Panthers silence Bucs, keep pace with Falcons
By JOHN VOGL News Sports Reporter
11/7/2005

It was a statement game between the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. All the talk came from the Carolina side of the field. --football gambling--

The first-place showdown between the NFC South combatants was no contest Sunday, with the Panthers silencing the Bucs and their Raymond James Stadium patrons, 34-14. Carolina remained in a tie with Atlanta atop the division at 6-2, while the Bucs fell a game back at 5-3. "What's disappointing for us is we had an opportunity to make a statement and we didn't do it," said Bucs defensive tackle Anthony McFarland. --football gambling--

The start of the season is a distant memory for the Panthers and Bucs. Carolina won for the fifth straight time, diminishing a 1-2 start. Tampa started 4-0 but has lost three of four. --football gambling--

The Falcons kept pace by putting their game in Michael Vick's pocket and leaving Miami with a 17-10 victory. San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson continued to run away with the Most Valuable Player race. He scored on three runs and one reception in a 31-26 victory over the New York Jets, becoming the first Charger to have four TDs in a game since Chuck Muncie against Denver on Nov. 29, 1981.--football gambling--

Top dog Panthers 34, Buccaneers 14Closing line: Panthers (-11/2). --football gambling--The scoop: Carolina scored the first three touchdowns of the second half, widening its 17-7 halftime lead. . . . The Panthers held the Bucs to 44 yards rushing, forcing Chris Simms to throw 42 passes in his second start for Brian Griese. Simms was picked off twice and sacked five times. Play of the Game: Simms attempted a sideline throw to Michael Clayton, but Chris Gamble stepped in front of it and returned it 61 yards to make the score 24-7 in the opening minutes of the second half. --football gambling--

Quote: "The thing they have that we don't have is a championship, and that's what we're trying to get," said Panthers receiver Steve Smith. Next: The Panthers host the Jets. Tampa welcomes Washington.--football gambling--

Best of the rest --football gambling-- Chargers 31, Jets 26Closing line: Chargers (-61/2). --football gambling--The scoop: Tomlinson almost had to take a back seat to, of all people, Brooks Bollinger. Chargers quarterback Drew Brees fumbled with 3:06 to play, and the host Jets had just 30 yards to go for the go-ahead touchdown. But a fourth-and-goal pass from the 3 by Bollinger, who replaced Vinny Testaverde (strained calf) in the third quarter, was swatted away by Quentin Jammer with 53 seconds left. . . . The Jets' Curtis Martin became the 16th player in history with 100 touchdowns, scoring on a 1-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. --football gambling--

Play of the Game: Ty Law had a chance to stop Tomlinson's 25-yard TD reception, but L.T. made a juke move that Law couldn't even react to, and Tomlinson burst by the frozen corner. Next: The Chargers (5-4) take the week off. New York (2-6) goes to Carolina.Falcons 17, Dolphins 10Closing line: Falcons (-21/2). --football gambling--

The scoop: The Falcons used Miami as a test subject. They kept Vick in the pocket, and he went 22 of 31 for a season-high 228 yards. . . . Atlanta went 11 for 17 on third downs and held the Dolphins to an 0-for-9 showing. . . . Miami gained just 208 yards. --football gambling--

Play of the Game/Buffalo buzz: Former Bills cornerback Keion Carpenter dived to intercept Gus Frerotte's pass on third-and-2 from the Atlanta 8, thwarting Miami's comeback with 2:41 to play. Quote: "People say I can't throw the ball from the pocket. I had to show them," Vick said. "From here on out, I don't want to hear that question." --football gambling--

Next: The Dolphins, tied for second with the Bills in the AFC East at 3-5, have division-leading New England in town. Atlanta hosts Green Bay.Redskins 17, Eagles 10Closing line: Redskins (-3). The scoop: Washington running back Clinton Portis closed the scoring with a 6-yard run late in the third quarter. . . . Pro Bowler Brian Westbrook, who signed a five-year contract extension reportedly worth $25 million, had 24 yards on 17 carries for the visiting Eagles. . . . Receiver Terrell Owens, suspended without pay Saturday, was involved in a locker room fight with Eagles "ambassador" and former teammate Hugh Douglas on Wednesday. --football gambling--

Play of the Game: On fourth-and-4 from the Washington 7 with 1:25 to go, a hurried Donovan McNabb threw an interception to safety Ryan Clark. Next: The last-place Eagles (4-4) host bye-rested Dallas (5-3) next Monday night. Washington (5-3) goes to Tampa.Browns 20, Titans 14Closing line: Browns (-3). --football gambling--

The scoop: The only thing Reuben Droughns took in Sunday was the applause from the Cleveland crowd after snapping the Browns' three-game losing streak. The running back, arrested on a charge of drunken driving Tuesday, had 116 yards rushing and 73 receiving. . . . Tennessee had a chance to win after Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson missed a 39-yard field goal with 39 seconds left. Steve McNair drove to the Browns' 28 with two seconds left, but his desperation pass to the end zone was picked off. . . . The victory came on the 10-year --football gambling--anniversary of owner Art Modell announcing he was moving the Browns to Baltimore. --football gambling--

Play of the Game: Droughns caught a short screen pass over the middle and weaved 51 yards to set up Jason Wright's 6-yard TD run in the third quarter - Cleveland's first rushing touchdown since Nov. 28 of last season. --football gambling--

Next: The Browns (3-5) travel to archrival Pittsburgh for a Sunday night game. The Titans (2-7) have a bye.Steelers 20, Packers 10Closing line: Steelers (-4). --football gambling--

The scoop: The Steelers became the fourth team in history to win 11 straight road games, earning the edge in the defensive battle. The Packers had only 65 rushing yards. The Steelers, with Charlie Batch playing for injured Ben Roethlisberger, had only 59 passing yards. Play of the Game: Bryant McFadden's cornerback blitz forced quarterback Brett Favre to fumble, and safety Troy Polamalu scooped up the ball for a 77-yard return to give the Steelers a 13-3 lead early in the second quarter. --football gambling--

Buffalo buzz: ReShard Lee, cut by the Bills in training camp, started at running back for Green Bay, fumbled on his second carry and didn't touch the ball again except on kickoff returns. Next: The Steelers (6-2) will try to tie Cincy for the AFC North lead when they host Cleveland. Green Bay (1-7) goes to Atlanta.Bears 20, Saints 17Closing line: Bears (-3). --football gambling--

The scoop: The few Saints fans who did show up in Baton Rouge, La. - and that group didn't include owner Tom Benson - saw Robbie Gould kick the game-winning field goal with six seconds to play. . . . Running back Thomas Jones injured his ribs in the first half, but Bears backups Cedric Benson (79) and Adrian Peterson (58) combined for 137 yards and a TD. . . . Only 32,637 showed up in LSU's 93,000-seat Tiger Stadium, which Benson said he would not return to because he feared for his safety. --football gambling--

Play of the Game: Gould's 28-yarder completed a 10-play drive over the final four minutes. Quote: "The owner has to make some decisions on this football team, and where this football team needs to be," Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks said, referring to Benson's reported desire to leave New Orleans. --football gambling--

Buffalo buzz: The Saints' Antowain Smith rushed for a game-high 110 yards on 17 carries. Next: The Bears (5-3) host San Francisco. The Saints (2-7) are off.Jaguars 21, Texans 14Closing line: Jaguars (-131/2). --football gambling--

The scoop: It took perfection for the Jaguars to come back against Houston. Byron Leftwich treated the home crowd to an 11-for-11, 162-yard performance in the second half, creating a pair of touchdowns in the final quarter to erase a 14-7 deficit. . . . Jacksonville tied the NFL record for consecutive games played without scoring 30 points, matching Cleveland's mark of 58 games set between 1995 and 2002. --football gambling--

Play of the Game: Greg Jones, who replaced injured starter Fred Taylor (ankle), scored the winning TD on a 12-yard run with 2:53 to play. Next: Jacksonville (5-3) hosts Baltimore. The Texans (1-7) go to Indianapolis.--football gambling--

One-sided wins Seahawks 33, Cardinals 19Closing line: Seahawks (-4). --football gambling--
The scoop: While he trails Tominlinson in the best player category, Shaun Alexander picked up votes as best rusher, getting 173 yards on 23 carries with two scores. He has an NFL-best 949 yards on the ground this season. . . . Kurt Warner replaced Josh McCown as Arizona quarterback and was booed by the home crowd. He threw for 334 yards and a touchdown, but he also had three interceptions and was sacked four times. --football gambling--

Play of the Game: Alexander, who went to the locker room late in the second quarter with a stomach ache, opened the third quarter with a franchise record-tying 88-yard touchdown run. Next: Seattle (6-2) has bye-rested St. Louis (4-4) in town. The Cards (2-6) welcome Detroit (3-5).Vikings 27, Lions 14Closing line: Vikings (-1). --football gambling--

The scoop: Minnesota dropped Detroit for the eighth straight time and moved into a tie with the Lions for second place in the NFC North at 3-5. . . . With Daunte Culpepper out for the season, the Vikings turned to quarterback Brad Johnson, who made his first start since Week Four of last season with Tampa Bay. He tossed two touchdown passes in front of the home crowd. . . . The Lions gave Joey Harrington the start in place of ailing Jeff Garcia, and he was sacked four times and threw two interceptions. --football gambling--

Play of the Game: Rookie Ciatrick Fason made the score 17-0 with a 3-yard touchdown run, the first of his career. Buffalo buzz: Former Bills cornerback Antoine Winfield had a second-quarter interception, and the Vikings converted it into a touchdown and 24-0 lead. --football gambling--

Next: The Vikings travel to face the New York Giants. The Lions are home against

Arizona.Giants 24, 49ers 6Closing line: Giants (-11). --football gambling--
The scoop: Brandon Jacobs put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter, rushing for two 1-yard TDs. . . . Eli Manning earned his first win outside Giants Stadium, improving to 1-5. . . . The 49ers extended their streak without a TD at home to 13 quarters. --football gambling--Play of the Game: Tight end Jeremy Shockey made the score 10-0 just 13 seconds before halftime, stretching to catch a 32-yard pass from Manning. --football gambling--

Next: The NFC East-leading Giants (6-2) host Minnesota. The 49ers (2-6) go to Chicago.Dog game of the day --football gambling--Bengals 21, Ravens 9Closing line: Bengals (-3). --football gambling--The scoop: Cincinnati kept Baltimore out of the end zone, forcing just three field goals by Matt Stover. . . . Ravens running back Jamal Lewis was held to 49 yards on 15 carries, the first time in eight games against Cincinnati he failed to run for at least 100 yards. --football gambling--

Play of the Game: Carson Palmer sealed it with 6:05 to go, capping a 91-yard drive with a 3-yard pass to Chris Henry. --football gambling--

Next: The Bengals (7-2) have a bye. The Ravens (2-6) go to Jacksonville.News wire services contributed to this report.--football gambling--

Steelers Scratch Out Tough Win

AP Sports
11/01/2005

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pittsburgh Steelers finally won the kind of close game they've been losing at home all season. The problem was it wasn't supposed to be nearly this difficult, not against a depleted Ravens team whose season already seems to be fading away. -NFL Football-

Jeff Reed kicked a 37-yard field goal with 1:36 remaining after Ben Roethlisberger opened each half with touchdown passes to rookie tight end Heath Miller, and the Steelers held off the injury-weakened Ravens 20-19 Monday night to tighten up the AFC North race. -NFL Football-

But only with a sigh of relief did Pittsburgh (5-2) stay within a half-game of division leader Cincinnati. The Ravens (2-5) were without the last two NFL Defensive Players of the Year, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, and, seemingly, much chance of ending what now is a seven-game road losing streak, but nearly pulled out a game it seemed only they thought they had a chance to win. -NFL Football-

"But our players know," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "This is still Baltimore. They still have some good players, and their coach challenged them and they responded." -NFL Football-

The Ravens, two-touchdown underdogs, took a 19-17 lead after an uncharacteristic botched play by Pittsburgh's special teams, a failed punt attempt in which rookie Greg Warren's snap to Chris Gardocki deflected off upback Sean Morey and resulted in Gardocki's incomplete pass. -NFL Football-

"It's a first," Cowher said, saying Warren mistakenly snapped the ball early. "But we were holding them to field goals rather than touchdowns and got a chance to win it in the end." -NFL Football-

Thanks to the mixup, the Ravens got the ball at the Steelers 45 with 5 1/2 minutes to play and a chance to steal a victory in a stadium where they haven't won since 2001. Matt Stover followed with his fourth field goal, a 47-yarder with 3:21 remaining that gave the Ravens their first lead - and, to the crowd of 64,178, brought back unpleasant memories of a 23-17 overtime loss to Jacksonville and a last-play 23-20 loss to New England at Heinz Field earlier this season. -NFL Football-

"I looked at Ben and said, `This is what it's all about,"' Cowher said. "He kind of smiled and has a look of confidence about him." -NFL Football-

Roethlisberger (18-of-30, 177 yards, one interception) then hit Antwaan Randle El for 14 yards and Quincy Morgan for 23 yards, and Jerome Bettis had an 11-yard run on the 60-yard drive that led to Reed's go-ahead field goal. -NFL Football-

Baltimore had one more chance to win it, but Anthony Wright's fourth-and-6 pass from his own 47 fell at Chester Taylor's feet and the Steelers ran out the clock. Wright was 25-of-44 for 252 yards and two interceptions as running back Jamal Lewis, a 2,000-yard back two years ago, was held below 100 yards for the seventh consecutive game. -NFL Football-

"I defy anybody to show me one frame of film that doesn't show us playing as hard as we could," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "This group of guys had a lot of circumstances working against them, but they almost beat one of the best teams in the league." -NFL Football-

The Steelers are 11-0 in Monday night home games under Cowher and Roethlisberger, who was hit on the right knee during the first half and seemed to be bothered the rest of the game, is 18-1 as a regular-season starter. -NFL Football-

"I caught a cleat," Roethlisberger said. "They're going to take a look at it tomorrow and, hopefully, it will be nothing." -NFL Football-

Baltimore seemed to be in trouble at the start as the Steelers drove 79 yards on their opening possession to take a 7-0 lead on Miller's 4-yard touchdown catch. Baltimore, winless on the road for 350 days, couldn't have liked this, down 7-0 away from home against their biggest rivals before an offense that hadn't scored a touchdown in seven quarters got the ball. -NFL Football-

But a pregame pep talk from owner Steve Bisciotti was credited by the players as helping them think they could win. -NFL Football-

"I think that got us all pumped up," linebacker Bart Scott said. "He wanted to win as much as anybody in the locker room. We were missing some pretty big guys, but I think we did a darned good job against them." -NFL Football-

The Ravens matched the Steelers by driving 73 yards to tie it on Wright's 13-yard TD swing pass to Taylor on a third-and-12 play. -NFL Football-

Reed (42 yards) and Stover (22 yards) later traded field goals that followed turnovers to tie it at 10 at the half. Jamal Lewis fumbled after Roethlisberger pinned the Ravens back at their 1 with a quick kick - a play the Steelers have revived from the 1920s - but Roethlisberger later was intercepted for only the second time this season, by Adalius Thomas. -NFL Football-

The Ravens could have had a touchdown rather than the field goal, but Wright didn't see a wide-open Derrick Mason in the end zone on a third-and-4 play. Mason waved his arms at the quarterback in frustration, angering Wright, and the two exchanged words as they left the field ahead of Stover's field goal. -NFL Football-

Stover later missed a 43-yarder off the right upright that would have put Baltimore up. The Steelers then came out and started the second half exactly the way they did the first, with Roethlisberger going 6-of-6 on a 64-yard drive that again ended with Miller's 8-yard TD catch. Miller, the Steelers' first round draft pick, has six touchdowns in his first seven NFL games. -NFL Football-

Stover later made a 43-yarder, then hit a 49-yarder - the longest at Heinz Field - midway through the fourth quarter to get the Ravens to 17-16. -NFL Football-

"It's not the way we wanted to play this game, but when you're playing a divisional opponent and a tough opponent, you take what you can get," Steelers linebacker Joey Porter said. -NFL Football-

Notes: A week after rushing for 221 yards against Cincinnati, the Steelers were held to 101 yards, with Willie Parker getting 63 on 14 carries. ... Pittsburgh hasn't lost a Monday night home game since 1991. ... Stover went 4-for-5 in a stadium where visiting kickers had made only 67 percent of their attempts. ... Baltimore had scored only 22 points in its previous two games. ... The Steelers had dropped three of four at home dating to the AFC title game in January. ... Lewis (61 yards) has been held below 70 yards in five of seven games against Pittsburgh. -NFL Football-

Panthers are what they are
By Darin Gantt The Herald

(Published October 26‚ 2005)

CHARLOTTE -- For weeks we've been wondering what exactly the Carolina Panthers are. -NFL Football-

Turns out, we're no closer to the truth than we were three months ago when training camp opened. -NFL Football-

Or maybe we are. -NFL Football-

Perhaps the Panthers are exactly what they appear to be, and that's a judgment than can't be made through any subjective measure. -NFL Football-

They might not be artistic successes. They might not even appear competent at times. Yet, they're 4-2, and at the moment, that's a groovy place to be. -NFL Football-

Scholars wince, reporters' eyes glaze over and fans throw their hands up when coach John Fox says: "It is what it is." -NFL Football-

It's not a terribly thought-provoking or even an interesting answer, especially when given in response to nearly every question. -NFL Football-

Perhaps if he stroked his chin, looked to the heavens and said it in Latin -- "Is est quis is est" -- it would seem more cerebral. -NFL Football-

That's hardly Fox's style, and would get even more funny looks than his current set of head-scratchers. -NFL Football-

As disheartening as it may be for those seeking greater meaning, it's the exact description of what they are. -NFL Football-

They're not a good 4-2 or a bad 4-2, they're simply 4-2. Ahead of some, behind some others, with much to fix but a number of other things to their credit. -NFL Football-

They can't run but they can stop the run. They throw a lot of interceptions but more touchdowns. They've won ugly but they've won. They're six points away from being 6-0. They're also 18 from being 0-6. -NFL Football-

To borrow another entry from the Fox phrase-book, it beats the alternative. -NFL Football-

In the landscape of the NFL, what they're doing is exactly what they need to be doing. -NFL Football-

There's a school of thought running rampant now that the NFL is in a bad spot, that the product is suffering because of the parity the league has long sought. -NFL Football-

That's partly because NFL football is cold and tactical, which some view as a bad thing. Those who advance that theory point to college football as the antithesis, all tailgate parties and pep bands, which to their minds translates to a better brand of the sport. It would be difficult to move farther from reality. -NFL Football-

There's a reason so few college players move on to the NFL. They're not good enough. Watching a weekend of college football provides a multitude of examples of people who simply can't play the game very well. The errors are all unforced. -NFL Football-

The NFL game has distilled what they do to its essence -- just the game, without the extras. It's a full-time job, and it shows. Coaches have become so sophisticated that the bad or the lazy stand out like sore thumbs. Players have refined themselves to the point that the simply good never make it. -NFL Football-

That has reduced the average NFL game to a handful of deciding plays, sometimes just one, that separate victory from defeat. That's why in the NFL, there's so much focus on the small things. -NFL Football-

Those who do them well are the ones who elevate themselves. -NFL Football-

It would be possible to argue that the three-time champion New England Patriots weren't as talented as any of the three teams they beat in the Super Bowl. Certainly not the 2001 Rams and probably not the 2004 Eagles. The 2003 Panthers were a near-mirror image, with defining personalities in most of the same spots. -NFL Football-

Maybe that's why their game in Houston came down to one or two plays, a costly error late which sent one team toward dynasty status and another searching for answers. -NFL Football-

When the margin is so small, you're never very far from either end of the spectrum. -NFL Football-

From that perspective, the Panthers will take their 4-2, warts and all. -NFL Football-

It's all they can do, and if they can improve on it, it may be enough. -NFL Football-

daringantt@carolina.rr.com

Copyright © 2005 The Herald, Rock Hill, South Carolina

Bulger's status for next game unknown

By JIM SALTER, Associated Press WriterOctober 18, 2005
-- NFL --
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- St. Louis Rams interim coach Joe Vitt is unsure whether quarterback Marc Bulger will be able to play against New Orleans on Sunday. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Bulger sprained his right shoulder in the second quarter of the Rams' 45-28 loss Monday night in Indianapolis. Vitt said Tuesday that MRI results weren't available. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
``I don't want to assume anything yet, I think that's a hypothetical situation,'' Vitt said when asked about possibly losing Bulger. ``But I will say this: Jamie Martin was born and raised in this system and knows the system as good as anybody.''-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Results for Martin were mixed Monday night. The backup to Bulger completed 17 of 21 passes for 134 yards, one touchdown and two crucial interceptions.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Martin's career with the Rams (2-4) dates to their Los Angeles days. He was on the Rams' practice squad in 1993 and spent time on and off with the Rams through 1996, when he saw action in six games. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
He played with Washington, Jacksonville, Cleveland and Jacksonville again before returning to back up Kurt Warner in 2001 and 2002.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
He was on the Jets' roster but didn't play in 2003, then played one game for St. Louis last season. In 27 career games, he has started three. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Bulger's injury turned around what could have been a huge upset of the Colts, the NFL's only undefeated team.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
The Rams were ahead 17-0 in the second quarter when Bulger threw a pass that was intercepted by Cato June. On the return, Bulger was hurt on a block by linebacker David Thornton.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
``It was clean,'' Vitt said of the hit. ``Mark's trying to make a play. Mark's trying to make a tackle.''-- NFL --
The Colts outscored St. Louis 45-11 the rest of the way. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Bulger walked off the field holding his shoulder and was taken to the locker room for X-rays. He returned to the sideline wearing his jersey without shoulder pads, and a bag of ice taped to his shoulder. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
He was 6-of-8 for 121 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Curtis. Even with the short outing, Bulger ranks second in the NFL with 1,769 yards passing, trailing only New England's Tom Brady. He leads the league in completions (145) and is second in passing attempts (223). -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Bulger missed two games last season with a shoulder injury after getting hurt against San Francisco in December.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Beyond the quarterback situation, Vitt is searching for a way to shore up a defense that has allowed a combined 126 points the last three weeks.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
``I think last night emotionally we came out of that tunnel smoking,'' Vitt said. ``We went up there to win a football game and then some bad things started to happen to us.''-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Vitt said coach Mike Martz is feeling better as he recovers from a bacterial infection in the lining of his heart that has sidelined him indefinitely. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
``I think he's bleeding for us right now,'' Vitt said.
-- NFL --
As for Martz watching the game from home instead of the sideline: ``I could tell by his voice it wasn't easy.''-- NFL --

NFL: Cards let win slip away

Up 20-10, team is undone by turnovers

ODEEN DOMINGO
The Arizona Republic

TEMPE - The chance for a Arizona Cardinals' victory was there yesterday, but the football kept ending up in the wrong hands.

The Cardinals turned the ball over six times, taking away at least 14 points from them and resulting in 10 Carolina points. - NFL Football -

The result was a 24-20 Cardinals' loss to the Panthers at Sun Devil Stadium in front of 38,809.

The Cardinals did just about everything they needed to do to win, racking up 366 yards and a 20-10 lead after three quarters. But turnovers and their inability to sustain longer drives did them in.

"You just keep banging your head on the wall, trying to figure out where to go from here after you have experienced the things we have experienced," Cardinals fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo said. "There's no one word that can explain how heart-wrenchingly painful to be up 20-10 and think you're going to score again, and then end up being down 24-20 in a blink of an eye."

The Cardinals' fourth turnover was the game-changer. Up 20-10 late in the third quarter, the Cardinals were looking to put away the game. - NFL Football -

On a second-and-nine play from the Arizona 35, Anquan Boldin made a reception, but after a 10-yard gain was stripped of the ball by safety Thomas Davis. Carolina's Ken Lucas scooped up the ball and returned it to the Arizona 5 with 27 seconds left in the quarter.

"I tried to make the safety miss, but the ball got away from my body, and it got punched out," Boldin said of the fumble. "That was a bad play on my part. It probably was (a swing of momentum to the Panthers' favor). They weren't doing anything on offense at the point. I put that all on my shoulders."

The Cardinals' defense held the Panthers to 237 yards and 10 points before that but couldn't hold the Panthers from gaining 5 yards for a touchdown.

After Stephen Davis' 1-yard touchdown, the Panthers all of a sudden were in the game as they cut the Cardinals' lead to three, 20-17. - NFL Football -

"We didn't take good care of the ball," said Cardinals coach Dennis Green, whose teams is 1-4 heading into its off week. "I think any time you turn the ball over three times - they made two big plays, one on defense and one big play on offense, and we didn't do a very good job when we had the lead."

The Cardinals weren't able to get the ball moving on the next possession and punted. Scott Player's punt sailed out at the Panthers' 6 with 11:54 left.

But the Panthers moved down the field, using nine plays to get to the Arizona 4.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme then connected with Steve Smith for a 4-yard touchdown, and the Panthers took a 24-20 lead. - NFL Football -

Copyright © 2005 Tucson Citizen, All rights reserved.

Cardinals, 49ers visit Mexico for landmark NFL game

MEXICO CITY (AFP) - The National Football League will stage its first regular-season game outside of the United States here Sunday when the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers meet at Estadio Azteca.

American football becomes the last major North American sport to seize a global stage for a regular-season game. Basketball and ice hockey have opened seasons in Japan. Baseball has staged games in Mexico, Japan and Puerto Rico. - NFL Football -

"Mexico is the country with the most NFL fans outside of the United States," NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.

"Our fans in Mexico are knowledgeable and passionate and they are ready for this next step. They have supported the American Bowl games in record numbers, and NFL programming has been a part of television in Mexico for many decades." - NFL Football -

The largest crowd in NFL history was 112,376 at Estadio Azteca for a 1994 exhibition game between the Dallas Cowboys nd Houston Oilers. The reconfigured stadium will seat 85,000 for what would have been an Arizona home game.

"This game will provide a phenomenal opportunity to showcase the Cardinals to a national and international audience," Cardinals vice president Michael Bidwill said.

It might not be the best matchup for boosting American football's global appeal. The Cardinals are 0-3 and starting quarterback Kurt Warner will not play because of a groin injury suffered in last week's 37-12 loss to Seattle. - NFL Football -

"We're really disappointed. We felt we'd get off to a much better start than this," Cardinals coach Dennis Green said.

"Things I felt real strongly would work for us, right now they are not working for us. The job I felt I could do, I have not been able to do right now. I am not happy about it."

San Francisco, 1-2, edged St. Louis 28-25 in a season opener dedicated to the late Thomas Herrion, an offensive lineman who died after an August exhibition loss at Denver of a heart disease. - NFL Football -

The 49ers could match their win total for all of last season, when they went 2-14 - their only two victories coming over Arizona in over-time by identical 31-28 scores.

One less home game might be a blessing for desert gridiron fans.

The Cardinals have had a winning record only once in 17 seasons since moving to Arizona from St. Louis and have won only one playoff game since 1947, when the club, then based in Chicago, last won an NFL crown.

"We're just beating ourselves," said backup quarterback Josh McCown, set to start this weekend.

In 1976, the Cardinals defeated San Diego at Tokyo in an exhibition game, the first NFL game of any kind played outside North America. - NFL Football -

Another odd "home" game Sunday finds Buffalo facing New Orleans at San Antonio, Texas. The Bills and Saints, both 0-2, had the matchup shifted from the Superdome in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the jazz mecca.

The Saints, who have been training and living here since the storm, played their first "home" game on the field of their opponents, losing to the New York Giants. The Alamodome should offer more comforts and supporters than before.

"I don't know what to expect," Saints coach Jim Haslett said. "I would hope to have 65,000 people cheering for us. I would think if they're coming to the game, they're going to root for us, but I'm not really sure." - NFL Football -

The Saints play games in San Antonio on October 16 against Atlanta and December 24 against Detroit and will play four other home games at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

"Hopefully, we'll finally be settled into our routine," Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks said. "That will help out a lot."

Three of the NFL's four remaining unbeaten teams play at home Sunday with Tampa Bay entertaining Detroit, Cincinnati hosting Houston and Washington hosting Seattle.

The other unbeaten, Indianapolis, visits Tennessee as Colts quarterback Peyton Manning returns to the state where he was a collegiate star. - NFL Football -

Other games find St. Louis at the New York Giants, Denver at Jacksonville, San Diego at New England, Minnesota at Atlanta, the New York Jets at Baltimore, Philadelphia at Kansas City and Dallas at Oakland.

The Green Bay Packers visit Carolina on Monday. Pittsburgh, Miami, Chicago and Cleveland are idle. - NFL Football -

Copyright © 2005 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AFP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Agence France Presse.

Patriots win in last second

The New York Times

Quarterback Tom Brady approached the locker room door and bellowed the obvious.

"Oh, they hate us here," he yelled, to nobody in particular. "They hate us here. Wouldn't you hate us?"

Wouldn't all the teams in the National Football League hate the Patriots? They might, after they see a tape of what a dynasty looked like Sunday in Pittsburgh. New England was deeply flawed but resilient, mistake-prone but indomitable.
The Patriots, with considerable cracks in the foundation of their championships on display, beat the Steelers anyway, 23-20. The Patriots endured 10 penalties, three sacks, three turnovers, two critical injuries and innumerable missed opportunities, a recipe for loss for any other franchise infootball . But none of it mattered because Brady had the ball in his hand in the final minute and kicker Adam Vinatieri had the ball on his foot at the final second. Vinatieri, who kicked the 43-yarder that won the game, last missed a game-winning field goal chance in 2003.

In other major games, The Associated Press reported:

Eagles 23, Raiders 20 Donovan McNabb, playing with chest and groin injuries, threw for 365 yards and two touchdowns for the Eagles. The Raiders fell to 0-3 for the first time since 1992.

Falcons 24, Bills 16 Shaking off a tender hamstring, Michael Vick threw two touchdown passes and scrambled for 64 yards on nine carries.

Cowboys 34, 49ers 31 Drew Bledsoe threw a 14-yard touchdown pass with 1:51 to play and passed Joe Montana for eighth place on theNFL's career passing list.

Colts 13, Browns 6 The Colts won their seventh straight home game, their longest streak since moving to Indianapolis in 1984.

Chargers 45, Giants 23 At San Diego, where Eli Manning refused to play after being drafted by the Chargers, he received an ear-splitting rude welcome from the fans. For the Chargers, LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 192 yards and three touchdowns and threw for another.

Buccaneers 17, Packers 16 Carnell Williams broke Alan Ameche's record for most yards in the first three NFL games by rushing for 158 yards for Tampa Bay. Green Bay's Ryan Longwell missed an extra point for the first time in 157 attempts.

Bengals 24, Bears 7 Cincinnati, which entered the game with a league-leading 10 takeaways, picked off five of Kyle Orton's passes and became the firstNFL team with five interceptions in consecutive games since Cleveland in 1971.

Vikings 33, Saints 16 Daunte Culpepper, who had been picked off eight times, threw for 300 yards and no interceptions. Minnesota took advantage of two Saints turnovers deep in their end to take a 24-0 lead in the first half.

Seahawks 37, Cardinals 12 Shaun Alexander scored four times, including twice in a 30-second span early in the third quarter for Seattle.