Right when it seemed like the Panthers were going to secure first place in the NFC South on Sunday, Carolina let a golden opportunity slip through its fingers.
P.J. Walker and DJ Moore connected for a 62-yard, would-be game-tying touchdown in the final moments of the Week 8 Panthers-Falcons game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. All the visitors needed was to convert a point-after attempt to steal a victory from their division rival.
Unfortunately for Carolina kicker Eddie Piñeiro, his high-pressure kick was made all the more difficult due to an easily avoidable penalty on Moore. After hauling in the bomb from Walker, the star wide receiver landed an unsportsmanlike infraction due to removing his helmet in celebration. The call saddled Piñeiro with a 48-yard attempt that he couldn’t convert.
The Falcons went on to win the game in overtime after Piñeiro missed yet another kick, this one far more manageable. Knowing what was at stake, Moore couldn’t help but reflect on his mistake.
“What would have happened if I hadn’t taken my helmet off?” Moore asked while speaking with reporters, per ESPN.
Moore added: “It was a natural reaction. Still, I know that I can’t do that.”
A road win would have provided heaps of momentum to a Panthers team that could desperately use it after multiple major personnel changes. But the reality is Carolina now sits at 2-6 and has the charged-up Cincinnati Bengals, frisky Falcons and tough Baltimore Ravens next up on its schedule.
So if the Panthers continue to flounder and end the season with one of the league’s worst records, it will be easy to point to Moore’s gaffe as the final nail in Carolina’s coffin.
