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Final Score
Pittsburgh Steelers: 0-0-0-6 — 6
Carolina Panthers 3-9-3-3 — 18
The Carolina Panthers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 18-6 on Thursday night in the preseason finale for both teams. As expected, both teams rested their starters.
Kicker Graham Gano was 6-for-6 in field-goal attempts to account for all the points in Carolina’s win. Running back Cameron Artis-Payne led the team’s rushing efforts with 77 yards on 18 carries.
Joe Webb started and played the entire game for Carolina at quarterback. He completed 17 of 29 passes for 200 yards. The defense had a solid showing in the first half, limiting the Steelers to just 47 total yards.
Steelers quarterback Landry Jones struggled on Thursday— managing only one first down. Jones finished the night completing 4 of 5 passes for 29 yards. The highlight for the Steelers was a 66-yard drive that ended with Daryl Richardson running up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Richardson led Pittsburgh’s ground game, rushing nine times for 45 yards.
The game was scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium, however weather delayed kickoff to 7:51 p.m.
Here are a few highlights from the game:
Graham Gano Made a 47-Yard Field Goal
Graham Gano made a 47-yard field goal to get the Panthers on the board first. The field goal ended a 6 play, 28-yard opening drive.
Gano Added to Carolina’s Lead With a 42-Yard Field Goal
Gano Gave the Panthers a 9-0 Lead With a 28-Yard Field Goal
With 3:36 left in the first half, Carolina had to settle for another field goal to give the Panthers a 9-0 lead. Carolina leads in total yards 147 to 32.
Gano Made a 41-Yard Field Goal
Panthers Notched Another Field Goal to Take a 15-0 Lead
Gano hit a 22-yard field goal to give Carolina a 15-0 lead over Pittsburgh with 7:35 left in the third quarter.
Daryl Richardson Got the Steelers on the Board With a 1-Yard Touchdown
Richardson ran up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown to cut the Panthers lead to 15-6. Pittsburgh’s two-point conversion attempt failed.
Gano Nailed a 45-Yard Field Goal
Gano nailed his sixth field goal of the night to give the Panthers an 18-6 lead with 10:48 left in the game.
Steelers-Panthers Preview
Panthers head coach Ron Rivera usually does not play his starters much in the final preseason game, if at all. He is planning to be even more cautious with Carolina’s season opener just a week from today against Denver on September 8.
Rivera said quarterback Joe Webb will likely play the entire game against the Steelers while Cam Newton and back-up quarterback Derek Anderson rest.
Pittsburgh will also rest the majority of starters in preparation of next week’s regular season contest. However, one player to keep an eye on will be first-round draft pick Artie Burns. Burns, who suffered a quadriceps injury early in training camp, has been sidelined for all three preseason games. He is set to make his NFL debut in the preseason finale against the Panthers Thursday night.
“I feel like I’m behind from the reps standpoint,” Burns told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I haven’t been getting the training camp or game reps. As for the mental part of it, I feel like I’m in it. I made sure I watched film. That was the only way I could stay in it. I couldn’t do anything physical. I had to stay in it mentally.”