Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, September 4, 1995 TAG: 9509050108
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: HOLIDAY
SOURCE: ED HARDIN LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: ATLANTA LENGTH: Medium
Over time, the Carolina Panthers will learn to win games like this one. For now, they'll have to settle for losses in overtime.
The Atlanta Falcons defeated the Panthers 23-20 on Sunday on a 35-yard field goal by Morten Andersen after 6:17 of a fifth quarter as Carolina opened its first NFL regular season with its first loss.
Though the Panthers led 13-0 early and forced overtime with a dramatic play at the end of regulation, Carolina fell to 0-1 with the kind of plays that mark all 0-1 teams. The Panthers simply blew a game they could have won, a game they should have won. A game they one day will win.
``But we didn't win, and that's all that matters,'' said wide receiver Willie Green, who caught a 44-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds left in the fourth quarter as the Panthers came from nowhere to shock the Falcons.
The touchdown cut Atlanta's lead to 20-19 and put Carolina in a position to win its first game.
On the two-point conversion attempt to win, offensive tackle Derrick Graham moved before the snap, and the Panthers were penalized 5 yards.
Instead of running a play that could have given Carolina a 21-20 victory, the Panthers settled for the extra point by kicker John Kasay and a 20-20 tie.
``We were definitely going for two,'' coach Dom Capers said. ``We were going for the win.''
Capers would not say which play the Panthers had called. ``I'd rather not,'' he said. ``That's a two-point play, and we might use it next week.''
There will be 15 more opportunities for Carolina, starting with a trip to Buffalo on Sept.10. But there never will be another opportunity to win the first game in franchise history.
``Typical opener,'' said Panthers cornerback Tim McKyer. ``Typical NFL football. We just came up short at the end.''
Carolina scored in the closing seconds after its offense had completely shut down against the Falcons. The lightning strike to Green was only the seventh completion of the second half for quarterback Frank Reich, who spent much of the game running from Chris Doleman and the Atlanta defensive line. He was sacked nine times, a Falcons record.
But with less than 30 seconds to play, the Panthers were in the game. An early 13-0 lead had long evaporated, along with the euphoria of silencing a crowd of 58,808 at the Georgia Dome. A long day of penalties and botched plays had not completely broken the Panthers. With time running out, Reich sent Green on a long flag pattern to the end zone.
Green beat cornerback Terry Taylor, but had to hesitate for the ball, which arrived just as Taylor recovered. The players tripped over each other going for the ball, which hit Green in the helmet. He juggled it and caught it as he fell into the end zone.
The Falcons had dominated Carolina. After falling behind 13-0 in the opening minutes, Atlanta took over the game. The Falcons scored 20 points and entered the fourth quarter on the verge of blowing away the Panthers. Quarterback Jeff George had passed for 210 yards and two touchdowns.
The Falcons had almost 300 yards of total offense, and Carolina had gone four consecutive possessions without a first down.
``I felt it was our ballgame,'' Andersen said.
For a long time it was. But the Panthers defense showed up in the fourth period, forcing three punts and a fumble to change the character of the game.
Reich started completing passes after going 2-of-12 during one stretch. Don Beebe, who played sparingly, caught two passes in a drive eventually snuffed out by another false start call against Graham.
With 4:06 to play, Carolina punted from near midfield and appeared to lose its last good opportunity to come back against the Falcons. On Atlanta's first play from scrimmage, however, running back Craig Heyward fumbled. Safety Brett Maxie recovered for the Panthers.
Carolina failed to move the ball and punted again, almost certainly kicking away its final chance. But Atlanta's offense is not designed to run out the clock. The Falcons' ground game came to a halt, and Atlanta punted back to the Panthers with 1:23 left. Carolina's final drive started at its 20-yard line. The first play went 23 yards on a pass from Reich to fullback Bob Christian.
After two incompletions, Reich threw long. Green's catch and the consolation point-after tied the score with 26 seconds to play. A last-gasp drive by Atlanta ended in a 58-yard field-goal attempt by Andersen that missed as time expired.
Carolina won the toss to open the extra period. The Panthers received the kickoff, but were forced into a passing situation. Defensive lineman Lester Archambeau broke through and stripped Reich of the ball, recovering on the Carolina 31 to set up Andersen's 35-yard field goal.
``It's disappointing to lose,'' Capers said. ``We are going into every game this year to win. It's going to be a roller-coaster ride.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
Keywords:
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by CNB