Ryan Fitzgerald Hits a 54-Yarder at the Gun and Chuba Hubbard Scores Twice in a 20-17 Superdome Finish

Ryan Fitzgerald had already missed once on Sunday, and he had already made one from 55 yards. With the clock running out at Caesars Superdome, he lined up from 54, and this one was good as time expired.

The kick gave the Carolina Panthers a 20-17 win over the New Orleans Saints on the final play. Both teams arrived at 3-5. Carolina leaves at 4-5 and right in the thick of the NFC South race, while New Orleans falls to 3-6 and 1-5 at home.

A First Half Built on Fourth Downs

The Saints went for it on fourth-and-1 in Carolina territory on their opening drive. Marco Wilson got a hand on Tyler Shough's throw for Chris Olave, and Devin Lloyd came down with it for his third interception of the season, returning it 41 yards. Carolina could not cash in. Facing fourth-and-2 from the Saints 3, Bryce Young was sacked by Carl Granderson.

Fitzgerald missed a field goal try early in the second quarter, but the Saints handed the ball right back when a Shough handoff to Audric Estimé went wrong. Jaelan Phillips recovered at the Carolina 44, and Chuba Hubbard finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run at 6:43 of the second quarter. New Orleans had one more real chance before the break, but Estimé was stopped on fourth-and-1 at the Carolina 25 with 3:13 left.

Carolina led 7-0 at halftime. The Saints managed 107 yards on 27 first-half plays, while Hubbard had 63 yards on 12 carries and Young was 10 of 18 for 106 yards.

Kamara Finally Gets the Ball

Alvin Kamara did not touch the ball in the first half. Once he did, the Saints' offense came alive. Carolina converted a fourth down to open the third quarter, but a Colby Wooden sack forced a punt. New Orleans then converted a fourth down of its own, and Kamara scored from 3 yards out on his first touch to tie it at 7-7. The Saints also lost linebacker Pete Werner, who was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Fitzgerald put Carolina back in front with his 55-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, Shough found Kamara for a 4-yard touchdown, with Kamara stretching to finish it, and the Saints had their first lead at 14-10.

The Finish

Carolina answered. Hubbard turned a short catch into a weaving 34-yard gain that carried the Panthers to the edge of the end zone, and his 1-yard touchdown run put them ahead 17-14. Charlie Smyth tied it with a 55-yard field goal, his first of the afternoon. That left the last word to Fitzgerald, whose 54-yarder at the gun decided it.

The Numbers Behind It

• 2 rushing touchdowns for Hubbard, from 2 yards and 1 yard.
• 2 touchdowns for Kamara, one rushing and one receiving, after no first-half touches.
• 55 and 54 yards on Fitzgerald's two made field goals, the second as time expired.
• 107 yards of Saints offense in the first half.
• 3 fourth-down stops in the first half, two by Carolina and one by New Orleans.

What It Means

A week after a 26-21 home loss to Denver, Carolina found a way to win a game it nearly let slip. The Panthers host the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 22.

New Orleans will regret the first half most. Two fourth-down failures in Carolina territory and a lost fumble left the Saints playing from behind for most of the afternoon, and two Kamara touchdowns were not enough to make up for it. The Saints visit the Chicago Bears on Nov. 22.

Final score, scoring plays and records from NewOrleansSaints.com and WVUE Fox 8 New Orleans. Additional reporting from Panthers.com, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, ESPN and Fox Sports.