Sunday, November 30, 2008

Carolina takes 14-3 lead (assist to Wharton)

We just got something bizarre here in Green Bay as Carolina took a 14-3 lead with 9:43 left in the second quarter on a 1-yard run by Jake Delhomme.

Rookie RB Jonathan Stewart broke through the line on a third-and-1 and looked like he was on his way to a 45-yard TD. But Stewart inexplicably slowed down around the 10, and two Packers caught him. Not only that, Stewart didn't protect the ball and had it knocked out.

It looked like a great play by the Packers (and a terrible play by Stewart, who perhaps had cramped up on the play, because he's not the type to showboat). But then here comes offensive guard Travelle Wharton, hustling 40 yards downfield, and he's the guy who recovers the fumble at the Green Bay 2.

From there, the Panthers got it in the hard way -- a 1-yard run by DeAngelo, a pass interference penalty drawn by Steve Smith and then a Delhomme sweep to the left (where Wharton also had a key block).

So give Wharton his props for this one, and Carolina leads by 11.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

How come the Panthers cannot figure out a pass over the middle on EVERY third down?

MichaelProcton said...

...because Charles Godfrey is regularly out of position, leaving the other secondary players out in the cold?

MichaelProcton said...

Also, it's worth mentioning that Stewart was cramping up on the play. No excuse to get the ball knocked out, though.