Stewart's sure TD run turns into fumbleBy David Scott
dscott@charlotteobserver.com
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/568/story/386207.html
GREEN BAY, Wis. – As the goal line approached – and nearing the end of what appeared to be a 48-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field -- Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart felt both his hamstrings begin to cramp up.
Then, Stewart began to slow.
Then, Packers safety Charles Woodson swooped in from behind, tackling Stewart and knocking the ball from his hands.
Luckily for Stewart, Panthers offensive guard Travelle Wharton, who had already made the key block upfield that sprang him, stayed with the play. He pounced on the ball at the Packers 2. Three plays later, quarterback Jake Delhomme scored from 1 yard and the Panthers had a 14-3 lead.
Ultimately, Stewart’s cramp and subsequent fumble wasn’t a factor in the game, which the Panthers won 35-31.
But, said Stewart, it was a “frustrating” play.
“I thought it was something serious,” said Stewart, who would have tied Fred Lane’s Panthers’ rookie touchdown record of seven had he scored. “I looked up at the last minute at the big (scoreboard) screen and saw the man (Woodson) reaching,” said Stewart.
Stewart said he thought the cramp came because he hadn’t warmed up enough and hadn’t gotten in the game until that carry. Trainers massaged the cramp out of Stewart’s hamstring after the play and he returned to the game. He finished with 58 yards rushing (he was credited with 43 on the play he cramped up on).
Notes
Here’s what Julius Peppers had to say about the unnecessary-roughness call against him late in the game, when he hit Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers out of bounds.
“I’m going over there and I’m not trying to judge whether he’s getting ready to step out of bounds,” said Pepper. “I’m just going for the hit. I’m not trying to hurt him or nothing like that, but from the last thing I saw, he was still in bounds.
A few plays before that, I saw him acting like he was going out of bounds and he stayed in and got 5 or 6 yards for a first down. I didn’t want to take that chance again.” Peppers was actually credited with a sack on the play. He had two for the game and now has 11 for the season (he needs two more to tie his career high of 13). The back-and-forth with the Panthers’ No. 3 receiver continued. D.J. Hackett, who was inactive last week against Atlanta, played Sunday but didn’t catch a pass. Dwayne Jarrett, who played against the Falcons and caught two passes for 15 yards, was inactive.
Other inactives: Matt Moore (third quarterback), cornerback C.J. Wilson, linebacker Adam Seward, offensive lineman Mackenzy Bernadeau, offensive tackle Frank Omiyale, receiver Kenneth Moore and defensive tackle Gary Gibson.
Defensive Darwin Walker, who missed four games after injuring his neck in a traffic accident, was active Sunday.
Packers rookie defensive end Jeremy Thompson, who played at Charlotte Christian and Wake Forest, hurt his ankle in the second quarter and didn’t return.
Due to injuries to the Packers’ safeties, Woodson started there instead of cornerback. His place at corner was taken by Tramon Williams. It was Woodson’s first career start at safety.
The Panthers’ Jason Baker had two long punts that were downed deep in Packers territory. The first came in the first quarter, a 41-yarder that was downed by James Anderson at the 3. The second came in the third quarter, a 47-yarder that Richard Marshall downed at the 5.
The punt to the 5 ultimately didn’t do any good. The Packers drove the length of the field and scored a touchdown.
By the numbers
3: Inches of snow expected in Green Bay late Sunday (it began snowing with about eight minutes remaining). That looked conservative because, by 7 p.m. it appeared at least that much had already fallen.
4: Touchdowns by DeAngelo Williams, a Panthers single-game record.
9:13: Time elapsed in fourth-quarter Packers’ drive, resulting in a field goal and a 31-28 lead.
275: Consecutive sellouts at Lambeau Field.
Observations
You’ve got to be really good to have your number retired as a Packer. Only six players – Don Hutson (14), Tony Canadeo (3), Bart Starr (15), Ray Nitschke (66), Reggie White (92) and Brett Favre (4) have been honored that way by the team. Other stars, including Forrest Gregg, Herb Adderley, Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, Willie Davis, Johnny (Blood) McNally and Henry Jordan are in the Packers’ hall of fame but haven’t had their numbers retired. Players like Gregg, Hornung, Taylor and McNally are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and haven’t had their numbers retired.
The Packers might have a secondary team color, something favored by the NFL to boost apparel sales. The Lambeau Field crowd was peppered with fans wearing “hunter orange.”
Thought a penalty flag had been thrown in the Panthers’ backfield on one play. Actually, Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga’s bright yellow helmet came off and had fallen to the ground.
Worst play: Packers center Scott Wells’ snap that went high and wide of Aaron Rodgers out of a shotgun formation. That led to a Panthers touchdown in the second quarter.
Best catch (for receivers not named Steve Smith): Packers receiver Donald Driver laying out for a pass from Rodgers that appeared to be way out of his reach in the third quarter, good for 46 yards on the first play of a 95-yard drive that would allow Green Bay to tie the game.
Packers fans spent a lot of time booing, especially punter Derrick Frost. The boos, believe it or not, came after punts of 41 and 40 yards by Frost.
The Panthers have introduced a “pay as you play” playoff ticket option for season-ticket holders. Rather than have fans pay for all possible home playoff games at once as they’ve done in the past (getting a refund or credit toward next season’s games if the games aren’t played), they’ll only be charged for games that are played. Panthers director of ticketing Phil Youtsey said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell asked teams to figure out ways to help fans in these troubled economic times and this was one way to do it.
Quoting
“I’m sure there were a lot of things said, you’d be amazed. But I wouldn’t go into it here.” – Panthers coach John Fox on conversations in Panthers’ defensive huddle when the Packers had a first-and-goal at the 7 late in the game and came away with a field goal.
“It’s not about starting points, it’s about points.” – Fox, on the Panthers’ good field position for much of the game.
“To be honest, I’m getting kind of tired learning from experiences like this.” – Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, in his first season as a starter.
“I was confident in that position.” – Packers coach Mike McCarthy on his team leading by three points late in the game, after electing to kick a field goal rather than go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1.
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