Panthers 33, Redskins 20
The Carolina Panthers snapped their trend of close losses, using a dominant second half to pull away for a 33-20 home victory over the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
The Panthers (2-5) snapped a three-game losing streak and finally didn't have to sweat it out until the final snap. Five of their first six games were decided by seven points or fewer, and they have blown fourth-quarter leads in three of their losses.
Rookie Cam Newton rushed for a touchdown and threw for another in the second half to help the Panthers create some breathing room. Steve Smith, who entered with the NFC lead in receiving yards, had seven catches for 143 yards.
The Redskins (3-3) didn't benefit enough from their quarterback change to keep up with Carolina's explosive offense.
But John Beck, who replaced Rex Grossman to become the Redskins' 21st starting quarterback in 19 seasons, put up respectable numbers in his first start since 2007. He was 22 of 37 for 279 yards and a touchdown, but also threw an interception and lost a fumble.
Washington lost running back Tim Hightower (knee) and receiver Santana Moss (hand) to injuries. Hightower had 17 carries for a team-high 88 yards before leaving in the third quarter.
Carolina's Jonathan Stewart ran for 68 yards and a touchdown to surpass 3,000 rushing yards in his career. He is the third Panthers player to reach that mark, joining DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams.