CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The divisional matchup on Thursday night cant get here soon enough for the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints.Both NFC South teams suffered heartbreaking losses on bizarre endings Sunday after seemingly having victory within their sights.The Saints appeared ready to apply the knockout punch to the Super Bowl champion Broncos when Justin Simmons leaped over the long snapper and blocked a go-ahead extra point attempt with 1:28 left, and teammate Will Parks scooped it up and raced 84 yards for a decisive 2-point conversion, giving Denver a stunning 25-23 victory .About 725 miles north of New Orleans, the Panthers found their own way to lose a game they should have won. They surrendered a 14-point fourth quarter lead to the Kansas City Chiefs when cornerback Marcus Peters stripped Kelvin Benjamin of the football with 20 seconds left as the Panthers were attempting to drive for the go-ahead score, setting up Cairo Santos winning field goal as time expired.Thats one plus, Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. We dont have to dwell on this for very long and we can start getting focused on the Saints.The Saints (4-4) could have pulled within a game of division-leading Atlanta (6-3), but wasted an opportunity. The Panthers (3-6) had a chance to move into a tie with the Saints and Buccaneers for second place in the division, but instead remain three games back of the Falcons with seven games remaining.What we have done is put our backs completely against the wall, Rivera said. There is no room for error now. What we have to do now is we have to go forward.So do the Saints.Its a blessing so we can get this bad taste out of our mouth, Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan said of playing on a short week.Added quarterback Drew Brees after the loss: All you want to do is get back on the field as fast as you can. Obviously, weve got four days here so its a quick turnaround. Well have a good game plan together, but weve got to lose this one and move on to the next one.The Saints beat the Panthers 41-38 last month when Will Lutz kicked a 52-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining to end a wild game in which Drew Brees and Cam Newton combined for 787 yards passing and six touchdowns.Theres no need to panic, Newton said Sunday. We have a couple key losses (from the Falcons and Saints), so thats our optimism. When you look at it, whatever our record is, its not good. But yet we have a locker room full of winners and a locker room full of guys thats full of fight still. I know I am willing to go to battle with those guys. I cant wait until Thursday.Rivera said hes expecting his teams best, despite the heartbreaking loss.He has also reminded his team several times that they won the division two years ago with a 7-8-1 record.Theres always going to be excuses, but theres not always going to be opportunities, Rivera said. So wed better start taking advantage of them. Thats the important thing.Rivera he likes that the Panthers dont have travel on a short week giving them a little more preparation time.The truth of the matter is were at home, so its not going to be as hard on us as it will be the Saints, Rivera said.---AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Discount Vans Shoes . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. Authentic Vans Shoes Cheap . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. http://www.cheapshoesvans.com/ . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. Cheap Shoes From China . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. Clearance Vans Shoes . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. AUSTIN, Texas -- Charlie Strong went to the corner of the stadium to sing The Eyes of Texas with his team for what was most likely the final time.Texas running back DOnta Foreman knelt in the end zone, tears streaming down his face. His brother, Armanti, sprinted off the field rather than rather than get caught in a public show of emotion.All of it signaled the likely end of Strongs coaching tenure at Texas, a three-year rut of losing capped by a dismal 31-9 loss to TCU on Friday night.The Longhorns took the field amid swirling reports Strong would be fired at the end of the week. Strong and school administrators had said hed been promised an evaluation after the final game, but a 16-21 overall record for the only Texas coach in program history with three consecutive losings seasons may be all anyone needs to know. Texas will miss a bowl game for the second straight season.Strong said hell likely meet with Texas President Greg Fenves and athletic director Mike Perrin on Saturday and hell plead his case for more time. He has two years left on a guaranteed contract that pays him more than $5 million per year.I said the third year well make progress, the fourth year will be our year, Strong said. I was told when I came in three years ago to build a program. The wins and losses dont add up, but its more than that ... (Its) taking the program in the right direction.Fenves office did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday night.Texas somber finish was a long fall from the season-opening win over Notre Dame when Strongs players tossed him in the air in celebration.Weve been blessed to have him, freshman quarterback Shane Buechele said. No one wants him to leave. Everybody wants him to stay.But Strongs program has moved backward in the Big 12, and Fridays loss was the third in a row to TCU. Horned Frogs quarterback Kenny Hill did the damage this time, running for two touchdowns before TCU put the game away with two fourth-quarter touchdowns.Hill scored with a 4-yard run that capped the Horned Frogs first drive. He scored again in the third quarter on a 41-yard scamper that saw him break away from a pass rush and dart aalong the right sideline to the end zone for a 17-9 lead.ddddddddddddven after Hill left the game with an injury, TCU (6-5, 4-4 Big 12) blew it open in the fourth quarter when Trevorris Johnson capped a 97-yard touchdown drive with a 5-yard TD and Darius Anderson ran 70-yards for a score.TCU coach Gary Patterson said he ignored the emotions that were bubbling on the Texas sideline.I didnt worry about Texas. I had enough problems ... Were just glad to win, Patterson said. We got bowl eligible and not anything really good has happened for these guys this year.DOnta Foreman rushed for 165 yards for Texas (5-7, 3-6) and passed 2,000 yards on the season.I cried because its emotional to put everything on the line. I gave my all every game, every practice. To come up short in a game like this is very emotional, Foreman said.THE TAKEAWAYTCU: The Horned Frogs became bowl eligible behind a defensive effort that gave up big yards to Foreman but didnt break when it mattered. By keeping him out of the end zone and forcing early field goals, TCU never let the Longhorns grab a lead. TCU also dialed up steady pressure on Buechele with four sacks.Texas: Longhorns players had rallied behind their coach this week , with several giving tearful pleas for him to return next season. And the defense played arguably its best game of the year. Strong had hoped a win and a bowl trip would earn him another year, then had to watch as the game turned into a blowout.Every year, it turned into being all about me. It never should have been all about me. The players should have been given a chance to enjoy it, Strong said.DONTAS RUNForeman is a junior and said he has to decide if he will turn pro after this season. His 2,028 yards this season rank second only to Ricky Williams 2,124 at Texas in 1998, the year Williams won the Heisman Trophy. Foreman also has a school record 13 consecutive 100-yard games dating to last season.UP NEXTTCU: The Horned Frogs host Kansas State to end the regular seasonTexas: The Longhorns season is over. ' ' '