Plays to Love, Plays to Hate (aka “P2L,P2H’) are a way of keeping track of the most significant plays that influence the eventual outcome of the game. Teams can’t control what happens after the whistle, so let’s focus on the game after the snap instead.
Three Plays to Love
1st Quarter 7:28 - Panthers 0, Chiefs 0. Chiefs ball, 3rd & 9 on the 50
The Situation: Carolina scored a field goal on their opening possession and Kansas City was driving down the field on their first.
The Play: Alex Smith drops back looking downfield. Smith spots Tyreek Hill over the middle with several steps on CB Worley near the 7-yard line. After the ball is in the air, Tre Boston comes from the middle and quickly closes the gap, stepping in front of Hill and snatching the interception. Boston runs it back 22 yards to the CAR 29.
2nd Quarter 9:12 - Panthers 3, Chiefs 0. Panthers ball, 1st & Goal on the 4
The Situation: Carolina has the ball on first and goal on the 4-yard line, threatening to extend the lead to two scores.
The Play: The Panthers had been running Stewart with limited effectiveness all day. Stewart lines up in the backfield with Funchess and Benjamin wide to the right. With Newton in the shotgun, Dee Ford beats his man and appears in the backfield immediately. However, with Stewart as the lead blocker, Cam keeps the snap and rushes up the middle. The Chiefs stop the play at the line but Cam keeps his legs churning and ultimately stretches for 3 yards and benefits from rolling off the back of a Chiefs defender into the end zone.
3rd Quarter 4:21 - Panthers 17, Chiefs 3. Panthers ball, 4 & 1 on the KC 49
The Situation: Carolina has a two score lead closing out the 4th quarter. Staying aggressive could put the game out of reach heading into the 4th quarter. The Panthers are working on the longest drive in franchise history.
The Play: No one had any delusions where the Panthers were going with this one. Cam takes the snap and goes right over center. Just like the TD, The Chiefs stop the initial push, Cam is stopped one yard short but keeps pushing, ultimately gaining the 1st with less than six inches to spare.
Three Plays to Hate
Fail to Score: Panthers record 21-play drive. Stretching from 10:29-0:30.
3rd Quarter 0:30 - Panthers 17, Chiefs 3. Panthers ball, 3 & 18 on the KC 28
The Situation: Carolina has spent almost ten minutes of game time in one drive. Reaching a franchise record 20 plays, if the Panthers score, the game is essentially over.
The Play: Following two consecutive plays for a loss, including a 7 yard sack, Cam lines up in shotgun with 3 wideouts and two men in the backfield. At the snap Trai Turner gets beat by a swim move and DE Chris Jones comes uncontested to meet Cam at the 40 for a loss of 12 yards. Not only does this kill the drive but it pushes Carolina out of field goal range, a score that would have eventually decided the game.
4th Quarter 10:59 - Panthers 17, Chiefs 6. Panthers Ball, 3 & 6 Car 29
The Situation: Carolina nursing a significant lead is once again struggling to find yards on the ground.
The Play: Newton takes the snap from shotgun with Benjamin and Ginn out wide and Olsen to the left. At the snap two defenders once again come untouched up the middle, forcing Cam to throw off his back foot to his safety blanket. Unfortunately Olsen hadn’t turned his head around and Eric Berry jumped the route leaping for the interception and coming down untouched. What followed was a comedy of errors as Fozzy Whitakker prevented the Greg Olsen tackle, Trai Turner takes a bad angle and whiffs, Ed Dickson misses the block and Berry cuts across the field. Ted Ginn, coming out of nowhere nearly saves the TD before Berry slips between him and a diving Cam Newton (who collide out of bounds) for the score.
4th Quarter :29 - Panthers 17 - Chiefs 17. Panthers Ball on the Car 20
The Situation: Carolina has blown a 17-3 lead allowing KC to score twice in just 1:15. With 29 seconds left, Carolina has the option to take a knee and go to OT or try to get in field goal position.
The Play: Newton takes the snap out of shotgun. Olsen, Brown and Funchess are lined up to the left with Benjamin to the right. Newton never even considers the left side, throwing a dart to Benjamin at the 32. Benjamin fights for extra yards eventually ending up at the 34. Marcus Peters comes in and jars the ball loose a second before Benjamin goes down, eventually recovering the fumble and returning it 10 yards to the Carolina 24 brought down by Fozzy Whittaker. After a 5 yard delay of game penalty for punting the ball into the stands, the Chiefs line up for the game winning field goal.
"P2L, P2H" Season Leaders
Plays to Love Year-to-Date:
6 "PTL" – Cam Newton
4 “PTL” - Thomas Davis
3 "PTL" – Kelvin Benjamin, Kurt Coleman
2 "PTL" – Andy Lee, Star Lotulelei
1 "PTL" – A.J. Klein, Bene Benwikere, Cameron Artis-Payne, Charles Johnson, Corey Brown, Devin Funchess, Greg Olsen, Jonathan Stewart, Kawann Short, Kony Ealy, Kyle Love, Lavar Edwards, Luke Kuechly, Shaq Thompson, Robert McClain, Vernon Butler, Tre Boston
Plays to Hate Year-to-Date:
5 "PTH" – Cam Newton
3 "PTH" – Kurt Coleman
2 "PTH" – Bene Benwikere, Daryl Worley, Derek Anderson, Graham Gano, James Bradberry, Kelvin Benjamin
1 "PTH" – Colin Jones, Ed Dickson, Jonathan Stewart, Kony Ealy, Leonard Johnson, Luke Kuechly, Michael Oher, Mike Remmers, Ryan Kalil, Ted Ginn, Zack Sanchez, Trai Turner