid, right on 60-percent and spreading it around- 21 for 35, 237 yards, 2/2 TDs-INTs. If he didn’t feel he’d played all that great, no problem with that attitude from your leader. Funchess 4/53, and a 21 yard tip-toe and drag on Panthers drive that finished with Curtis Samuel’s dynamic 25 yard score. Funchess’ totals aren’t killing it, but point has always been TARGETS making catches, and he’s working sidelines magnificently as a possession receiver. Rookie D.J. Moore had five catches for 67 yards, that run for 18—and he’s going down on punts? Special teams have learned that it makes a difference to send the best against just anybody. Newton was smiling large about laying the lick on Kareem Martin, a 6-foot-6, 265 pound linebacker vs. taking said licks when Moore needed a block on his way to gaining 18 yards. Moore’s rep for being tough to get on the ground, flashed against Buffalo in preseason, starts here and now. Coach Ron Rivera and offensive coordinator Norv Turner have said repeatedly they wanted to do more with him, and Moore had no problem cutting up inside when the space outside Newton’s block was clogged. After talking to bunches of people before the game regarding Christian McCaffrey‘s workload here vs. as a sophomore at Stanford, when he set the NCAA record for combined yardage in a season: He had 337 *carries* and was running back kicks and punts. Don’t worry, he’ll be fine with whatever the Panthers need. ‘Only’ 58 yards rushing, plus five catches for 38 yards, one a 27 yard touchdown that keeps his reputation growing. Special team scoring (Colin Jones) On that muffed punt by Beckham, he wasn’t watching because he was trying to get a shot on Moore as a gunner on punts and it bounced off his leg. ‘One of those games’ Consider this ‘one of those games’ where discipline and working the plan bring a desired team result. Nobody had dazzling stats like Beckham’s eight catches for 131 yards and touchdowns as both a receiver and passer, but otherwise, even Manning’s 326 had a pair of interceptions to balance the longer throws, he’s always done better than on accuracy. Front seven only had one sack, Thomas Davis will be back against Washington this week- How significant will those two facts be? Shaq Thompson moved to an outside rush position and knifed through to take down Barkley for a 5 yard loss early, but count on Davis to be highly motivated. Throughout training and into season, questions about offensive line were frequent, but they’ve kept Newton remarkably clean in the pocket (just one sack this week). For Giants fans, they saw numerous good plays, things hoped for and possibly more than expected.<doc-sep>CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers placekicker Graham Gano didn't think he was going to be a part of NFL history on Sunday when he and the rest of special team players ran through the tunnel for pregame introductions instead of the offense or defense. "I usually try to go around the tunnel," Gano said after kicking a 63-yard field goal with one second left to give the Panthers a 33-31 victory over the New York Giants. "I don't want to run through it and be in the spotlight like that. "That was pretty fun, the fire and the smoke. I felt like Cam [Newton] a little bit." Newton was among a sea of players and coaches thanking Gano after the field goal that tied the record for longest game-winner in league history in addition to setting a franchise record for the longest. New Orleans' Tom Dempsey connected from 63-yards to beat the Detroit Lions in 1970. Matt Prater continues to hold the NFL record for longest field goal, a 64-yarder in 2013 for Denver. "I'm happy that we got a kicker like that," Newton said of Gano. "A wise man once told me a great quarterback is only as good as his kicker. Graham put the whole team on his back. Well, on his toe." Gano's kick washed away a subpar performance from Newton, who threw two interceptions, and the defense as Carolina improved to 3-1 and tied with New Orleans for the NFC South lead. The kick also broke the team record for longest field goal in a regular-season game. It previously was a 56-yarder by John Kasay, the first kicker in team history. Gano had a 58-yarder in the playoffs last season. "I don't even think it's hit me," Gano said. "I didn't think it was that far when I went out there." It wasn't the longest kick of Gano's career. He successfully connected from 64 and 65 yards at J.J. Tate High School in Cantonment, Florida. He also had a 71-yarder negated by a penalty in high school. Gano said the ensuing celebration was "crazy madness." "I kind of wanted to get away from the swarm of guys, so I took off and started running," he said. "Then I realized there was one second on the clock and I had to kick off."<doc-sep>
The New York Giants fell in heartbreaking fashion on Sunday afternoon, dropping their fourth loss of the season to the Carolina Panthers 33-31. Panthers kicker Graham Gano hit a 63-yard field goal to win the game. Let’s take a look at what the players are saying following the tough loss. Landon Collins on how the Giants locker room is dealing with Odell Beckham’s comments from earlier this week... “I don’t know what comments you guys are talking about,” Collins said. “I didn’t hear about them, but when Odell [Beckham] came to talk to us, he spoke from the heart, he talked gratefully, and we knew where he was coming from. We knew he was coming from the heart, so you know he’s a great teammate, a great guy, a great person and a leader. This offense, this team, we have to look up to him, so we knew where he was coming from.” Panthers quarterback Cam Newton on Gano’s game-winning kick... “I am happy that we got a kicker like that,” Newton said. “A wise man once told me that a great quarterback is only as good as his kicker. Over the years you see so many quarterbacks get bailed out by the kickers. I shouldn’t say bailed out, I’ll just say helped out and Graham put the whole team on his back today. Well, on his toe today.” Gano on the reaction on the field following his game-winning kick... “That was madness,” Gano said. “That’s the only word I can use to explain it. I just don’t think it’s hit me yet. I was going nuts. I think the first thing I saw was Mike (Palardy) reacting that it went in because I couldn’t really see over those giants in front of us – not the other team, just our offensive lineman. But I just have no words for it.” Saquon Barkley on the on the go-ahead touchdown... “At the moment, it felt great,” Barkley said. “We wanted to go down and find a way to score and put seven on the board. We needed seven on the board. Coach, the offensive coordinator and the whole offensive staff called great plays and put us in great positions to get into the end zone. We found a way to get into the end zone. Like I said, Carolina came up with a 63-yard field goal. I don’t know what else you can say about that. We played our butt off and you have to give credit where credit is due. They made a 63-yard field goal and won the game.“ Beckham on regretting any comments criticizing head coach, Pat Shurmur and teammates... “I don’t regret anything, I don’t regret anything that I said,” Beckham said. “If it took that for us to come together as a team like we did today, I can take that every single time. I spoke to the team just to kind of relay the message that sometimes stuff comes off the wrong way. Words can be portrayed in any kind of light. The conversation is between us. But the way we responded as a team to what was said, I felt like it would’ve been too easy after what was said, and after what I said to them for us to come in here and have heart, energy and all that stuff. Grit, whatever the words you want to use for that. We had it today, and we came up short, but I’m proud of this team, and this is the team that we are going to be for the rest of the season. Like I said, if it took that to get us going, I can take that. I’m trying to be a leader, I’m in a position I’ve never been in. I’m trying to grow, I’m learning on the way, on the fly, but I’m proud of where we went today. We gave it our all, we came against adversity, calls here and there. We can never rely on the referees to win the game, but there was calls here and there that were questionable or this and that, but we kept fighting, kept fighting, and kept fighting. That’s all I could ask for.”