CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers needed an early season victory in the National
Football League and got it here Sunday, downing the struggling Cincinnati Bengals 27-3 at
Ericsson Stadium.Offensively, the 1-2
Panthers got two record-breaking touchdown runs from Tshimanga Biakabutuka. Defensively,
Carolina held an opponent to three points or less for the fourth time in club history.
“It’s important to win when you’re
0-0; it’s important to win when you’re 3-0,” said linebacker Michael
Barrow. “Every game is a must win for us at this point.”
Barrow’s defensive unit had allowed an
NFL-worst 180.5 yards rushing per game in losses to the Saints and Jaguars. Carolina
didn’t stop the 0-3 Bengals’ ground game (103 yards in the first half, 129 for
the game), but Cincinnati managed only a 39-yard field goal by Doug Pelfrey, who missed
earlier from 47, 37 and 30.
“I’ve said before, when one part of the
team is weak, the other part needs to be strong,” said Barrow. “Today, at
different times, the offense was strong. Tshimanga did an excellent job; (quarterback
Steve) Beuerlein did an excellent job.”
Biakabutuka enjoyed his biggest game with the
Panthers, breaking loose for a 62-yard touchdown run on Carolina’s first scrimmage
play to give his team an early 7-0 lead, then adding a 67-yard TD run in the third period.
His first run broke the club record for yardage gained from scrimmage. His second TD broke
the record again. Beuerlein was an accurate 17-for-23 for 204 yards and a touchdown.
“There were times the offense turned the ball
over, and the defense became strong,” pointed out Barrow. “Today, we played as a
team. ... It feels good to get that win together, because we’ve really worked
hard.”
After Biakabutuka’s first TD run and John
Kasay’s conversion, Kasay added a 48-yard field goal for a 10-0 first-quarter lead.
Kasay’s 21-yard field goal as time expired made it 13-0 at halftime.
Pelfrey made his 39-yard field goal after missing
three in a row to get the Bengals on the scoreboard in the third period.
It was 17-3 after Biakabutuka’s 67-yard TD
run and another Kasay conversion in the third period.
Beuerlein and tight end Wesley Walls teamed up for
a 4-yard TD pass early in the last period, then Kasay kicked the point.
For Walls, that reception was his 177th as a
Panther, breaking Mark Carrier’s club record.
Carolina travels next Sunday to meet the
Washington Redskins (2-1), a 27-20 winner over the New YorkJets on Sunday.
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NOTES: Panthers head coach George Seifert now has
a 109-37 record in eight-plus seasons, but it was his first win with Carolina, so the team
presented him with the game ball. “I just took an informal poll. Some guys suggested
that we recognize the head coach for his first win as a Panther,” said Beuerlein.
“It wasn’t an overly emotional moment, but I think it was something that
hopefully he’ll remember for a long time and hopefully put it up there on his
mantle.” ... Beuerlein’s No. 1 target was wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad with
eight catches for 117 yards. ... Biakabutuka had 132 yards on eight carries, while
Cincinnati running back Corey Dillon got 113 yards on 20 carries. ... Bengals quarterback
Jeff Blake, a former East Carolina University star, started despite separating his right
shoulder (throwing arm) the previous week. He was 24-for-43 for 251 yards, but was sacked
three times and threw one interception. ... Running back Ki-Jana Carter dislocated his
right kneecap in the first quarter.
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