ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, September 2, 1996 TAG: 9609030162
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N. C.
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
Purr-fect.
Sunday was a long time coming for the Carolina Panthers, and on the opening afternoon of the 77th NFL season, it was worth the wait.
Home at last, more than nine years after food-service mogul and former Baltimore Colts receiver Jerry Richardson first began prospecting for a franchise for the Carolinas, the Panthers made sure there would be more to celebrate than the official opener in a new stadium.
Carolina thumped Atlanta 29-6 in the first NFL game in the Tar Heel State, although the 69,522 was 3,000 no-shows short of capacity. Those in attendance acted like they were supporting Super Bowl champions, not a second-year team that was an expansion-record 7-9 last season.
Retired Virginia Tech football coach Bill Dooley would've described the Panthers' effort thusly: Carolina won it offensively, defensively and in the kicking game.
``Our main focus was to come out and play error-free football, and we pretty much did,'' said Carolina strong safety Brett Maxie.
The Falcons are the last team in the NFL using the run-and-shoot offense, and the Panthers did what they could to turn it into another dinosaur.
Carolina, led by former Pittsburgh linebacker Kevin Greene, had seven sacks of quarterback Jeff George. Greene has cut off his blond mane that flowed from under his Steelers' helmet, but he's still a lion, not to mention a tag-team adversary of another familiar blond in this neighborhood, ``Nature Boy'' Ric Flair.
``It's not an easy offense to play against,'' Greene said. ``Our defensive backs covered the receivers, and we had time to get to George. We felt like we knew what they would do.''
As George left the field, he told Greene that the Panthers ``had a great scheme.'' That was an understatement. They played with a fire on which Greene and fellow linebacker Lamar Lathon poured emotion all day.
``I just love the game,'' said Greene, brought south by his former Steelers defensive coordinator, Carolina head coach Dom Capers, as a free agent during the past winter. ``It's a blessing to play this game, the money we're paid and to be cheered by the fans like we are here.''
Because the Panthers' offense spent most of the day on the field, Carolina's veteran defense had no trouble running down George and chasing the Falcons' four wideouts.
The Panthers drove for their first touchdown quicker than it takes to spell ``Tshimanga Biakabutuka,'' and the efficiency didn't stop there.
Second-year starter Kerry Collins displayed the kind of leadership and ability the Washington Redskins wish they had in a young quarterback. And behind him?
Biakabutuka, only two weeks removed from a month-long holdout, rushed 26 times for 69 yards. The average isn't much, but consider that in his opening game a year ago, he had 33 yards on seven carries for Michigan against Virginia in the Pigskin Classic.
The Panthers' only turnover was Collins' arm-cocked fumble late in the first quarter. Of course, it was lost in the midst of his 8-for-8 start on a 198-yard, two-touchdown day.
Collins concurred that it was his best day as a pro.
It also was Carolina's best day on the scoreboard in its 17-game history. The club's previous high came in a 31-27 loss at Chicago's Soldier Field early last season.
While the Falcons managed only two Morten Andersen field goals, it wasn't evident that Carolina's starting offensive unit is already rebuilt, having returned only four starters from last year's opener.
``I thought that first series we were sharp, we were methodical, and we kept playing that way,'' Collins said. ``Our offense is mostly about trying not to make too many turnovers.''
Several Panthers admitted to a certain comfort zone they felt before the first scoring drive or the first sack. It was Ericsson Stadium. It was playing right across the railroad underpass from where they practice daily.
There are no more trips for home games to Clemson's Memorial Stadium, which probably felt like Death Valley on Sunday after its full-time residents were pounded by another Carolina team in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Saturday.
``The atmosphere is different,'' Maxie said. ``People have been waiting for this day to happen, and you could tell. There was a lot of peripheral stuff going on that could have distracted us.
``We had to go out and win a football game and try to feed off the extracurricular stuff, but not get too into it.
``It's great just to stay home for a home game.''
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. DON PETERSEN STAFF Falcons quarterback Jeff Georgeby CNB(1) is sacked by blitzing Panthers defensive back Toi Cook. color
2. DON PETERSEN STAFF Panthers fans Debbie Turner (left) and her
10-year-old son, Tim, show their Carolina colors Sunday at Ericsson
Stadium. KEYWORDS: FOOTBALL