Carolina gives away 149 penalty yards and still controls the Eagles

Carolina was penalized 13 times for 149 yards Sunday and still left Philadelphia with a 25-14 win. The flags repeatedly erased returns and interrupted drives, but the Eagles could not turn those chances into enough offense.

The Panthers held Philadelphia to 35 rushing yards, collected three sacks and eventually created an 11-point margin through Tommy Tremble’s second touchdown catch. Carolina improved to 3-2, while the Eagles fell to 2-4.

Chuba Hubbard carried the offense through its mistakes, rushing 28 times for 120 yards and a touchdown. Bryce Young threw for 281 yards and two scores without an interception. Both passing touchdowns went to Tremble, who caught four passes for 46 yards.

The flags keep the game close

The Panthers’ first half included penalties that wiped out returns by Trevor Etienne and David Moore, according to the team’s postgame account. Carolina was flagged eight times for 105 yards before halftime and led only 10-7 at the break.

Young’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Tremble had put the visitors ahead 10-0. Philadelphia responded with a Dameon Pierce touchdown run. Ryan Fitzgerald’s 52-yard field goal later made it 13-7, leaving Carolina with a narrow lead despite controlling much of the game.

The drive that followed gave the Panthers breathing room. Young found Jalen Coker for a 32-yard gain on third-and-8 near his own end zone. Hubbard later converted fourth-and-1 with a 19-yard run and finished the possession with a short touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The two-point attempt failed, leaving the score 19-7.

Philadelphia gets a chance and wastes it

Tanner McKee’s 19-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith brought the Eagles within five. A Carolina three-and-out then gave Philadelphia another possession, but a bad snap cost 12 yards and the drive ended in a punt.

The punt left Carolina with a short field. Young found Tremble from 19 yards out on Carolina’s next scoring possession, pushing the lead to 25-14. The missed extra point left the margin at 11, but the Eagles did not score again.

Philadelphia played without Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Will Shipley and Tank Bigsby. McKee completed 26 of 45 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown. Smith, back from a two-game absence, caught seven passes for 75 yards. The Eagles punted on their first five possessions and finished with 222 total yards.

Panthers coach Dave Canales called the penalty total “outrageous” in the team’s postgame report. His defense also lost Thomas Incoom to a calf injury; Jaelan Phillips returned in a limited role after leaving earlier. Philadelphia’s Nolan Smith exited with a concussion, the Associated Press reported. Carolina next hosts Tampa Bay, while the Eagles host Dallas on October 26.