NFL Locals: Frankie Luvu, Panthers fall in wild OT finish; Cooper Kupp ‘dodges bullet’ with late injury

From staff reports

The NFC South was up for grabs Sunday. Frankie Luvu (WSU) and the Carolina Panthers thought they took control, but it just slipped away.

The game was all but won when P.J. hit D.J. on a 62-yard Hail Mary. Carolina wide receiver D.J. Moore secured a diving, game-tying catch from quarterback P.J. Walker with 12 seconds remaining, but kicker Eddy Piñeiros ’ extra point missed wide and the Atlanta Falcons went on to win a wild 37-34 overtime game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

After the catch Moore was flagged for excessive celebration, which backed up the failed extra -point attempt. Things didn’t get any better for Piñeiro, though, as the kicker missed a 32-yard attempt in overtime that would’ve won the game.

“I just missed the kick,” Piñeiro said. “I’ve got to make the kick. It hurts. You know, I love this team and I know they’ve got my back and I know it’s not going to define me as a kicker. Everybody misses kicks. Unfortunately mine was today.”

Carolina dropped to 2-6 on the season and had a chance to move into first place in the division with a win, holding the tiebreaker with all four teams at 3-5. Instead, the Falcons moved into first place at 4-4.

Luvu finished with five tackles (two for loss) and a sack.

• The Los Angeles Rams and coach Sean McVay can’t find a way to beat the San Francisco 49ers and Kyle Shanahan in the regular season.

Wide receiver Cooper Kupp (EWU) did his part, but the Rams lost in a 31-14 rout at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Kupp, who was evaluated by trainers with an apparent lower body injury late in the fourth quarter, caught eight passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.

His 16-yard touchdown reception from Matthew Stafford came with 6:35 remaining in the second quarter. The Rams wouldn’t score again.

Christian McCaffrey did it all for San Francisco in his second week since being traded from the Panthers.

McCaffrey threw, caught and rushed for a touchdown in the win. He handled 18 carries for 94 yards and had eight catches for 55.

McCaffrey became the 11th player in NFL history with a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game.

San Francisco’s Samson Ebukam (EWU) registered three tackles in the win.

His former teammate, Kupp, walked off the field under his own power and said signs are pointing to him “dodging a bullet” with the injury.

McVay said he was “kicking himself” for passing the ball with 1:02 remaining and the game well out of reach. That decision won’t be the only thing he needs to evaluate from the loss.

McVay dropped to 3-9 in his head coaching career against Shanahan.

• Things keep getting worse for Jalen Thompson (WSU) and the Arizona Cardinals.

The Minnesota Vikings came away with a narrow 34-26 win in Minneapolis, dropping to Arizona to 3-5 on the season – good for last place in the NFC West.

Thompson had six tackles in the loss. His former Arizona teammate had the last laugh.

Following one of two Kyler Murray interceptions Minnesota cornerback Patrick Peterson pretended he was playing video games during a team celebration, aiming a dig at the Arizona quarterback.

Murray, who is an avid Call of Duty player and Twitch streamer, has become a target of a social media meme that his play declines after the game’s annual release, in part to a since-revoked clause in Murray’s contract that mandated film study.

There’s no sign of the ridicule letting up, as Murray’s two interceptions sunk the Cardinals just two days after the release of Call of Duty Modern Warfare II.

• Everyone’s favorite mustachioed former Cougar saw his first regular -season action of the season.

Gardner Minshew (WSU) quarterbacked the last two drives of the Philadelphia Eagles’ 35-13 rout of the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers.

Minshew completed 1 of 2 attempts for 23 yards. Starter Jalen Hurts finished 19 of 288 for 285 yards and four touchdowns.