CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When Luke Kuechly was carted off the field with a concussion, the tears streaming down his face as he left, it appeared the Carolina Panthers might be ready for another collapse.Their defensive leader was gone and another big fourth-quarter lead was crumbling.Instead, the Panthers did just enough to hold on and beat the New Orleans Saints 23-20 on Thursday night in a game marred by injuries to key players.When Kuechly went down the lead was at 10, and players gathered around him as he was put on a cart near midfield. Carolina would give up another score, but hold on for itsr third win in four games.We rally behind that guy, defensive end Charles Johnson said about Kuechly. Hes our leader. When you see a leader go down like that, we just rally behind him. Im keeping Luke in my prayers.The Panthers, who surrendered a 17-point lead and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs last week, entered the fourth quarter with a 23-3 lead before injuries began to take their toll. Along with Kuechly, the Panthers lost two-time All-Pro center Ryan Kalil (shoulder), top pass rusher Mario Addison (foot) and cornerback Leonard Johnson (chest) to injuries. The Saints lost running back Mark Ingram to a head injury in the third quarter.It was the Grim Reaper walking around out there, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said.Saints quarterback Drew Brees seemed to seize the momentum.Brees, who had been held to 171 yards and no touchdowns in the first three quarters, rallied the Saints back to 23-20 with touchdown passes to Brandon Coleman and Coby Fleener.But an 18-yard reception by Kelvin Benjamin on a third-and-10 with 2:39 left in the game proved pivotal, taking enough time off the clock where Brees only had 14 seconds to work with on his final drive. He couldnt manage to get his team into field goal range.Newton finished 14 of 33 for 192 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown pass to Ted Ginn Jr. as the Panthers (4-6) pulled even with the Saints for third place in the NFC South.Our mantra is to Keep Pounding and it speaks volumes in situations like this, Newton said. I will take an ugly win over a pretty loss.Jonathan Stewart also ran for a touchdown and Graham Gano had three field goals.Carolinas next two games are on the West Coast -- at Oakland and Seattle.Hopefully, the time off will give us enough time to heal up for this long road trip, safety Kurt Coleman said. And also you wonder if it wasnt a Thursday game and it was a Sunday game, would there be these type of injuries? You never know. ... Im just going to pray for everybody. Not only our team but their team.BETTER DEFENSEBrees finished with 285 yards passing.That was a dramatic difference from the last time the two teams met on Oct. 16 when Brees threw for 465 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-38 win over the Panthers.They did exactly what we hoped and that was keep the ball it in front of them, Rivera said of his young secondary. You cant ask for the guys to do a better job.KICKING WOESSaints coach Sean Payton was upset after the game about the teams continuing struggles on special teams, including a blocked field goal that was returned 73 yards by Kuechly before the half to set up Ginns touchdown catch.Last week the Saints lost to Denver when a potential game-tying extra point was blocked and returned for a 2-point defensive conversion.Fundamentally weve got to be able to kick an extra point. ... Weve got to be able to, you know, kick a field goal thats a makeable one, Payton said. Weve just struggled in that area. It cost us at New York, it cost us last weekend (against) Denver and it cost us again tonight. And weve got to be smart enough in the game early to understand that the turnovers arent good.LOSE SOME, WIN SOMEMaybe Ginn is just too fast for officials.In the first quarter Ginn appeared to score on a 14-yard run, but officials reviewed the play and ruled his knee was down at the 1-yard line taking away a touchdown. Then, in the closing seconds of the second quarter, officials ruled Ginn was out of bounds on a pass from Cam Newton. But after instant replay officials overturned the ruling and gave Ginn a 40-yard touchdown catch.UNDER PRESSURENewton was under heavy pressure for most of the first half, taking a sack on third down that took his team out of field goal range -- the second time he has done that in as many weeks.A COOL BREESBrees eclipsed 3,000 yards passing for the 13th consecutive season, tying Peyton Manning for the second-longest streak in NFL history.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLMitchell Trubisky Jersey . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Tarik Cohen Youth Jersey . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. http://www.chicagobearfootballauthentic.com/authentic-mike-ditka-bears-jersey/ .com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre. Akiem Hicks Bears Jersey .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Walter Payton Youth Jersey . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision.MIAMI -- Almost having a perfect game pitched against them was stinging enough for the Miami Marlins. Squandering another opportunity to remain in wild-card contention hurt even more.The Marlins couldnt get a runner on base against Los Angeles Dodgers starter Rich Hill through seven innings and managed two hits against the bullpen in a 5-0 loss Saturday night.This time of year you turn it because you have a game (Sunday), Marlins manager Don Mattingly said But this time of year youre running out of games. Theyre not just losses now. They hurt you pretty good. It kind of takes your spirit a little bit.The Marlins (70-72) have lost 11 of their last 15 and are 5 1/2 games behind San Francisco in the wild-card standings.Hill (3-0) pitched seven perfect innings but first-year Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed him to start the eighth. Hill had thrown 89 pitches and struck out nine before giving way to Joe Blanton to start the eighth inning.I feel sick to my stomach, Roberts said. Rich had an opportunity of a lifetime. You take the personal aside. As a manager you are taking a lot of information.We have been dealing with Richies blister and that caused him to miss a lot of time this season.Acquired from Oakland on Aug. 1, Hill spent three weeks on the disabled before making his Dodgers debut Aug. 24. Facing a group of more than 20 reporters in front of his locker, Hill felt he could have continued pitching.Obviously, I didnt want to come out of the game, Hill said. But I think there is a bigger picture here and we all know what it is. Dave was in a very difficult position. You look at it and move on. Thats all you can do.Blanton struck out Christian Yelich and retired Marcell Ozuna a groundout before Jeff Francoeur singled to left. Grant Dayton gave up Dee Gordons two-out infield hit in the ninth that put two on and Kenley Jansen retired Martin Prado on a grounder to complete the two-hitter.In 11 years in the big leagues Ive never had a no-hitter against my team, Francoeur said. I was praying to God this wasnt the first time tonight. Luckily, we were able to come through with two hits.Hill didnt pitch in the majors between May 29 and July 2 because of a strained left groin. The blister in the middle finger of his pitching hand began in his final month with the As.On April 8, Roberts removed Ross Strippling with a no-hit bid after 7 1/3 innings and 100 pitches in a game the Dodgers lost to San Francisco 3--2 in 10 innings.ddddddddddddSaid Roberts, to go 89 pitches, weighing the risks versus the opportunity and talking to the training staff and getting their advice and weighing it all up and what is right for Rich and the Dodgers, this is the decision I made.Hill entered a combined 11-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 16 starts this year. He has just three complete games in 91 big league starts over 12 seasons.Left fielder Yasiel Puig, brought back from the minors on Sept. 2, made an outstanding diving catch for the final out of the seventh. Prado hit a drive to deep left-center and Puig sprinted and as he approached the warning track dived toward the wall to make the catch.Joc Pederson made a sliding and diving catch on a drive to center by Ozuna in the second.That was an incredible play and when you see a no-hitter or perfect game, you never know whats going to happen, Mattingly said.Pederson connected in the fifth and seventh innings and Corey Seager and Justin Turner hit consecutive homers in the sixth, with Seager connecting for a two-run drive.Tom Koehler (9-11) allowed four runs and six hits in five plus innings and Brian Ellington gave up Pedersons second homer -- his 22nd this season. Koehler is 0-3 in his last five starts and has not won since Aug. 9.CLOSE CALLFor the second consecutive night, a foul ball hit the plate umpire. Tony Randazzo absorbed the shot after Josh Reddicks foul swing bounced off Miami catcher Jeff Mathis mitt and struck Randazzos mask in the second inning. Temporarily dazed, Randazzo stayed in the game. On Friday, Brian Knight was hit in the mask area with a foul ball and left the game in the fifth. Chris Guccione replaced Knight on Saturday.ETHIER RETURNDodgers outfielder Andre Ethier pinch-hit in the ninth and grounded out to first in his season debut. Ethier broke his leg during spring training.TRAINERS ROOMMarlins: Pitchers Wei-Yin Chen and Bryan Morris are to throw simulated games Sunday in attempts to determine if they will return during the final three weeks of the season. Chen has been sidelined since July 24 because of left elbow inflammation. Morris has missed the last three months because of a herniated lumbar disk in his back.UP NEXTRHP Kenta Maeda (14-8) starts Sundays series finale for the Dodgers and RHP Jose Urena (3-6) hprd for the Marlins. ' ' '