The Washington Redskins traveled to Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday afternoon to face the Carolina Panthers in the Bank of America Stadium. The Redskins entered Week 13 with a 2-9 record while Carolina was 5-6, losing their past two of three at home. The Panthers were heavily favored to win the matchup, but the Redskins ended up earning their second straight victory and their third win of the season in Charlotte, defeating the Panthers, 29-21.
Carolina started the game with possession of the ball and capitalized on the opening drive when Kyle Allen connected with Curtis Samuel for a four-yard touchdown and Joey Slye kicked the extra point to put the Panthers on the board first, 7-0.
Washington was unable to convert its opening drive into points. The Panthers put another touchdown on the board during their next drive when Allen connected with Samuel for a deep 33-yard pass and then D.J. Moore took a 13-yard pass from Allen into the end zone, extending the lead to 14-0.
The Redskins did convert their next drive into points after Dustin Hopkins kicked a 25-yard field goal to put up three points for Washington. Then, after the Panthers were unable to convert their following possession into any points, the first quarter ended with Carolina on top, 14-3.
Washington started the second quarter with possession of the ball and Hopkins put up another field goal to close out a nine-play opening drive as he kicked a 42-yard field goal to add three more to the score, 14-6.
Both Carolina and Washington’s defensive lines were quite efficient during the next several plays, forcing both teams to go three-and-out.
Kyle Allen then threw an interception when he passed the ball towards Moore, but Fabian Moreau picked it and returned it 10 yards to the Carolina one-yard line.
Derrius Guice rushed the ball for the one-yard touchdown and the Redskins attempted the two-point conversion, which was ruled successful, but upon further review, the call was overturned, closing the Panthers’ lead with four-and-a-half minutes to play, 14-12.
Despite a gallant effort to put a touchdown on the board before halftime, including a fumble that was quickly recovered and a blocked field goal attempt, the score remained and the Panthers kept their two-point lead going into halftime.
The Redskins started the second half with possession of the ball and Hopkins closed the 11-play opening drive with a 36-yard field goal to take the one-point lead, 15-14, with just over half of the quarter to play.
Carolina needed more yard production in the second half as they had appeared stagnant since the first two drives of the game with no points and very few yards, but the Washington defense held the Panthers to a three-and-out with just one yard in their opening drive.
In the next Panthers drive, Greg Olsen took a hard hit from Ryan Anderson that knocked him down and left him lying on the field for a few moments before he sat up and then walked off of the field with help from the trainers and doctors. He was ruled out with a potential concussion not long after. Anderson was charged with a lowering the head to initiate contact penalty and ejected from the game.
Greg Olsen took a nasty shot to the head. #Redskins LB Ryan Anderson was ejected for the hit. Olsen went to the locker room. pic.twitter.com/qKO4gF3LwM
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 1, 2019
Both teams would trade downs to finish out the quarter, giving the Panthers possession in the last quarter of the game. The offensive line was unable to convert this drive into any points, partly due to Allen being sacked twice in a row during the drive.
The Redskins, on the other hand, took full advantage of their opening drive and posted the first score for either team since early in the third quarter when Guice rushed the ball 38 yards before being taken down a half-yard short of the endzone. He then rushed it in for a touchdown on the next play and the Redskins’ lead was extended to 22-14.
On the next Washington possession, the offensive line dominated the field and Adrian Peterson rushed the ball 12 yards for another touchdown, giving the Redskins the most points they have had this year with four-and-a-half minutes left to go.
For the first time since late in the first quarter, the Panthers finally put additional points on the board when Allen took the ball into the end zone himself for a four-yard touchdown that concluded a drive lasting 12 plays but moved quickly, only shaving two-and-a-half minutes off of the clock. The scoreboard read 29-21 with 1:51 left in the game.
Carolina successfully attempted a 13-yard onside kick as Jermaine Carter recovered it at the Carolina 48-yard line, taking the possession away from Washington and giving the Panthers a chance to tie the game. The Panthers had four opportunities at goal to tie the game, but the Washington defense was too much for Allen, who was sacked for a loss of 23 yards, causing him to fumble. Washington then recovered the ball, ending the game.
The Panthers’ defense was already weakened with two players going to injured reserve earlier this week, and then Gerald McCoy and Brian Burns both exited briefly with injuries before returning. The offense just couldn’t get the job done against the Washington defense. The Redskins held McCaffrey to less than 50 rushing yards and just under 60 receiving yards. Allen was sacked seven times while throwing one interception and several more incomplete passes that could have been picked off. The Washington defense dominated the Carolina offense and the Panthers just did not respond.
Next up for Carolina, now 5-7, is Atlanta on the road. The Redskins, who now have three wins on the season, will travel to Lambeau Field to face the Packers next week.
“They said we wouldn’t kneel again” #HTTR Blessings 🙏 https://t.co/9p5h4FNF1z
— Dwayne Haskins, Jr (@dh_simba7) December 1, 2019
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— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 1, 2019
