Bengals, Panthers play to a tie
CINCINNATI (AP) - Cam Newton was a dual-threat quarterback once again, rallying the Panthers to a tie in regulation. Andy Dalton was nearly perfect in overtime, missing only one pass while putting the Bengals in position to win it.
Mike Nugent couldn't finish it off.
Nugent missed a 36-yard field goal attempt on the final play of overtime Sunday, leaving the Bengals and Panthers in a 37-37 tie - the NFL's first this season.
Nothing new about the Bengals tying at home. They finished 13-13 with Philadelphia in their last overtime game at Paul Brown Stadium in 2008.
There had been two other ties since then. San Francisco and St. Louis played to a 24-all finish in 2012, before the overtime rules were changed. Minnesota and Green Bay finished 26-all last season under the new format.
A matchup of division leaders featured big plays, late rallies and two quarterbacks repeatedly leading their teams back from the brink. The kickers decided it.
Nugent made a 42-yard field goal that put Cincinnati (3-1-1) up after the opening drive of overtime. Carolina (3-2-1) tied it on Graham Gano's 36-yarder with 2:19 left.
That was enough time for Dalton to maneuver the Bengals into position to win it. He was 8 for 9 for 87 yards with one throwaway in overtime. A roughing-the-passer penalty on Panthers end Charles Johnson helped the Bengals get in position for Nugent's final kick, which he sliced to the right.
The teams shook hands at midfield, neither one showing much emotion.
The game marked Newton's return as a running threat. He had been mostly limited to throwing the ball because of offseason ankle surgery and cracked ribs from the preseason. The Panthers turned him loose on Sunday, and he ran a team-high 17 times for 107 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown in the second half.
He also was 29 of 46 for 284 yards and two touchdowns, including a 13-yarder that put Carolina up 31-24 with 4:50 left. Adam "Pacman" Jones ran the kickoff back 97 yards to set up a tying touchdown, and the kickers traded field goals. Gano's 44-yarder sent it to overtime.
Dalton was 34 of 44 for 323 yards with a pair of touchdowns and two interceptions. Antoine Cason returned the first interception 80 yards to set up a tying touchdown in the third quarter.
Giovani Bernard had an 89-yard touchdown run - the second-longest in Bengals history - to help Cincinnati to a 17-10 halftime lead. Bernard carried 18 times for a career-high 137 yards, missing part of the second half with an injured right shoulder.