Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers found another way to lose.
A week after fumbling away a chance at a victory against the Dallas Cowboys, the Panthers lost another close game, falling 23-22 against the Chicago Bears on a last-second field goal.
Cam Newton had a solid day passing, throwing for 314 yards, but he was kept out of the end zone and threw two interceptions.
The Bears were down by 12 at one point, but scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including on a 25-yard interception return from cornerback Tim Jennings to take a 20-19 lead.
"We were down," Jennings said to the Associated Press. "We knew we had to score on defense. Our captains rallied up the troops. We knew that if we got our hands on the ball we had to score. That's been our mentality all season. I was able to be in the right position and make a play."
The Panthers came back and scored on a field goal by Justin Medlock, setting up the final drive for Cutler. The Bears quarterback completed 6-of-7 passes to set up the game-winning attempt. Robbie Gould converted the 41-yard field goal as time expired to seal the victory.
"(Cutler) gets up smiling," Marshall said. "I'm sitting here shaking -- a little bit of the cold weather, a little bit of (being) nervous -- and he just starts smiling like, 'Well, here we go.' It just put me at ease right away. The guys feel that vibe and they play off of it."
Carolina gained over 400 yards on offense, but still came up short. Steve Smith has a big game for the Panthers, catching seven balls for 118 yards.
"Not heartbreaking," Smith said. "Tiresome, monotonous, a few guys in here are perturbed and (ticked), but we're beyond heartbreak. We're just getting upset."
The team is now 1-6 and has lost all three games on the road. Even though the Panthers notched six sacks against Cutler, they couldn't stop him when it counted.
"This was a challenging week, not only for myself, but for any Carolina Panther fan that has been following us," Newton said. "We just have to come out and keep enduring and keep going and keep going. It tells a lot about the teammates and what type of team you have faced with adversity."
The team has dealt with a slew of injuries, including to Pro Bowl-caliber players Ryan Kalil, Chris Gamble and Jon Beason. Newton has come under heavy criticism for his leadership skills and another loss only adds to the frustration for the team.
Chicago proved itself to be one of the best teams in the NFC, finding a way to win when things weren't going well. The Bears were out gained by over 200 yards and only converted 2-of-8 third downs.
The Panthers had the edge on the Bears in nearly every category, but still found a way to lose. Medlock hit five field goals in the game, but it still wasn't enough.
According to ESPN Stats and Info, "The Bears have six interceptions returned for a touchdown this season. With nine games to play, they are three shy of the NFL single-season record of nine."
