On a key play in the game, Peppers chased down Rodgers as he rolled out of the pocket and hit him just as Rodgers was heading out of bounds, drawing a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down at the Carolina 7-yard line.

Fortunately for Peppers he got bailed out when the defense held on three plays and forced a field goal. Carolina's offense, set up near midfield after a big kickoff return by Mark Jones, scored the go-ahead touchdown on its next drive to take the lead and win 35-31.

After the game Peppers wasn't apologizing for his hit on Rodgers.

"I'm not trying to judge whether he's trying to step out of bounds, I'm just going for the hit," Peppers said. "I'm not trying to hurt him or anything like that. The last thing I saw he was still out of bounds."

Also, Peppers said he wasn't going to take a chance that Rodgers, who had been rolling out of the pocket and been on the run most of the afternoon, was going to stay inbounds and turn it back upfield.

"A few plays before that he acted like he was going out of bounds and stayed in and got like five extra yards and a first down," Peppers said. "I didn't want to take that chance again. It's just one of those things. It's part of the game."

Ironically, Peppers was credited with a sack on that play.

It gave him two on Sunday and 11 for the season. It marks the fifth time in his stellar seven-year NFL career that he's reached double digits in sacks. He's also two shy of matching a career-high.