Hoooooover ! Carolina boy adds local flavor to Panthers win @ home against the Buccaneers on MNF
Tuesday, 14 November 2006
(Charlotte, NC) The Panthers broke out of a two game losing funk and rebounded with a 24 – 10 victory against the mistake prone Bucks in a Monday night match-up at Bank of America stadium.
Brad Hoover gets my game ball for sparking the Panthers to shake off their 3rd down blues. The Panthers came into the game with a woeful 19 percent 3rd down conversion percentage. Coming into the game the Winston-Salem native and Western Carolina graduate had a total of eight yards rushing on the season. Panther fans had to believe the Cat’s were coming out of their slump when he was able to convert three key 3rd and short yardage attempts into first downs. It was just five rush’s for 14 yards but it sure looked good from I was sitting. The cherry on the pie was a goal line touch down to go ahead 17 - 7.
It was a night that created a flash back for Panthers fans who witnessed Brad Hoover rushing for 117 yards on a Monday night game against Green Bay in November 2000. This would be the Monday night that saw him score his first NFL touchdown.
Julius Peppers had three sacks to add to his league high eight and recovered a fumble leading a charged up Panther defense that forced four turnovers and held the Buccaneers to just 69 yards rushing
The Panthers started slowly with three 1st downs in the 1st half. It’s clear to me just how much Stephen Davis is missed, he was a hammer. He would hammer it left, hammer it right and hammer it up the middle. DeShaun Foster is not a hammer, DeAngelo Williams is not a hammer. It seems to me the architect of the Panthers offense was designed to include a hammer.
Anemic is a good description of a running game that tallied a total of 78 yards rushing. The Bucs came into the Queen City without the defensive help of Simeon Rice and Ellis Wyms.
The final score was 24 - 10, but upon further review, it was clear to me that Keyshawn had an elbow down on a catch in the end zone that was ruled a ‘no catch’ but challenged by Fox and overturned. The superslowmo replay clearly showed that Keyshawn got an elbow down in fair territory before his momentum took him out of bounds. One elbow equals two feet; it should have been a touchdown.
Superman added his 13th 100 yard game since the start of 2005. Ocho Nueve had eight receptions for a 149 yards and a TD. The Southern Superman remarked after the game, he had caught the flu from his daughter after it had been passed around the family. Tip of the cap, Ocho for hurling in the trash can and not on the Tomo turf in front of a national TV audience. Panthers fans appreciate your demonstrated leadership and for playing hurt!
Jake was 22 for 34 with 240 yards, two TD’s and one int. Tip of the cap to Dan Henning for pulling the ‘knockout punch’ play out of his book. Normally, with a with a 17 – 10 lead and the clock winding down late in Q4 you would expect the 'run the ball, burn the clock' strategy. Instead we were treated to a 36 yard Cajunator special to Super Steve to seal the deal.
Coming into the game, every team in the NFC South was on a two game losing streak except for the Saints who lost to the Steelers on Sunday. The table was set for the Panthers and they took advantage of a 2 - 6 Buc’s team playing without their spleenless starting QB, Chris Simms.
Panthers fans, get your colors ready for Sunday’s match up with the Rams. The schedule makers have been kind as the Panthers enjoy their third consecutive home game in four weeks as the Rams visit the QC for a 1pm Sunday kick off.
We will look forward to seeing you at Kitty O’Sheas in Arlington as we check out the new plasmas for the 1st time; see ya’ll there !
