NFC Wild Card: Cam Newton fumbles in 4th quarter (GIF)

Jan 3, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) scrambles with the ball during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in the 2014 NFC Wild Card playoff football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) scrambles with the ball during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in the 2014 NFC Wild Card playoff football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Arizona Cardinals defense forced a fumble from Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in in the fourth quarter of the first NFC Wild Card.

Trailing by two touchdowns and with the Carolina Panthers having the ball in the fourth quarter, the Arizona Cardinals defense desperately needed to step up and make a play if Bruce Arians’ squad was going to get back in the game.

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Well, they did just that, stripping Cam Newton of the ball, allowing their offense to start their next drive inside Carolina’s 10-yard line.

Watch a GIF of the play below:

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the great play by their defense was for nothing as quarterback Ryan Lindley threw an interception on the very next play, making a comeback that much more unlikely.

This two-play sequence tells the story of the game quite well: the Cardinals defense played well, but their offense made mistake after mistake, negating the value of the defense.

The Cardinals entered the fourth quarter having fewer than 100 yards of total offense.

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