CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When Luke Kuechly was carted off the field with a concussion, the tears streaming down his face as he left, it appeared the Carolina Panthers might be ready for another collapse.Their defensive leader was gone and another big fourth-quarter lead was crumbling.Instead, the Panthers did just enough to hold on and beat the New Orleans Saints 23-20 on Thursday night in a game marred by injuries to key players.When Kuechly went down the lead was at 10, and players gathered around him as he was put on a cart near midfield. Carolina would give up another score, but hold on for itsr third win in four games.We rally behind that guy, defensive end Charles Johnson said about Kuechly. Hes our leader. When you see a leader go down like that, we just rally behind him. Im keeping Luke in my prayers.The Panthers, who surrendered a 17-point lead and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs last week, entered the fourth quarter with a 23-3 lead before injuries began to take their toll. Along with Kuechly, the Panthers lost two-time All-Pro center Ryan Kalil (shoulder), top pass rusher Mario Addison (foot) and cornerback Leonard Johnson (chest) to injuries. The Saints lost running back Mark Ingram to a head injury in the third quarter.It was the Grim Reaper walking around out there, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said.Saints quarterback Drew Brees seemed to seize the momentum.Brees, who had been held to 171 yards and no touchdowns in the first three quarters, rallied the Saints back to 23-20 with touchdown passes to Brandon Coleman and Coby Fleener.But an 18-yard reception by Kelvin Benjamin on a third-and-10 with 2:39 left in the game proved pivotal, taking enough time off the clock where Brees only had 14 seconds to work with on his final drive. He couldnt manage to get his team into field goal range.Newton finished 14 of 33 for 192 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown pass to Ted Ginn Jr. as the Panthers (4-6) pulled even with the Saints for third place in the NFC South.Our mantra is to Keep Pounding and it speaks volumes in situations like this, Newton said. I will take an ugly win over a pretty loss.Jonathan Stewart also ran for a touchdown and Graham Gano had three field goals.Carolinas next two games are on the West Coast -- at Oakland and Seattle.Hopefully, the time off will give us enough time to heal up for this long road trip, safety Kurt Coleman said. And also you wonder if it wasnt a Thursday game and it was a Sunday game, would there be these type of injuries? You never know. ... Im just going to pray for everybody. Not only our team but their team.BETTER DEFENSEBrees finished with 285 yards passing.That was a dramatic difference from the last time the two teams met on Oct. 16 when Brees threw for 465 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-38 win over the Panthers.They did exactly what we hoped and that was keep the ball it in front of them, Rivera said of his young secondary. You cant ask for the guys to do a better job.KICKING WOESSaints coach Sean Payton was upset after the game about the teams continuing struggles on special teams, including a blocked field goal that was returned 73 yards by Kuechly before the half to set up Ginns touchdown catch.Last week the Saints lost to Denver when a potential game-tying extra point was blocked and returned for a 2-point defensive conversion.Fundamentally weve got to be able to kick an extra point. ... Weve got to be able to, you know, kick a field goal thats a makeable one, Payton said. Weve just struggled in that area. It cost us at New York, it cost us last weekend (against) Denver and it cost us again tonight. And weve got to be smart enough in the game early to understand that the turnovers arent good.LOSE SOME, WIN SOMEMaybe Ginn is just too fast for officials.In the first quarter Ginn appeared to score on a 14-yard run, but officials reviewed the play and ruled his knee was down at the 1-yard line taking away a touchdown. Then, in the closing seconds of the second quarter, officials ruled Ginn was out of bounds on a pass from Cam Newton. But after instant replay officials overturned the ruling and gave Ginn a 40-yard touchdown catch.UNDER PRESSURENewton was under heavy pressure for most of the first half, taking a sack on third down that took his team out of field goal range -- the second time he has done that in as many weeks.A COOL BREESBrees eclipsed 3,000 yards passing for the 13th consecutive season, tying Peyton Manning for the second-longest streak in NFL history.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Custom Soccer Jerseys China . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Cheap Custom Jerseys . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. http://www.soccerjerseyscustom.com/ . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. Wholesale Custom Jerseys . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Discount Custom Jerseys . Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said. Coach Luke Beveridge has applauded the Western Bulldogs grit after Jason Johannisens goal in the dying seconds to seal a thrilling four-point AFL win over Sydney.Johannisens heroics after a nine-week injury layoff secured a 13.5 (83) to 11.13 (79) victory on Saturday at the SCG, lifting them to fifth place and denying the Swans top spot on a logjammed ladder.The seesawing clash was the Dogs first return to the ground since their epic triumph by the same margin last season in round five.Its been a happy hunting ground the last two years, Beveridge said.A couple of incredible wins, and tonight is worth about 10, I think.To achieve an experience like we did tonight ... they count for more than normal because you hold your nerve and you keep your faith when the chips are down.It showed a lot of grit (from) our boys, just a brilliant victory.JJ was cool as a cucumber in the end.Johannisen was surprisingly quick off the halfback line in his first appearance in 10 weeks since tearing a hamstring tendon.Despite not playing a reserves match in the lead-up, the 23-year-old took an impressive 20 possessions as the Dogs kept numbers behind the ball to restrict the Swans movement.It was an effective tactic that helped former Swan Shane Biggs kick the games opening goal from outside 50m.Though Lance Franklin (five goals, 21 disposals) and Jarrad McVeigh steered the hosts to the lead at the first break, the Dogs surged ahead via a three-goal second-quarter flurry within four minutes.That included two from Jake Stringer in 80 seconds, his second an explosive sharp-angled snap to contend for one of the goals of the season.Franklin ensured the Swans didnt trail for long, matching Stringer with two of his own majors in as many minutes.But as the contest opened up, the Dogs stepped up their insiide-50 efficiency to snatch a 13-point edge in a dominant third term.dddddddddddd.Lachie Hunter and Marcus Bontempelli were relentless but Tom Libertore changed the momentum by scoring two of his teams five unanswered goals and having a hand in the other three.Some of the things he did in that third quarter to put us in the game were brilliant, Beveridge said.That was despite Luke Parkers standout performance with a match-high 34 disposals and 23 handballs.Swans coach John Longmire described Sydneys third quarter as poor.They outhunted us in that third term in contested ball and uncontested ball, but also in clearances.We allowed them to kick six of their goals in the third term which really cost us.For only the second time this campaign, the Swans were behind at three-quarter time.Franklin rammed home two rapid goals to claim a one-point lead that was soon extended to a shaky three points.And under pressure, with fulltime about to sound, Johannisen stepped up and delivered.The Dogs stepped up their inside 50 efficiency to snatch a 13-point edge in a dominant third term, Tom Libertore scoring two of five unanswered goals and having a hand in the other three.That was despite Luke Parkers impressive performance which included a match-high 34 disposals and 23 handballs.For only the second time this campaign, the Swans were behind at three-quarter time.Franklin rammed home two rapid goals to claim a one-point lead that was soon extended to a shaky three points.And under pressure, with the full-time whistle threatening to sound, Johannisen stepped up for his moment.The win lifts the Bulldogs to fifth place while the Swans remain second behind Hawthorn. 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