CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Cornerback Josh Norman makes key plays in the Carolina Panthers' secondary on a regular basis, though sometimes going underappreciated.

Not any more after a game-saving interception Sunday afternoon.

Norman intercepted a pass in the end zone with 1:09 remaining to help preserve a 27-22 victory over the winless New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium.

"I saw the ball (so) I get the ball," Norman said. "I came down with it and made sure I secured it. I came down so hard on it. I don't know how high up there I was in the air."

Cam Newton threw two touchdown passes to tight end Greg Olsen and ran for a score as the Panthers remained unbeaten.

The Saints (0-3) threatened to pull off a late-game comeback until Norman intervened.

New Orleans drove to the Carolina 23-yard line before quarterback Luke McCown, starting in place of injured Drew Brees, appeared to have receiver Brandin Cooks open in the end zone. Norman's leaping snag resulted in the second turnover of the half for New Orleans.

"I saw it and my eyes got big," Norman said. "God gave me wings to fly."

The Panthers (3-0) had touchdown drives of 89, 83 and 88 yards.

Brees missed the game with a right rotator cuff injury and the Saints struggled on offense in the second half until midway through the fourth quarter.

McCown was largely accurate, completing 27 of his first 30 throws and finishing 31 of 38 for 310 yards passing.

"With Drew not being able to (play), it's a lot different, but we definitely had a lot of reps with Luke throughout the preseason and I think that reflected in the offensive performance," Saints center Max Unger said.

Newton connected on 20 of 31 passes – both touchdowns covering 11 yards -- for 315 yards. He also rushed for 33 yards. Olsen caught eight passes for 134 yards.

"The success of the pass game was pretty much dictated by the offensive line," Newton said. "And just guys making plays. ... What hasn't been said about Greg, just him being him."

New Orleans running back Khiry Robinson ran for a 2-yard touchdown run with 4:50 left to close the gap to 27-22.

Rookie Marcus Murphy, a seventh-round draft pick out of Missouri, returned a punt 74 yards for a third-quarter touchdown as the Saints took a 16-10 lead. The extra point attempt was botched with a mishandled snap.

The opportunity came after a penalty on an initial punt caused the Panthers to punt again.

The second Newton-to-Olsen touchdown pass catapulted Carolina to a 17-16 lead with 8:43 remaining in the third quarter.

The Panthers stretched the lead to 20-16 on Graham Gano's 47-yard field goal after New Orleans tight end Ben Watson fumbled.

Newton ran for a 13-yard touchdown with 9:32 left.

"We all understand we've been in some battles," Saints cornerback Brandon Browner said. "We have been in some close ones. Sooner or later, it is going to fall our way."

McCown made only his 10th start in 12 NFL seasons. His most recent start came in 2011 for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

So there were some encouraging tones coming from the Saints.

"We do think we are close," Murphy said. "We just have to finish. Some things haven't been going our way."

The Panthers played without All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly (concussion) for the second game in a row.

It was 10-10 at halftime.

McCown led the Saints to a field goal on the game's opening possession.

That was topped the next time New Orleans had the ball because of a 16-play, 94-yard drive that consumed more than nine minutes. Ingram scored on a 5-yard run as the Saints built a 10-0 lead on the second play of the second quarter.

The ball-control theme continued when the Panthers got untracked with a 12-play, 80-yard march that took 6:30 and ended with Newton's 11-yard pass to Olsen.

The next Carolina drive fizzled at the 2-yard line, so the Panthers settled for Gano's 20-yard field goal with two seconds left in the half.

"Tying the game at the half was big after being down 10-0," Olsen said.

Each team had three first-half possessions.

The Panthers lost veteran defensive end Charles Johnson to a hamstring injury on the second-to-last play of the third quarter.

NOTES: QB Drew Brees of the Saints hadn't missed a game because of an injury since joining the Saints in 2006. During that time, he leads the NFL with 318 touchdown passes. ... Panthers DT Star Lotulelei played for the first time this season. He had been out since training camp with a foot injury. ... The Panthers signed WR Brenton Bersin from the practice squad and waived TE Brandon Williams. Bersin had one start for Carolina in 2014, making 13 total catches. ... New Orleans has a prime-time matchup next Sunday night at home against the Dallas Cowboys. ... Carolina, which has only one October home game, visits Tampa Bay next week.