PHILADELPHIA — Cam Newton returned to his rookie form to outshine a seventh-round draft pick starting his first game since high school.
PHILADELPHIA — Cam Newton returned to his rookie form to outshine a seventh-round draft pick starting his first game since high school.
Newton threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more to lead the Carolina Panthers to a 30-22 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday in a matchup of teams with the worst records in the NFC.
Bryce Brown set a club rookie record with 178 yards rushing, including TD runs of 65 and 5 yards, but the Eagles (3-8) still lost their seventh straight game.
Brown surpassed Correll Buckhalter’s rookie mark of 134 yards rushing in his first start since his senior year at Wichita East High School in 2008.
Fellow rookie Nick Foles was so-so in his second straight start for Michael Vick, who sat out with a concussion. Foles was 16 of 21 for 119 yards.
Carolina (3-8) went ahead 24-22 early in the fourth quarter on Graham Gano’s 23-yard field goal.
The Panthers stopped Brown when it mattered most, stuffing him on a fourth-and-1 to take over on downs at their 40. Newton led them downfield, running in from the 2 to make it 30-22.
Brandon Boykin fumbled after a 44-yard kickoff return, and the Panthers recovered and held the ball the final 4:29.
Newton finished 18-of-28 for 306 yards.
Panthers 30, Eagles 22
Carolina 14 0 7 9 — 30
Philadelphia 3 12 7 0 — 22
First quarter
Phi—FG Henery 36, 11:12.
Car—Barnidge 24 pass from Newton (Gano kick), 6:12.
Car—LaFell 43 pass from Newton (Gano kick), 3:36.
Second quarter
Phi—FG Henery 41, 14:15.
Phi—Brown 65 run (pass failed), 10:56.
Phi—FG Henery 45, 3:20.
Third quarter
Car—Newton 1 run (Gano kick), 9:13.
Phi—Brown 5 run (Henery kick), 3:30.
Fourth quarter
Car—FG Gano 23, 12:40.
Car—Newton 2 run (kick failed), 4:40.
A—69,144.
Car Phi
First downs 24 18
Total Net Yards 398 311
Rushes-yards 35-109 26-204
Passing 289 107
Punt Returns 0-0 2-32
Kickoff Returns 5-114 4-110
Interceptions Ret. 0-0 0-0
Comp-Att-Int 18-28-0 16-21-0
Sacked-Yards Lost 2-17 1-12
Punts 5-37.6 2-41.0
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 4-3
Penalties-Yards 6-101 5-30
Time of Possession 35:12 24:48
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Carolina, Newton 14-52, Stewart 8-27, D.Williams 11-21, LaFell 1-6, Tolbert 1-3. Philadelphia, Brown 19-178, Lewis 5-24, Jackson 1-2, Foles 1-0.
PASSING—Carolina, Newton 18-28-0-306. Philadelphia, Foles 16-21-0-119.
RECEIVING—Carolina, Smith 4-60, Olsen 4-50, LaFell 3-74, Murphy 2-65, Tolbert 2-24, Stewart 2-9, Barnidge 1-24. Philadelphia, Maclin 5-55, Brown 4-11, Celek 2-19, D.Johnson 2-13, Jackson 1-9, Cooper 1-7, Havili 1-5.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.