Barth misses first field goal attempt for 0-2 Bears; Panthers now 1-1

CHICAGO (WWAY) — Wilmington’s Connor Barth missed his only field goal attempt on Monday night in Chicago. It was a 31 yard field goal attempt in the first half. The ball hit the upright, but didn’t go through. Barth has made all of his extra point attempts for his new team, but he’s yet to make a field goal. He didn’t attempt one in the season opener against New Orleans. Philadelphia beat Chicago 29-14.

More details here on Connor Barth’s Monday night in Chicago. 

CHICAGO (AP) – Carson Wentz followed up an impressive NFL debut with another solid performance, throwing for 190 yards and a touchdown, and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Chicago Bears 29-14 on Monday night.

Wentz showed plenty of poise, just as he did in his debut against Cleveland. The No. 2 overall draft pick completed 21 of 34 passes without an interception despite absorbing several big hits.

Ryan Mathews ran for two scores, and the Eagles (2-0) scored a pair of touchdowns late in the third quarter to break open a two-point game.

While Philadelphia was pulling away, Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler walked to the locker room with a right hand injury and did not return.

That was the biggest blow for the Bears (0-2), who lost several players and fell again after opening with a loss at Houston. It’s not the sort of start they envisioned in their second year under coach John Fox after finishing last in the NFC North. But they continued to struggle at home, where they were 1-7 a year ago.

Cutler, who completed 12 of 17 passes for 157 yards, walked to the locker room following an interception by Nigel Bradham late in the third quarter. Cutler was seen having his right hand examined on the sideline early in the third following a strip-sack by Destiny Vaeao.

Brian Hoyer took over for Cutler and was 9 of 12 for 78 yards.

PULLING AWAY

The Eagles were leading 9-7 late in the third when Mathews bounced off the line and spun outside before lunging in for a 3-yard touchdown.

With Cutler throwing off his back foot on the next play from scrimmage Bradham intercepted a pass apparently intended for Alshon Jeffery, who was about 10 yards behind him, at the 30 and returned it to the 2.

Wentz then hit Trey Burton with a touchdown pass to make it 22-7 with four seconds left.

NEAT PASS

Cutler set up the game’s first touchdown when he spun to his left and unloaded a 49-yard heave to Jeffery that put the ball on the 5 in the opening minute of the second quarter. Langford ran it in from the 1, giving Chicago a 7-3 lead.

ANTHEM PROTEST

Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins and several teammates raised their right fists during the national anthem in a protest prior to their game. Jenkins said Saturday he would lead teammates in a demonstration against social injustice. Cornerback Ron Brooks and defensive end Steven Means joined him. It was not clear if another Eagles player joined in. Jenkins had insisted the protest would not be “an anti-police thing” and that police “are a key part of the solution in this issue.”

INJURIES

Eagles: Safety Jaylen Watkins suffered a bruised knee.

Bears: Linebacker Lamarr Houston left the game after injuring his left knee trying to rush the passer in the second quarter. He was tended to on the field by team medical personnel before walking gingerly toward the sideline. … Nose tackle Eddie Goldman was taken from the field on a cart with an ankle injury early in the fourth quarter after he was at the bottom of the pile on a running play. … Safety Adrian Amos and cornerback Bryce Callahan exited with concussions in the third quarter. … Running back Ka’Deem Carey hurt his hamstring.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Cam Newton threw for 353 yards and four touchdowns, and the Carolina Panthers overcame four turnovers to beat the San Francisco 49ers 46-27 on Sunday in their home opener.

Newton threw two TD passes to Kelvin Benjamin and one each to Greg Olsen and Devin Funchess to pass Jake Delhomme for most TD passes in franchise history with 122.

Newton showed no ill effects from the four helmet-to-helmet hits he took in Carolina’s season-opening loss to Denver. He took one shot to the head from linebacker Eli Harold late in the game after a pitchout on an option play, but quickly got to his feet.

Newton’s first pass was tipped and intercepted by Antoine Bethea, leading to a 49ers field goal. But the 2015 league MVP locked in after that, completing 24 of 40 passes while running for 37 yards on six carries.

Olsen gave the Panthers the lead for good in the second quarter when he hauled in a career-long 78-yard touchdown pass from Newton after the 49ers bit hard on play-action. That left the Pro Bowl tight end wide open on a seam route. Olsen finished with five catches for 122 yards.

Benjamin, who missed last season with a torn ACL, finished with seven catches for 108 yards and has three TD catches on the season.

WHAT WAS THAT?: The Panthers won despite the four turnovers, including one colossal mistake by returner Ted Ginn Jr., who failed to pick up the ball on a kickoff return. After Ginn bobbled the ball twice, the 49ers recovered at the 1-yard line and scored on the next play.

FOZZY BEAR ON THE RUN: Despite losing running back Jonathan Stewart (hamstring) in the first quarter, the Panthers had no problems moving the ball against a defense that was riding high following a 28-0 win over the Rams in the season opener.

Fozzy Whittaker ran for 100 yards on 16 carries and had three catches for 31 yards.

GABBERT’S DAY: Blaine Gabbert threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score in the loss. Gabbert pulled the 49ers within 34-27 late with a 75-yard touchdown pass to Vance McDonald, but threw two interceptions in the game’s final five minutes.

FIRST TOUCHDOWN: Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson scored his first career touchdown when he scooped up Carlos Hyde’s fumble and returned it 9 yards to give Carolina a 7-3 lead.

INJURY UPDATE

49ers: Linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong left in the second half with a shoulder injury.

Panthers: Stewart was limited to 9 yards rushing on five carries when he went down in the first quarter.

BY THE NUMBERS

Newton reached 121 career TD passes in 2,480 attempts, while Delhomme had 120 in 2,669 attempts.

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(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)