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| Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton, right, hugs New York Giants' Odell Beckham (13) after an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Panthers won 38-35. |
EAST
RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Cam Newton stayed away from the
nastiness around him, shrugged off a record-tying Giants comeback, and
did what he does best: carry Carolina to victory.
In
a wild game that saw New York tie the score after trailing by 28
points, Newton threw five touchdown passes for the third time in five
weeks. The Panthers remained perfect by outlasting the Giants 38-35
Sunday on Graham Gano's 43-yard field goal as time expired.
Making
yet another strong statement for NFL Most Valuable Player honors,
Newton led the Panthers (14-0) to their 18th straight regular-season
victory. He has thrown for 19 touchdowns in the last five games and a
career-best 33 in this so-far special season.
It
looked oh so easy when NFC South champion Carolina led 35-7 with 5:32
left in the third quarter. Then the Giants matched San Francisco's
28-point rally - from the same score - against New Orleans in 1980.
One
big difference: The 49ers won that game in overtime, and the Giants
(6-8) saw their playoff chances take a huge hit by falling short. They
trail Washington by one game in the NFC East.
Carolina
visits Atlanta and hosts Tampa Bay to finish the schedule. All three
previous NFL teams to reach 14-0 - Miami in 1972, New England in 2007
and Indianapolis in 2009 - made the Super Bowl. Only the Dolphins won
the championship, though.
The Panthers would
secure home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs if Arizona loses
Sunday night at Philadelphia. The 18 straight wins match the
third-longest string in NFL history.
The
Giants tied it when Odell Beckham Jr., involved in a game-long
helmet-smacking, shoving and jawing session with cornerback Josh Norman,
got behind Norman for a 14-yard touchdown catch with 1:46 to go.
Beckham had lost his composure several times as Norman was getting the
best of him in their high-profile matchup. But he got free for a 40-yard
catch and run that led to the tying TD.
Then Newton calmly guided the Panthers 49 yards to the winning kick.
Play
ranged from chippy to nasty, particularly as the Panthers took every
opportunity to bang around Beckham Jr. Beckham gave back, too,
especially during one sequence when Norman crashed into him and Beckham
wrestled Norman to the ground.
Three times, a
frustrated Beckham was penalized for roughness. Norman also drew a flag
for hitting Beckham in the helmet. And after his tying score, Beckham
appeared to taunt Norman before he ran to midfield in celebration.
Meanwhile, Newton was staying cool.
He
showed off his sprinting skills, and his toughness, on a 47-yard gain
to set up Carolina's first touchdown.
The quarterback surged away from
pursuers, then was slammed as he stepped out of bounds by rookie
safety
Landon Collins - Alabama hitting Auburn - for a late-hit penalty that
began all maliciousness.
Ted Ginn Jr. caught a 3-yarder to make it 7-0. He added a 14-yard TD catch in the third quarter.
Newton
also took a helmet to the right shoulder when passing in the second
period and came to the sideline in obvious pain. But he was back on the
field moments later after Rashad Jennings' fumble was forced and
recovered by Charles Tillman. Newton was celebrating in the end zone
again after Greg Olsen's 37-yard reception three plays later.
It was Carolina's league-leading 34th takeaway; the Panthers have 124 points off turnovers in their spotless
season.
Newton also had TD throws of 14 yards to Devin Funchess and 20 to Corey Brown to make it 35-7.
Back
came the Giants. Will Tye caught an 8-yard TD pass and Jennings sped 38
yards to make it 35-21. Jennings became the first Giant this year with a
100-yard rushing game with 107.
Shane Vereen's 8-yard reception brought New York within seven.
Earlier, Manning found Rueben Randle uncovered down the left sideline for a 27-yard touchdown.
Giants
defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who lost the index finger on his right
hand in a July 4 fireworks accident, got his first sack in his sixth
game back. And though New York managed three sacks, it couldn't hand
Newton and the Panthers their first 2015 defeat.
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