The Carolina Panthers scored 18 third-quarter points but it wasn't enough as the Oakland Raiders held on to a 35-32 win. Despite a dislocated finger, Derek Carr came back on for the Raiders to throw eight points and tie the game, before kicker Sebastian Janikowski added the winning field goal.
In 140 Characters...
9-2 Raiders hold off Panthers' third-quarter comeback and Khalil Mack proves Oakland defence can be an AFC contender this season.
MVP
Mack forced the game-ending fumble, made an interception and scored his first NFL touchdown, while adding six tackles and a sack to cap a commanding defensive performance.
Game-changer
In the first drive of the second half, Carr left the game with a suspected dislocated finger. The Panthers rallied, scoring 18 unanswered points in the third quarter, before taking the lead early in the last period. However, it was the Raiders who got the win, as Carr returned to throw for eight more points before Janikowski kicked a winning field goal with two minutes to play.
Stat of the night
5 - With tonight's last quarter rally, Carr became the first Raiders quarterback in franchise history to total five final-period comebacks in one season.
The game
After three scoreless drives, Latavius Murray set up the Raiders for a touchdown with a 32-yard run that took Oakland into Panthers territory. Seth Roberts then took a 24-yard catch, and three plays later Carr found Roberts in the corner of the end zone for a two-yard score.
The Panthers levelled with their next drive, as running back Jonathan Stewart found a crease, bursting through for 48 yards before Newton added a three-yard scramble.
Oakland got themselves back in front as Murray added a four-yard score, completing the ten-play drive. Janikowski added a 23-yard field goal to extend their advantage, before linebacker Mack intercepted Newton's pass with less than a minute to go, returning the ball to the end zone to give Oakland a 24-7 lead.
It was an awful half for Newton and the Panthers' offence, compiling just 87 yards total, half of which came on Stewart's run. However, it was the second half where they really made a case for the game.
Carr injured his finger on the opening play of the second half, allowing Carolina to recover the fumble. Newton led his team down the field before Stewart punched in a one-yard score.
Matt McGloin stepped in to fill the void at quarterback for Oakland, but it was the Panthers who scored again as Newton connected with Ted Ginn Jr on an 88-yard touchdown run, the quarterback's longest pass since his rookie season.
Carolina then took a one-point lead as Stewart bulldozed his way through for another short touchdown, this time from three yards.
That lead was extended when Newton found Kelvin Benjamin deep left for a 44-yard touchdown pass, completing a seven-play, 76-yard drive.
The Raiders tied the game at 32 apiece with nine minutes left when Carr, returning with a specialist glove, found Clive Walford, who made a spectacular catch at the back of the endzone for a 12-yard score, before Roberts caught the two-point conversion.
And Janikowski added the winning points two minutes from time, handing the Raiders a lead they would not relinquish. Newton had a chance but tight end Greg Olsen couldn't hang on to the pass, before Mack forced the fumble and recovered the ball to end the game.
The Raiders move to 9-2 with their fifth straight victory, however the path to the play-offs is not straight forward. Oakland still have to go on the road to each of their division rivals, and with the AFC West remaining tight it is all still to play for.
The loss all but eradicates any post-season hopes for the 4-7 Carolina Panthers, who fought back so valiantly in the second half. Head coach Ron Rivera called it a "grand effort", but the loss leaves the franchise three games behind NFC South leaders Atlanta Falcons, with too much work to do.