Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers had a first down at the New Orleans 21 with 41 seconds left and a chance for a winning touchdown that seemed improbable when they trailed by more than two touchdowns late in the first half.

That was as close as they got http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jessie-bates-iii-jersey , prolonging a painful trend in an excruciating 31-26 loss Sunday night in the NFC wild-card round.

With the Panthers in position for their first lead, Newton was called for intentional grounding, which cost 13 yards, a loss of down and a 10-second runoff. Saints safety Von Bell then sacked Newton near midfield on fourth down two plays later, assuring Carolina’s third loss to New Orleans this season.

It was the fifth time the Panthers failed to reach the end zone after getting past the Saints’ 25-yard line.

”I’m frustrated,” Newton said. ”We didn’t come here just to get a shot. … We came here to win. That’s what we didn’t do.”

Newton threw for 349 yards, his second highest total of the year, including a 56-yard touchdown pass to running back Christian McCaffrey that brought the Panthers within five with 4:09 to go. Newton then drove them 48 yards after safety Mike Adams intercepted Drew Brees’ pass at the Carolina 31 when the Saints gambled on fourth down just across midfield.

Then the comeback bid unraveled.

Newton was flagged when he avoided defensive end Cam Jordan’s rush by throwing the ball out of bounds, turning what would have been a second-and-10 into a third-and-23. The call left Panthers coach Ron Rivera upset.

”Our quarterback was out of the pocket,” he said. ”I thought there was a receiver (Devin Funchess) in the vicinity. I thought the ball was past the line of scrimmage.”

Newton was more diplomatic.

”It doesn’t matter what I think, but that game didn’t come down to that” call, he said. ”We could have played better as a team. It was a (close) call either way.”

Carolina had first downs at the New Orleans 15, 13, 27 and 10 in a span of five possessions and settled for four field goal attempts. Kicker Graham Gano missed the first one – a 25-yarder – and Newton went 2-for-6 with a sack in that stretch.

”I just have to be better,” he said. ”I’m not going to take the cowardly way and point somebody else out. I feel like plenty of times this year it was up to me. I do believe I am the leader of this team and the team goes as I go.”

The defense did not give Newton much help for long stretches. Drew Brees threw for 376 yards http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mike-white-jersey , and New Orleans scored touchdowns on three consecutive series in the first half, starting its run with an 80-yard touchdown strike from Brees to Ted Ginn.

”There are a couple of plays I personally would like to take back,” Panthers safety Kurt Coleman said. ”It’s frustrating. We beat the Patriots. We went toe to toe with Philadelphia. We beat Minnesota. We just didn’t go out and do what we were supposed to do.”

The Panthers almost made enough plays despite falling behind 31-19 with 5:08 left.

The touchdown occurred shortly after Newton had sat out a failed third-and-long play while undergoing concussion protocol. Newton took a hard hit on a sack by David Onyemata, started walking slowly off the field and then went back down in what Rivera said was an attempt to give backup Derek Anderson some extra warm-up throws.

Cleared to return for the next series, Newton completed his next five passes after the injury.

”It wasn’t my head,” he said. ”It was my eye. My helmet came down low enough over my eyelid and got pressed by the player’s stomach I believe. I thought maybe somebody stuck their finger in my eye, but I have a visor, so that can’t happen.”

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Cole Hamels and Mike Fiers could soon find themselves in a pennant race. Both veterans can increase their chances of joining a championship contender with solid starts on Saturday afternoon.

The two pitchers will be the mound opponents when the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers play the third game of a four-game series at Detroit’s Comerica Park. They have split the first two games.

Both teams are floundering, but contenders seeking veteran help could turn to Hamels or Fiers.

Hamels, a 34-year-old Texas left-hander, knows about the trade rumors but is more concerned with improving upon his recent outings.

“It’s not a big deal,” he told MLB.com after his last start. “It’s out of my control. I have to go and pitch, and hopefully that’ll be the last time I have to answer that question.”

Hamels had stellar road outings against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City in mid-June, but he lasted just five innings in each of his last two starts. He gave up a season-high seven runs and nine hits to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

Hamels (4-7, 4.05 ERA) is 4-2 with a 3.69 ERA in six career starts against the Tigers.

Fiers has been at the top of his game in his last two starts. He held Oakland to one run and five hits in seven innings Adam Larsson Jersey , then worked a season-high eight innings on Monday in Toronto. The Blue Jays managed just one run and three hits, but he wound up with no-decision when the bullpen couldn’t hold a one-run lead in the ninth inning.

Fiers (5-5, 3.79) has kept opponents off-balance by mixing well-located fastballs with a healthy dose of curveballs and changeups.

“He was changing speeds, locating the ball,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said afterward. “He paints the strike zone. When the catcher sets up away and in front, he throws away and in front.”

Fiers issued 62 walks in 29 outings last season with Houston and was left off the playoff roster. He has shown much better control this year, issuing 20 free passes in 16 starts.

“Just throwing a lot of strikes, changing speeds,” Fiers told the Detroit News. “I’m just glad I got the opportunity here.”

Texas has solved Fiers in the past. He’s 1-3 wth an 8.10 ERA in seven career appearances against the Rangers.

Texas didn’t have any luck on Friday night against Detroit pitcher Jordan Zimmermann after Shin-Soo Choo smacked a leadoff homer. Zimmermann struck out a season-high 11 batters in the Tigers’ 3-1 victory.

Zimmermann pitched eight innings, allowing Gardenhire to go straight to fill-in closer Joe Jimenez. Detroit’s regular closer, Shane Greene, is on the disabled list.

“Best thing we’re all seeing is we’re pounding the strike zone right now,” Gardenhire said. “Pitchers are getting deeper into games. That’s really going to help our baseball team.”

Choo’s on-base streak increased to 45 games with the homer, his 17th this season. His bat hasn’t cooled off despite a nagging right quad injury. Choo is batting .291 with a .401 on-base percentage.

The Rangers had scored five or more runs in eight of their previous 12 games.