The returns are in: Jones' runbacks key to victoryBy David Scott
dscott@charlotteobserver.com
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/gameday/story/386258.html
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Mark Jones says he runs with his eyes.
“By that I mean, my teammates tell me to run toward what I see,” said Jones, whose two long kickoff returns were key in the Carolina Panthers’ 35-31 victory Sunday against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. “It might not be what you saw when you started. So if you see something differently, run that way.”
Jones isn’t flashy and he hasn’t been with Carolina for long, but the Panthers might not have squeaked out Sunday’s triumph without him. Jones averaged 38.8 yards on four kickoff returns, two of them in the fourth quarter that gave the Panthers excellent field position when they needed it badly.
The first was a 51-yarder after the Packers had taken a 28-21 lead with 13 minutes 43 seconds left. It gave the Panthers the ball at the 50. Working with that short field, Carolina scored four plays later and the game was tied.
Then, after Green Bay’s Mason Crosby kicked a 19-yard field goal to give Green Bay a 31-28 lead with 1:57 left, Jones returned the kickoff from the goalline to the Panthers 45. This time, it took Carolina two plays – thanks largely to Jake Delhomme’s 54-yard pass to Steve Smith – to score the game-winning points.
Jones was busy all afternoon, also returning four punts for an 11.5 average. The eight times he had the ball were more touches than any other Panthers player aside from Delhomme and running back DeAngelo Williams (who had 21 carries).
“(Jones) was big,” said Panthers coach John Fox. “When we needed good field position, he really electrified our offense on those two very critical drives.”
Jones signed with the Panthers on Sept. 1, replacing Ryne Robinson, who is missing the season with a knee injury. Jones has bounced around the NFL for five seasons, with previous stops with the New York Giants and Tampa Buccaneers. He was cut by the San Diego Chargers this preseason.
“I’m believing in these guys and I think they’re starting to believe in me,” said Jones, whose longest kickoff return this season is a 59-yarder against Oakland.
For all his big plays Sunday, Jones’ career is still lacking something notable: He hasn’t scored a touchdown.
“I’ll continue to be patient and the touchdowns are going to come,” he said.
That’s a statistic that doesn’t matter to Delhomme.
“We like the ball in his hands,” he said.
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