Key Takeaways from Colts vs. Panthers Monday Night Matchup

Amid a torrential downpour, Cam Newton led a resilient Carolina Panthers group to its 11th straight win and seventh this season, beating the Indianapolis Colts 29-26 in overtime at Bank of America Stadium on Monday Night Football. 

Yes, weather played a big role in this one. During the second quarter alone (when the rain was at its heaviest), there were two fumbles, an interception and a muffed catch on a punt return, something Colts head coach Chuck Pagano pointed to in the postgame press conference. 

Evidently, the ball was not easy to hold on to. But that fact didn’t stop Newton, who had the running game going and his team full of confidence following two successful fourth-down conversions inside the red zone in the first half.

But the second half was another story, as Colts quarterback Andrew Luck started an improbable comeback by stringing together consecutive passes against a secondary that looked a little sluggish at times.

All in all, it was a classic overtime game. Let’s take a look at some major takeaways from Monday’s thriller.

Carolina’s running game still rules

What stood out in this one was the Panthers’ second efforts when running the ball, especially during the first half. Jonathan Stewart’s determined run on 4th-and-goal with 7:21 left in the first quarter put his team up 10-0 and was a turning point in the game, as posted on the NFL's Twitter page: 

Newton and Stewart ran for a combined 123 yards, including this sensational play by the star quarterback, provided by SB Nation's Twitter page:

Mike McCarn/Associated Press

As electrifying as it is to watch Newton dash down the field, there are concerns over his inability to avoid contact, as ESPN color commentator Jon Gruden was quick to point out on the broadcast.

“All those hits take a toll. He’s got to get out of bounds,” Gruden said.

Hopefully the 26-year-old Auburn University product can learn from his mistakes and start making smarter decisions in order to protect both himself and the ball.

When you have a balanced offensive attack like the undefeated Panthers have, there’s no need to try to do it all yourself. Sure, Newton is the star of this team, but he should realize that he doesn’t have to be the star all the time.

Luck both brilliant and terrible

Since the contest ended with a loss for his team, the criticism poured down on Luck afterward like the heavy rain that plagued the game.

In the first half, Luck looked completely lost. Indy Sports Central reporter Mike Chappell vented certain frustrations with this tweet:

He held on to the football for way too long, forced passes and generally tried to do too much. Just as Newton could benefit from running out of bounds more often, Luck would do well to throw the ball away more moving forward.

By halftime, Luck had thrown two interceptions. 

However, when the fourth quarter rolled around, Luck started to resemble an entirely different man. After throwing an interception to start the quarter, Luck bounced back in rhythm by tossing two touchdowns and then running an excellent two-minute drill.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

That final drive set up a game-tying field goal, but it could have been so much more, as the Colts seemed a bit too conservative in their play-calling.

The short-yardage passes made it look like they were playing to just tie the game rather than take more than one shot in the end zone to win it inside 45 seconds.

In the end, the Panthers showed great resolve to overcome their tired defensive unit and a number of dropped passes. Look for Carolina to stay aggressive both with the running game and on fourth down moving forward, as head coach “Riverboat” Ron Rivera will continue to take his shots.