RUNNING UPDATE:

1st Quarter:

RECAP: Jeff Garcia completed 5-of-6 passes for 48 yards and ran for a 3-yard touchdown to put the Bucs up 7-0 before some fans even had a chance to settle into their seats. Despite losing Cadillac Williams for the remainder of the season to a knee injury, the Bucs made it 14-0 near the end of the quarter on a 1-yard run by Ernest Graham. The Panthers have one first down in the first three possessions.

BIG PLAY: On a third-and-9 at the Carolina 24, Garcia finds Ike Hilliard with a 10-yard strike. Hilliard battles through a tackle to pick up the first down.

BIG MISTAKE: Julius Peppers jumped off-sides on the third-and-5 at the Carolina 20, giving the Bucs a free first down on their initial drive. Peppers would go on to finish the game with three tackles, no sacks and no quarterback hurries.

COMMENT: Well, the crowd was ready for this game, but the Panthers certainly weren’t. They look terrible in the first quarter. The Bucs took the momentum right from the start and go the length of the field for a score. Clearly Carolina’s defense hasn’t fixed its problems from the previous two weeks. Boy, I bet they wish they had signed a safety in free agency now.

SCORE: Tampa Bay 14, Carolina 0

2nd Quarter:

RECAP: It continues to be all Tampa Bay. The Bucs have dominated the action and Carolina looks lousy. David Carr is just 6-for-15 for 26 yards through one half of action and Steve Smith has only two catches for 5 yards. Garcia has thrown for 154 yards and the Bucs have outgained the Panthers 248-77.

BIG PLAY: Garcia fired downfield for Hilliard, who beats linebacker Thomas Davis and safety Chris Harris for a 56-yard gain to set up the Bucs third score, a short field goal by Matt Bryant for a 17-0 lead.

BIG MISTAKE: Wide receivers Steve Smith and Drew Carter both dropped tough, but catchable balls early in the second quarter as Carolina’s offense continues to struggle.

COMMENT: Garcia is just abusing Carolina’s defense. On offense, the Panthers can’t get any rhythm. They’ve tried to get Steve Smith involved, but to no avail… Graham has picked up where William left off, rolling over Carolina’s defense... Carolina's biggest play has been a 15-yard run by Carr (nice dive, by the way). Other than DeAngelo Williams’ touchdown at the end of the game, that is the longest play from scrimmage.

SCORE: Tampa Bay 17, Carolina 0

RUNNING UPDATE:

3rd Quarter:

RECAP: Neither team could manage a score, but Carolina’s defense did come up with a big stop, holding the Bucs out of the end zone on four plays from the 4-yard line.

BIG PLAY: Carolina’s defense bowed up on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line by stuffing Ernest Graham. At 17-0, the Panthers are technically still in the game, but the offense need to show some life quick. At this point, Carr is averaging two yards per pass attempt (20 attempts for 40 yards).

BIG MISTAKE: DeShaun Foster turned the ball over for the third time this season on a fumble at the Carolina 28.

COMMENT: At least the defense came back to show a little heart in the third quarter, which is more than you can say about the offense. Of course, the Bucs aren’t doing anything fancy on offense at this point, knowing the Panthers can’t move the ball on offense. Still, this is a bad Carolina football team right now. Consider this: Their two wins have come against two very bad teams.

SCORE: Tampa Bay 17, Carolina 0

4th Quarter:

RECAP: The Bucs didn’t try to do much on offense, just run out the clock. The Panthers managed to put together one meaningless touchdown at the end of the game on a David Carr pass to DeAngelo Williams. Carr finishes with 155 yards, 77 of those coming on the final drive with under three minutes left in the game.

BIG PLAY: Carr overthrew Drew Carter on a fourth-and-2 early in the fourth quarter by about 20 yards. A complete mix-up and a fitting end to the day. There goes Carolina’s final chance.

BIG MISTAKE: The whole game for the Panthers was a big giant mistake. And this we’ll get further into how the Panthers continue to make mistakes in their personnel decisions. You have to wonder of the Panthers aren’t going to walk into a buzz saw this Sunday when they visit New Orleans, a team that has had two weeks to prepare for the Carolina and is anxious for its first win.

COMMENT: Fans should be irate with this team. They had a chance to take control of the NFC South with a win and home and they blew it. I guess you have to come to expect it out this team. Every time there is a big game, they blow it.

SCORE: Tampa Bay 20, Carolina 7

 

 

 

   It's official. David Carr will start today against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Matt Moore will be his backup. Jake Delhomme will get a jersey and will be the No. 3 quarterback. However, don't expect to see him unless tragedy ensues.

   If Delhomme were to enter the game at any point before the fourth quarter, the other two quarterbacks could not return to the game. Basically, Delhomme is an insurance policy in case Carr and Moore get hurt. Even if that were to happen, it's doubtful he would make any throws.

   But it's time for the debut of Carr.

   Carolina's inactives include linebackers Dan Morgan and Adam Seward, guard Evan Mathis, tackle Frank Omiyale, tight end Marcus Freeman, defensive ends Charles Johnson and Otis Grigsby. That means receiver Dwayne Jarrett will get a jersey for the first time this year.

   James Anderson will start at middle linebacker for the Panthers.

   For the Bucs, quarterback Chris Simms, cornerback Brian Kelly, linebackers Jeremiah Trotter and Adam Hayward, guards Anthony Davis and Dan Buenning, defensive tackle Ryan Sims. The third quarterback is Luke McCown. With Kelly out, Phillip Buchanon will start at cornerback. Expect Carr to test him early on.

  

   In case you've been living under a rock all week, you know by now that David Carr will start Sunday for the Carolina Panthers.

   What isn't clear at this point is if Jake Delhomme will be the backup or will be inactive. That's a big question because if Delhomme does not suit up, then the Panthers are just one hit away from undrafted rookie Matt Moore playing quarterback against the Bucs.

   No, Moore has never thrown a pass in the NFL. And no, Moore did not go to training camp with the Panthers. And yes, the Panthers will be in big trouble if he has to play against this defense.

   For that reason alone, it's not out of the realm of possibility for the Panthers to let Delhomme suit up if for no other purpose than to provide leadership and simply  hand the ball off to DeShaun Foster.

   But my gut tells me Delhomme will not suit up and will be inactive, freeing up a roster spot for someone else.

   As reporters entered the Panthers locker room on Thursday for some face time with players, there was Jake Delhomme walking right toward us in a bit of hurry.

   "I'll be back fellas," Delhomme said.

   However, the 45-minute open locker room session came and went with Delhomme failing to return in time. Team spokesman Charlie Dayton said Delhomme was receiving treatment, but there is some optimism he will talk on Friday (players aren't normally allowed to speak with the media on Friday or Saturday). As a beat reporter, you have to cut Delhomme a break on this one, largely because in five years he's always been extremely accomodating and has never once purposely avoided the media.

   And besides, what can he say at this point anyway?

   Delhomme hasn't thrown any passes in practice this week, so my guess is he really he doesn't know anymore than he did on Wednesday. What we do know is the two most intense days of practice this week are now over and David Carr has taken all the reps with the first team.

   What does that mean? Well, you can draw your own conclusions, but my guess is unless Delhomme somehow practices on Friday -- and throws without any pain -- we will see Carr start on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (By the way, I have a pretty good story on Carr saved up for the weekend, so check back to read that.)

   Perhaps Jake will have more to say on Friday.

  

   As expected, neither quarterback Jake Delhomme nor middle linebacker Dan Morgan practiced Wednesday.

   The Panthers signed quarterback Quinton Porter to the practice squad to give them another healthy arm in practice and to run the scout team.

   My gut feeling is that barring a miraculous recovery by Delhomme you should expect Carr to be the starter this week. Although neither would say that, sometimes you can just tell from a guy's voice and Carr's voice was full of enthusiasm as he spoke to the media for a long period of time after practice.

   If that's the case, you have to wonder how long Delhomme will be out.

   At linebacker, Jon Beason all but said he's not ready prepared to move to inside linebacker, which likely would leave James Anderson and Adam Seward as the options there. And, since Seward did not practice last week and did not practice Wednesday, you have to believe Anderson would be the obvious choice.

   Asked he if knows enough middle linebacker to step in and play, Beason responded, "I don't think so."

  In other news, right guard Jeremy Bridges was held out of practice and defensive end Mike Rucker and Travelle Wharton were limited in practice. All three have turf toe injuries, accoding to coach John Fox.

   We haven't heard on the severity of Jake Delhomme's elbow injury as of yet. John Fox is expected to address the media at 12:30 p.m., but there's a good chance he won't say much until Wednesday.

    However, if the injury is anything serious, the Panthers would likely move quickly to bring in a veteran backup for David Carr. Right now the only other quarterback on the Carolina roster is rookie Matt Moore. He didn't go through training camp with Carolina. Brett Basanez is on injured reserve and therefore can't play this season.

   Obviously at this point in the season the free agent quarterback market has pretty much dried up, so if the Panthers were in need of a backup, here would be some of the names they're looking at: Todd Bouman, Vinny Testaverde, Aaron Brooks, Doug Johnson, Ty Detmer, Drew Bledsoe (retired), Tim Rattay and, don't forget, ex-Panther Chris Weinke.

   Obviously Carolina fans are hoping Delhomme will be fine -- perhaps now more than ever.

RUNNING UPDATE:

1st Quarter:

RECAP: The Panthers started slow with their first three drives resulting in three-and-outs. Atlanta’s offense opens by using a strategy similar to that of the Houston Texans last week, using short passes underneath the coverage to move the chains.

BIG PLAY: Atlanta holder Michael Koenen botched a snap on a 35-yard field goal attempt and kicker Morten Andersen inexplicably kicked the loose ball into the line of scrimmage. That resulted in a penalty and the Panthers took over on downs.

BIG MISTAKE: After a 17-yard run, Falcons RB Warrick Dunn allowed Panthers SS Chris Harris to rip the football out of his hands at the Carolina 33. That was a big momentum turner.

COMMENT: OK, explain this play call to me. The Panthers open the game with two DeShaun Foster runs for 9 yards and then go to an empty backfield on third-and-a-foot. Jake Delhomme then fires incomplete… Panthers MLB Dan Morgan injured his shoulder while attempting to tackle Jerious Norwood late in the first quarter and left the game briefly. He did come back in the second quarter.

SCORE: Carolina 0, Atlanta 0

2^nd Quarter:

RECAP: Carolina’s offense finally gets on track, picking up its initial first down of the game on a diving grab by Drew Carter for a 17-yard gain. That leads to a field goal. The Falcons and Panthers trade touchdowns and field goals and finish the half tied.

BIG PLAY: The Falcons bounce back after the Carolina score with WR Roddy White breaking a tackle by CB Ken Lucas and racing 69 yards for a touchdown. For Carolina, Foster makes a nice over-the-shoulder grab for a 13-yard touchdown.

BIG MISTAKE: The dropsies have apparently caught up with WR Steve Smith, who mishandles the first two pass thrown his way.

COMMENT: White is killing the Panthers with five catches for a career-high 112 yards through two quarters. The Panthers are making QB Joey Harrington look like a star. He has completed 19 of 25 passes for 262 yards with one score… Foster seems to love playing the Falcons. He has 54 total yards and a touchdown in the first half. Carolina must get Smith more involved in the offense, especially now that he’s angry. He has no catches in the first half.

SCORE: Carolina 10, Atlanta 10

RUNNING UPDATE:

3^rd Quarter:

RECAP: What a bizarre third quarter as the emotions began to heat up and JQB ake Delhomme goes down with an elbow injury. The Panthers come out flat early and the Falcons drive 67 yards on five plays behind the running of Jerious Norwood and two catches by TE Alge Crumpler, including a 14-yard touchdown. But the Panthers come back and score with the help of CB DeAngelo Hall.

BIG PLAY: Foster charges up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown run, carrying an Atlanta defender on his back the final three yards. With Delhomme out and Steve Smith in the locker room briefly, he is taking over the game for the Panthers.

BIG MISTAKE: Hall was flagged three times for 67 yards on one drive, including twice for unsportsmanlike conduct for altercations involving Smith. Hall’s third penalty, which comes for jawing at Smith after the conclusion of the play, keeps Carolina’s drive alive and the Panthers score the go-ahead touchdown.

COMMENT: With Delhomme out with an elbow, injury, Foster is taking over this game, rushing for a 10-yard score to put Carolina ahead 24-17.

INJURY UPDATE: Delhomme (elbow) and Morgan (the trifecta -- shoulder, leg and ankle) both leave the game with injuries. David Carr takes over and keeps the drive alive and leads Carolina to the go-ahead touchdown, although its Foster who does most of the work.

SCORE: RUNNING UPDATE: Carolina 24, Atlanta 17

4^th Quarter:

RECAP: The Panthers take a 10-point lead on a 49-yard field goal by John Kasay early in the fourth. The Falcons drive deep in Carolina territory but are limited to a field goal. Panthers use their ground game to run out the clock and earn an emotional win.

BIG PLAY: Take your pick of Foster’s big runs to burn the remaining time off the clock. Foster had 81 of his 122 rushing yards in the second half.

BIG MISTAKE: For the Falcons, wide receivers Laurent Robinson and Joe Horn both dropped potential touchdown passes in the end zone. And their defense couldn’t get off the field even though they knew the Panthers were going to keep it on the ground.

COMMENT: Well, it seems Hall might have won the battle, but Smith and the Panthers won the war. But don’t take too much out of this game Carolina fans because it comes against a Falcons team that is struggling at 0-3. Now the big question is just how beat up the Panthers are heading into next week’s big game with Tampa Bay (2-1). No word on Delhomme yet. He will have x-rays on the elbow on Monday. He said he hurt it on the sack and then felt a twinge on the pass to FB Brad Hoover. But it doesn't sound good right now.

FINAL SCORE: Carolina 27, Atlanta 17.

1st Quarter:

RECAP: The Panthers started slow with their first three drives resulting in three-and-outs. Atlanta’s offense is using a strategy similar to that of the Houston Texans, using short passes underneath the coverage to move the chains.

BIG PLAY: Atlanta holder Michael Koenen botched a snap on a 35-yard field goal attempt and kicker Morten Andersen inexplicably kicked the loose ball into the line of scrimmage. That resulted in a penalty and the Panthers took over on downs.

BIG MISTAKE: After a 17-yard run, Falcons RB Warrick Dunn allowed Panthers SS Chris Harris to rip the football out of his hands at the Carolina 33.

COMMENT: OK, explain this play call to me. The Panthers open the game with two DeShaun Foster runs for 9 yards and then go to an empty backfield on third-and-a-foot. Jake Delhomme then fires incomplete… Panthers MLB Dan Morgan injured his shoulder while attempting to tackle Jerious Norwood late in the first quarter and left the game briefly. He did come back in the second quarter.

SCORE: Carolina 0, Atlanta 0

2^nd Quarter:

RECAP: Carolina’s offense finally gets on track, picking up its initial first down of the game on a diving grab by Drew Carter for a 17-yard gain. That leads to a field goal. The Falcons and Panthers trade touchdowns an field goals.

BIG PLAY: The Falcons bounce right back with WR Roddy White breaking a tackle by CB Ken Lucas and racing 69 yards for a touchdown. For Carolina, Foster makes a nice over-the-shoulder grab for a 14-yard touchdown.

BIG MISTAKE: The dropsies have apparently caught up with WR Steve Smith, who mishandles the first two pass thrown his way.

COMMENT: White is killing the Panthers with five catches for a career-high 112 yards through two quarters. The Panthers are making QB Joey Harrington look like a star. He has completed 19 of 25 passes for 262 yards with one score… Foster seems to love playing the Falcons. He has 54 total yards and a touchdown in the first half. Carolina must get Smith more involved in the offense, especially now that he’s angry. He has no catches in the first half.

SCORE: Carolina 10, Atlanta 10

   Panthers starting middle linebacker Dan Morgan left Sunday's game with an apparent shoulder injury late in the first quarter. Morgan was attempting to make a tackle on running back Jerious Norwood and landed wrong. He immediately went to the sidelines and a few minutes later ran into the training room with members of the training staff. His return is questionable.

   Carolina Panthers fans will have to wait awhile longer for the debut of wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett.

   Keary Colbert will start at wide receiver again this week while Jarrett is among the eight inactive players. Also inactive for the Panthers are defensive ends Stanley McClover and Charles Johnson, linebacker Adam Seward, guard Evan Mathis, tackle Frank Omiyale, tight end Marcus Freeman and quarterback Matt Moore.

   Also, Marquand Manuel will start for Deke Cooper at free safety. Cooper is active, but has been bothered by a groin injury all week.

   Atlanta's eight inactives are safety Daren Stone, offensive lineman D'Anthony Batiste, defensive tackle Rod Coleman, tackle Quinn Ojinnaka, guard Tyson Clabo, tight end Dwayne Blakely, defensive tackle Trey Lewis and quarterback Byron Leftwich

  

   The Carolina Panthers got some good news Sunday as defensive end Stanley McClover and safety Deke Cooper returned to practice. Despite missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday, both are listed as probable for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.

   McClover has missed the first two games with a groin injury, but finally got back on the field Friday. If he plays, he'll be Carolina's No. 3 defensive end, backing up both Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers. Some believe a healthy McClover could have a big impact on Carolina's defense.

   Cooper has started the first two games at free safety, but could be replaced anyway this week by Marquand Manuel, even if he's healthy enough to play. The Panthers have been waiting for Manuel to learn the defensive playbook and he should be almost up to speed.

   Things don't look as good for backup middle linebacker Adam Seward, who is listed as doubtful with a calf injury.

   *The Falcons are expected to have everyone available except for defensive tackle Rod Coleman. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall, defensive end Jon Abraham, tight end Alge Crumpler and tackle Wayne Gandy were among those to miss practice time this week, but their injuries are not expected to keep them out of action.

   Nate Salley was expected to start at safety this year for the Carolina Panthers.

   But a bizarre knee injury during training camp in which he landed wrong after leaping in the air to make a play has landed him on IR. The Panthers originally said the injury was not severe, but it turns out Salley has damaged his posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Salley said he might have rushed his recovery, trying to get back on the field soon so as not to lose his starting job.

"We thought I could get back a little sooner; it was feeling pretty good," Salley said. "I think I might have rushed it a little bit. It got set back twice and then I end up here."

Salley is hoping he won't need surgery, but that hasn't been ruled out. The first option is more rehab. However, even if he does need surgery, he should be ready for next season.

"Surgery is like a last resort type of deal," Salley said. "Hopefully I won’t have to go that route."

By the way, don't be surprised if Marquand Manuel is your starting free safety this week with Deke Cooper nursing a groin injury.

 

   The Carolina Panthers are expected to place safety Nate Salley on injured reserve later today with a knee injury. Salley originally injured the knee in training camp and has not practiced since. At first, the team felt like the injury was not serious, but Salley has not been able to return from what coach John Fox has described in the past as a "freak injury."

   The Panthers needed to make one roster move because they have activated Jeremy Bridges from the reserve-suspended list. Bridges, by the way, split time at right guard with Ryan Kalil during practice, but all signs point to Bridges returning to the lineup since that was the team's original plan in training camp.

   Three players were held out of practice -- safety Deke Cooper, defensive end Stanley McClover and linebacker Adam Seward. Cooper's injury opens the door for Marquand Manuel to step in and start this week against Atlanta Falcons.

   The Panthers made one practice squad move, signing cornerback Tanard Davis and releasing offensive tackle Kvin Sampson.

 

It's only Week 3 of the NFL season, but here are  five players the Panthers really miss:

1. Stanley McClover. The second-year defensive end was so promising during training camp that I dubbed him a breakout player. However, McClover hasn't played a down because of a groin injury he suffered in the preseason finale. He returned to practice last Wednesday, but then must have suffered a setback because he was held out Thursday and Friday and did not play against Houston. The trickle down affect here is that Mike Rucker is having to take more snaps. Let's hope that doesn't wear him down. The Panthers wanted to limit Rucker's reps early in the season, but with rookie Charles Johnson still not ready to play and Otis Grigsby the only legit backup defensive end on the roster, Rucker is having to play more than the team wanted.

2. Keyshawn Johnson. I went on record this spring saying it was a mistake to cut Johnson after just one season. I thought he could have been a valuable tutor for Dwayne Jarrett. I think more than ever the Panthers miss him. One look at Sunday's game and the Panthers don't have a legit No. 2 receiver. Drew Carter is a fine No. 3 option, but he hasn't shown he can be a consistent starter. Keary Colbert? Hey, I've given up trying to figure that one out. Keary is a super nice person, but to me he's the wide receiver version of Jeff Lewis. Somehow, the team loves him, but I just don't see it.

   Anyway, Johnson would have provided some realibility and might have helped in the learning process of Jarrett, who has been slow to learn the offense. By the way, the biggest misconception out there is that a hamstring injury held Jarrett back in camp. Gimme a break. Folks, he was out about a week which is less time than Jon Beason missed (and Jarrett attended all of the meetings). Yet, Beason is starting. The real reason Jarrett isn't starting can be traced back to what receivers coach Richard Williamson told me a few weeks ago -- that he needs to get more aggressive at the line and in his route running. He told me Jarrett, because of his size, needs to be a bull, not a Tinkerbell. Once he gets that, he will be the starter.

   I mentioned early in the spring not to pencil in Jarrett as a starter because rookie receivers often have trouble adapting to the NFL. Jarrett has proven to be no different. Nonetheless, I feel like he can make an impact if he decides he wants to do so. Really it's up to him.

3.  Nate Salley. His training camp injury  hurt. Defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac was high on Salley coming into the season, but a knee injury has Salley on the shelf. Salley still has not returned to practice and after landing wrong during practice in Spartanburg, S.C. It's been about four weeks. At the time, the Panthers told us the injury was no big deal. Obviously, it's been a little bigger deal than that.

4. Mike Minter. No, Minter's knees didn't have much left, but he rarely was caught out of position. Carolina free safety Deke Cooper just seems a step slow at this point. Also, I think the Panthers are really missing Minter's leadership on the football field. He was a great locker room presence as well.

5. Terrence Melton. The Panthers had big plans for him on special teams, but a torn ACL ended his season in training camp. Melton will be back next season, but he can't help the Panthers in '07. Carolina is trying to rebuild the core of its special teams and Melton was one of the guys they had in mind.

 

   The Carolina Panthers have placed cornerback Dante Wesley (broken collarbone) on injured reserve and re-signed cornerback Curtis Deloatch to the 53-man roster.

   The Panthers will need to make another roster move by 4 p.m. Wednesday when Jeremy Bridges is reinstated to the roster. Bridges, who has completed a two-game suspension, talked to the media on Monday for the first time since his arrest.

   He said the team's two-game suspension was justified.

   "Yeah, you can't have off-field incidents without there being a suspension, especially in this day in age in the NFL with everybody doing the wrong thing," Bridges said. "Not everybody, but with a select few doing the wrong things. I don't want to put anybody in that category because I'm not one of those guys. Those are repeat offenders and what they're doing, that's not me. My situation happened. But for me, that's over."

   More on this and my weekly column "What I think..." will be coming shortly... 

PANTHERS VS. TEXANS:

RUNNING UPDATE:

1st Quarter:

RECAP: For the second straight week the Panthers scored a touchdown on their opening possession. The nine-play, 64-yard drive culminated on an incredible 7-yard reception by Steve Smith, who reached behind corner DeMarcus Faggins and tipped the ball up into the air to himself for the score. Smith cashed in again after a Texans turnover by beating Faggins for a 12-yard score.

BIG PLAY: On a third-and-10 at the Texans’ 32-yard line, Jeff King made a great catch along the left sidelines and found the first down marker to keep Carolina’s first touchdown drive alive.

BIG MISTAKE: On a pass over the middle, tight end Owen Daniels was stripped of the ball and Ken Lucas pick it up and returned it to the Houston 13-yard line to set up Carolina’s second TD.

COMMENT: The Panthers established momentum early, but the Texans moved 65 yards in three plays with Andre Johnson catches two passes for 64 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown catch.

SCORE: Carolina 14, Houston 0

 

2nd Quarter:

RECAP: Matt Schaub has been extremely effective in the first half, converting 16 of 21 passes for 179 yards as the Texans have bounced back from an early 14-point deficit to take a 17-14 lead. For the second straight week, Carolina’s offense experienced a second quarter lull. The Texans outgained the Panthers 124-9 in the second quarter.

BIG PLAY: After the Texans converted a 4^th-and-3 at the Carolina 35, Schaub went for it all and it appeared Ken Lucas came up with the interception. However, Houston challenged the call and the play was overturned and ruled incomplete. The Texans finished off a 16-play drive with Schaub’s second touchdown pass to Johnson.

BIG MISTAKE: The Panthers big mistakes have come in pass coverage where they continue to bite on play-action fakes, allowing Schaub to roll and find his fullbacks and tight ends.

COMMENT: Wow, has the momentum of this game ever changed. After it looked like the Panthers might blow Houston out early, the Texans have taken control of this game.

SCORE: Houston 17, Carolina 14

3rd Quarter:

RECAP: Carolina picks up where it left off, going three-and-out on its first drive of the second half. The Texans easily march 56 yards on five plays for another touchdown, this time on a 13-yard run by Ahman Green to take a 24-14 lead. A special teams blunder costs Carolina another seven points and Houston takes a 31-14 lead.

BIG PLAY: The drop on the first play of the third quarter by Keary Colbert seemed to set the tone for the Panthers. Colbert has now dropped two passes at this point. When he finally does catch a pass, the crowd mockingly cheers him.

BIG MISTAKE: Carolina’s Nick Goings fumbles a kickoff return and Kevin Walter recovers the ball in the end zone for a touchdown to give the Texans a 31-14 lead. The Texans have scored 31 unanswered points.

COMMENT: Carolina’s defense looks lost. The Texans have them so fouled up they don’t know whether they’re coming or going and the Schaub is running the play-action to perfection. Delhomme throws his first pick of the season late in the third, but the Texans can’t capitalize.

SCORE: Houston 31, Carolina 14

4th Quarter:

RECAP: The Texans basically just worked on the clock and the Panthers couldn’t get much going with DeShaun Foster turning the ball over on a fumble. Carolina's inability to recover a late fumble takes away any chance of a comeback. 

BIG PLAY: It hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things, but Smith’s 74-yard touchdown catch says something about his determination and desire to win. He broke five tackles en route to the end zone.

BIG MISTAKE: The Panthers had a chance to recover an on-side kick late in the game, but Na’il Diggs and Richard Marshall collided while trying to get the loose ball and it rolled out of bounds.

COMMENT: What a discouraging loss this is for the Panthers, who seemed to have the Texans right where they wanted them early in the game. I will say one thing – this Texans team is better than a lot of people think.

FINAL SCORE: Houston 34, Carolina 21

 

 

   Here are the inactives for Sunday's game:

   For Carolina, safety Nate Salley, defensive end Stanley McClover, wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett, tackle Frank Omiyale, tight end Marcus Freeman, defensive end Charles Johnson, linebacker Tim Shaw and quarterback Matt Moore. Deke Cooper, who was added to the injury report on Thursday, is expected to start at free safety, although that could change before the game.

   For Houston, defensive tackle Travis Johnson, wide receiver Andre Davis, running back Samkon Gado, linebacker Zac Diles, center Chris White, guard Kasay Studdard, tackle Rashad Butler and tight end Joel Dreesen. Former Panther Jeff Zgonina will start in place of Johnson.

   Check back for a running update of the game after each quarter right here in my blog...

   Just returned from Friday's practice where coach John Fox has added two starters to the injury report -- free safety Deke Cooper as questionable and defensive end Mike Rucker as probable. Both are new injuries and are officially listed as "thigh," which in the FIT guide (Fox Injury Translation) means they have strained hamstrings. Apparently hamstring has become a taboo word in the NFL. Can't explain why.

   Cooper apparently injured his hamstring -- er, "thigh" -- during Thursday's practice Fox said, although the media was not updated on the injury until Friday. Cooper was limited in practice, but I'd still expect both he and Rucker to play against the Texans on Sunday.

   The more pressing injury update is to defensive end Stanley McClover, who is listed as doubtful and is likely to miss his second straight game with a groin injury. His injury, by the way, is also listed as "thigh." That means the Panthers will likely be thin at defensive end again this week. McClover had practiced on Wednesday, but must have irritated the injury and has not practiced the last two days.

   Also, Nate Salley (knee) is listed as out.

   I tried to ask Fox about the Patriots cheating scandal after practice, but he would not answer any questions related to the punishment handed down by the NFL. 

 

  

I received an interesting (and funny) response from new tight end Christian Fauria when I asked him about the New England Patriots allegedly videotaping the New York Jets defensive coaches' signals during last Sunday’s game. Fauria, who played on two of New England’s Super Bowl teams, has been around for 13 seasons now and is a little bit of a jokester, so keep that in mind as you read on.

When first asked about it, he laughed and said, "All I know is there better not be an asterisk by any of the Super Bowls I was with them."

Then he joked he might need to call his wife to have her hide his Super Bowl rings in a safe just in case the league comes to confiscate them.

Then, when questioned further on the possible scandal, Fauria said seriously, "I was going back and forth on how I really feel about it. I'm all for doing everything that it takes to win. If somebody is going to leave their playbook out in plain view, I'm going to look. If I'm on offense and I can pick up the defensive calls, I'm going to tell the rest of the offense. As far as filming it, I never saw it when I was there…."

Then, he purposely looked at reporters, rolled his eyes and winked twice.

That drew a laugh, before he roared laughing and said, "No I didn’t! I really didn’t!"

Another roll of the eyes and a few more winks.

"I swear I didn’t! No really, I didn’t! Seriously, I didn’t!"

Another roll of the eyes and a few more winks.

By the end, you weren’t sure if Fauria was trying to tell you something or if he was just joking around. But he's certainly going to be an entertaining guy to talk to in the locker room.

   Want to know what the Panthers had to say after the game?

   We'll take you inside home locker room at the Edward Jones Dome for interviews with Steve Smith, Jake Delhomme, DeAngelo Williams, DeShaun Foster, Dan Morgan and Drew Carter, as well as head coach John Fox.

   The latest post (in this case it's Steve Smith), is always posted at the bottom of the page where you see the Ipod icon. However, to access all of the player interviews by simply clicking on "multimedia" near the top of the page and then click "podcasts" in the dropdown box. That takes you to a list of podcast interviews. That's it, just click on the one you want to hear.

   Also, check back later Monday for my weekly follow-up column where I give my thoughts on the game.

1^st Quarter:

RECAP: It was all offense in the first quarter as both teams put together lengthy touchdown drives. We were expecting quite a bit of offense in this game and the first quarter proved to be no disappointment. The Panthers went to Steve Smith early and often, throwing his way five times on the first drive. The Rams came right back with a methodical 15-play, 67-yard scoring drive, converting five third downs. Steven Jackson (7 carries, 30 yards) looked unstoppable and you got a sense early on he would have no problem hitting 100 yards.

BIG PLAY: For the Panthers, it was Delhomme’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Drew Carter on third-and-8 from the Rams 10. St. Louis got a big play on a 12-yard pass from Marc Bulger to Dante Hall on third-and-6 at the Carolina 20.

BIG MISTAKE: Rams safety Oshiomogho Atogwe was flagged for a pass interference on Steve Smith, resulting in a 29-yard gain for the Panthers on third down, keeping the drive alive.

COMMENT: Jake Delhomme looked impressive on the opening drive, going 6-for-6 for 35 yards with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Drew Carter. He also ran for a first down with an 11-yard scramble.

SCORE: Carolina 7, St. Louis 7

2nd Quarter:

RECAP: The defenses caught up in the second quarter. The Panthers second drive ended with a missed 47-yard field goal by John Kasay and their offense went three-and-out on their next three possessions as the Rams completely shut down Smith. The Rams managed just three points as Carolina’s defense toughened up repeatedly once they got in Carolina territory.

BIG PLAY: Marc Bulger scrambled for an 18-yard gain on third-and-6 at the Carolina 32 to set up Jeff Wilkins’ 42-yard field goal at the end of the half giving St. Louis a 10-7 lead.

BIG MISTAKE: The Rams were twice penalized on punt returns, setting the offense back 15 yards each time. The Panthers hurt themselves with penalties, too. They had the Rams backed up to their own 8 before Kris Jenkins jumped off side (geez, that never happens) giving them some breathing room. The Panthers avoided near disaster on Justin Hartwig’s horrible snap out of the shotgun resulting in Jake Delhomme diving on the ball and taking a 13-yard loss. The Panthers had to punt from their own 10 and the Rams got a short field to work with, leading to a field goal.

COMMENT: The Rams lost seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Pace to a right shoulder injury in the final two minutes of the first half. Pace missed seven games last year with a triceps injury. Ken Lucas needs to keep his hands off the receivers. He was twice flagged for pass interference in the first half. Foster had five carries for 45 yards in the first half.

SCORE: St. Louis 10, Carolina 7.

3rd Quarter:

RECAP: It was a sloppy third quarter as both teams put the ball on the ground twice. Jackson fumbled twice and Foster and DeAngelo Williams both once. Foster’s turnover proved costly as it came at the Rams 5-yard line. Carolina got the big play with Delhomme's 68-yard touchdown strike to Smith

BIG PLAY: Smith burned Tye Hill for the score giving Carolina a 14-13 lead with 8:33 left in the third. Prior to that, Dante Hall returned the opening kickoff of the second half 84 yards to the Carolina 17 to set up a Rams field goal.

BIG MISTAKE: Williams fumbled around midfield early in the third quarter after picking up 13 yards on a screen pass and Will Witherspoon recovered for the Rams. But the Panthers got it right back on the next possession as Chris Harris stripped the ball from Jackson and Julius Peppers recovered. Jackson and Foster later traded fumbles.

COMMENT: Since allowing a touchdown on the first drive, Carolina’s defense has really played well up until this point. They held the Rams to a field goal after Hall’s big return and forced two Jackson fumbles. Deke Cooper had a big hit on Hall jarring the ball loose on a third down pass. Foster had 87 yards rushing at this point. The Panthers drove deep into Rams territory at the end of the third.

SCORE: Carolina 14, St. Louis 13.

4th Quarter:

RECAP: After a John Kasay field goal to start the fourth quarter, the Panthers padded their lead with a 12-play, 65-yard touchdown drive fueled by the running of Williams. Delhomme threw his third touchdown of the game and Carter caught his second touchdown for a 24-13 lead.

BIG PLAY: On a third-and-1 at the Rams 42, Williams picked up a yard to keep Carolina’s drive alive. On the next drive, Williams picked up a 12-yard gain on third-and-10 to help run out the clock.

BIG MISTAKE: Someone forgot to block Carolina defensive end Otis Grigsby on a fourth-and-2 at the Carolina 45. Bulger had to hurry his throw and the pass fell incomplete, all but ending the team’s hopes of winning.

COMMENT: Williams came up huge for the Panthers on a fourth-quarter touchdown drive with 33 yards on four carries, including back-to-back 11-yard runs.

SCORE: Carolina 27, St. Louis 13

 

 

   There were a couple of mild surprises listed on the Panthers game day inactive list this morning.

   Stanley McClover, the team's No. 3 defensive end, will not play because of a thigh injury. McClover had told me earlier in the week that he would play. Strangely enough, the Panthers also listed rookie defensive end Charles Johnson as inactive, leaving the team with only three defensive ends -- Mike Rucker, Julius Peppers and Otis Grigsby -- heading into the today's game.

   Also, rookie wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett will be inactive. That's another sign that Jarrett has a long way to go in the learning process. The Panthers have hinted they aren't pleased with the progress of Jarrett, their second-round draft pick, up until this point. They would like to see him become a little more aggressive getting off the line of scrimmage and running routes.

   Also down are safeties Nate Salley (knee) and Quinton Teal, linebacker Tim Shaw, tackle Frank Omiyale. Quarterback Matt Moore is the third quarterback.

    No real surprises for the Rams. They will be without No. 3 wide receiver Drew Bennett and starting guard Richie Iccognito. Milford Brown gets the start for Icgonito.

   Stay tuned to the website for a running quarter-by-quarter summary.

   --In other news, it appears safety Mike Minter simply couldn't stay away. Minter, who retired in training camp after 10 seasons with the Panthers, accompanied owner Jerry Richardson on the flight to St. Louis.

   Hey everyone!

   First off, sorry I haven't updated the blog as much as I would have liked this week.

   It's been extremely busy this week both at work and home (where my wife and I sent our baby off to kindergarten this week). But I'm overjoyed because I just tonight put the final touches on the copy for our upcoming Carolina Panthers "2007 Season Preview" section which will be distributed in the Gaston Gazette soon. You can also read all of the stories online in the next couple of days.

   I'll be posting a number of the season preview stories here online in the next 24 hours and they include Q and A sessions with both of Carolina's coordinators, a story on Jake Delhomme heading into the season with David Carr waiting in the wings, two breakout players to watch for in 2007 and game-by-game breakdowns.

   *As for today's news, if Steve Smith's comments (and his tone of voice) don't get Panthers fans excited about this offense going into the season, then nothing will. After talking with Smith, he's almost giddy about what new offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson has in store for the Rams. If you haven't read it yet, check out the story entitled: "Smith geeked up about game plan..." It sounds to me like Smith will be a HUGE part of the offense (of course we knew that) -- but perhaps even more so than in the past. (After all, I can't imagine him being excited about the offense if he isn't a big part of the plans).

   *Smith was pretty chatty on Thursday, so I've also included for our online viewers a Q and A with him down below in the "player profile" section at the bottom of the main Carolina Growl page. In the interview, he talks about his relationship with Keyshawn Johnson, being named team captain and offers some more thoughts on the offense.

   *If you're getting pumped about the start of the football season (like I am) and you're eager to get into more of the nuts and bolts, we'll be doing that for you in the next few days. You can get a head start on catching up with the Rams by checking out our "Rams Scouting Report." That should get you an overview as to where Marc Bulger and Co. are headed going into the season. We'll have more info on the Rams posted on Saturday as part of our award-winning Sunday GAMEDAY section. 

   *Along with all of the other stuff, I will also have a story on Keary Colbert and his climb from afterthought (the inactive list) to starter once again.

   So we'll have dozens of stories for you over the next few days. Please check back again with us often and we'll get you ready for the game. This is a great time of the year and we hope you enjoy our Panthers coverage. Thanks!

   Lost in the flurry of roster moves Sunday was the fact that the Carolina Panthers have cut yet another former high draft pick in offensive tackle Rashad Butler.

   Butler becomes the latest third-round pick not to pan out for Carolina.

   In 2005, the Panthers selected DT Atiyyah Ellison from Missouri and he held the distinction of being the highest drafted player to get cut that season. In 2003, the Panthers selected TE Mike Seidman in the third round and he never could make it here due to injuries. Going back to 1999, Carolina selected DL Chuck Wiley and Mitch Marrow in the third round and both were monumental disappointments. In 1997, it was LB Kinnon Tatem and a year earlier RB Winslow Oliver and DE J.C. Price failed to produce after being selected in the third round.

   To be fair, the Panthers have had some success in the third round -- WR Steve Smith (2001), LB Will Witherspoon (2002), CB Ricky Manning Jr (2003) and OT Travelle Wharton (2004) have all had successful careers in the NFL to this point.

   Meanwhile, the jury is still out on OL Evan Mathis (2005), LB James Anderson (2006) and DE Charles Johnson (2007).  

   The Panthers are probably hoping Butler clears waivers so they can bring him back to the practice squad.

   He  was viewed as a project when he arrived in 2006 and spent all of his rookie season on injured reserve. However, he never really seemed to have the right body shape to play offensive tackle in the NFL. He was big up top, but his lower body was pretty thin for a lineman. Butler had worked as the team's first-team left tackle during minicamp when Wharton was still recovering from his knee injury. The Panthers essentially replaced him on the roster with Frank Omiyale, a third-year player from Tennessee Tech.

   Butler and offensive lineman Will Montgomery, who was also waived Sunday, are the only two players from Carolina's eight-man draft in 2006 that are no longer with the team.

 

   This just in.

   In addition to agreeing to terms with cornerback Dante Wesley, the Panthers have also claimed three players off waivers.

   Additions to the roster via waivers were rookie free agent tight end Marcus Freeman from Baltimore, tackle Frank Omiyale from Atlanta, and rookie quarterback Matt Moore from Dallas.

   The Carolina Panthers waived two players and placed one on injured reserve Sunday and claimed three others off waivers in adjusting their 53-man roster for the regular season. Tight end Michael Gaines was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder while offensive tackle Rashad Butler, a former third-round draft pick, and guard Will Montgomery were waived.

   Freeman, 6-2, 246, played at Notre Dame and started 11 games during his career and caught nine passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns as a senior.

   Moore, 6-3, 202, passed for 5,733 yards in two seasons at Oregon State and completed 21 of 29 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown in preseason play for the Cowboys.  Omiyale, 6-4, 310, was a fifth round draft choice by the Falcons in 2005 and appeared in one game last season.

   Gaines has started 21 games over three years with 31 receptions while Montgomery had four starts last season as a rookie.  Butler did not appear in any regular season games last year as a rookie

.

   The Panthers are currently hot after safety Marquand Manuel, who was cut by the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.

   According to sources close to the situation, Manuel is expected to talk with the Panthers today and a deal could be reached as soon as tonight. Since he's a veteran with five years of NFL experience, Manuel doidn't have to go through the waiver process, which means he's a free agent right now. 

   Another league source said Carolina's backup plan (in case they're outbid for Manuel's services) is Lamont Thompson, a former three-year starter for Tennessee. When asked if the Panthers had shown any interest in Thompson, his agent Michael Sullivan replied, "They told us maybe." The Panthers, however, realize they're in a dire situation at safety and you can expect them to throw plenty of money toward Manuel if they decide he's the best safety available. And it appears they have.

   Here are the safeties that have come available over the last couple of days:

1. Marquand Manuel. He has played five seasons in the NFL and started 36 games, while appearing in 75. He has only one interception, that coming last year on a 29-yard touchdown return for the Green Bay Packers. Prior to his one season in Green Bay, Manuel spent two seasons with Seattle(2004-05) and two with Cincinnati (2002-03). Last year he started 16 games for Green Bay with 81 tackles. 

2. Lamont Thompson (Titans): He seems to make the most sense because of his age and experience. He has played five seasons in the NFL, the last three as a starter for the Titans. In all, he has 45 starts (16 in both 2006 and 2005) with 9 career picks. He had 73 tackles last season with three interceptions. However, the Titans weren't happy with his play and kept rookie Calvin Lowry over Thompson. Wonder why the sudden change of heart there.

3. Bryan Scott (Titans): Another safety cut by Tennessee, Scott has some starting experience as well. A veteran of four NFL seasons, he started 35 games for the Atlanta Falcons from 2003-05. He played nine games last season for New Orleans in a reserve role.

4. Dexter McCleon (Texans): A veteran of 10 seasons, McCleon started five games with Houston in 2006. He started 27 gams with Kansas City from 2003-2005.

6. Bhawoh Jue (Chargers): A part-time starter over the years, he spent his first four seasons with Green Bay prior to joining the Chargers. He has started 16 games the past two years for the Chargers.

7. Omar Stoutmire (Redskins): He might be a little old for Carolina's liking, but he's started 60 career games. He started nine games last season for the Saints. He also played under Panthers head coach John Fox in New York back in 2000. 

8. Donovin Darius (Raiders): The Panthers had a shot to sign him earlier this off-season and passed. I doubt they would go after him now.

OTHER NOTES:

*Among the tight ends released around the league were Courtney Anderson (Bucs), Richard Owens (Vikings), Marcellus Rivers (Patriots), O.J. Santiago (Raiders) and ex-Panther Keith Heinrich (Bucs).

*I wonder if the Panthers might take a chance on some of these former Panthers -- FB Kyle Johnson (Broncos) and CB Dante Wesley (Patriots).