Sep 9, 2007, 21:30 GMT
St. Louis, MO - Jake Delhomme threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns as the Carolina Panthers stifled the St. Louis Rams, 27-13, in the season-opener for both clubs.
Delhomme found Drew Carter for two touchdowns while Steve Smith had seven catches for 118 yards, including a 68-yard score for the Panthers (1-0).
Carolina's tandem of running backs, DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams, combined to run for 156 yards on 32 carries.
'I thought our runners all ran well,' said Carolina head coach John Fox. 'DeShaun (Foster) ran extra hard. DeAngelo's a guy that if you give him a crease outside, he can bounce and make that play.'
Marc Bulger, who signed a lucrative contract extension this offseason with St. Louis, threw for 167 yards on 22-of-42 passing with a touchdown for the Rams (0-1).
St. Louis' Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson had a forgettable game, rushing for just 58 yards on 18 carries with two costly second-half fumbles.
'It was a rough one,' said Jackson. 'I didn't intend for my season to start off like this, but since it did I will not back down.'
To add insult to injury, the Rams lost Pro Bowl offensive tackle Orlando Pace in the first half with a shoulder injury.
Leading 13-7 early in the third quarter, St. Louis had a golden opportunity to take a two-possession lead as Williams coughed up the ball near midfield.
Bulger's 14-yard pass to Torry Holt brought the Rams to the Carolina 32-yard line, but Jackson gave the ball right back to the Panthers on the next play. Carolina quickly made St. Louis pay one play later for the turnover when Delhomme hit a streaking Smith for a 68-yard touchdown that put the Panthers in front 14-13.
'We finally got a one on one opportunity and I (knew) he was a go route,' said Delhomme. 'I just wanted to get a good fake and throw it as far as I can. Obviously, he can do the rest.'
Jackson then fumbled on his very next carry but Carolina gave the ball back on the St. Louis three-yard line when Foster fumbled.
After a three-and-out by the Rams, catches of 12 and 16 yards by Jeff King and Smith moved the Panthers into St. Louis territory and John Kasay's 34-yard field goal to start the fourth made it 17-13.
St. Louis went three-and-out for the second straight time and Carolina put the game away with a 12-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Carter's second touchdown of the game with 7:15 to play. St. Louis challenged the play but the call stood as Carolina went up by 11.
The Rams made it to the Carolina 45-yard line on their next possession but turned the ball over on downs and Kasay kicked a 32-yarder with just over a minute to play to seal the win.
'We were in a very good position today and we let it get away,' said Rams head coach Scott Linehan. 'One critical error and then we let it affect us. To have it and let it get away is disappointing. All of us have to play better and coach better.'
Both offenses came out clicking as the Panthers and Rams found the end zone on their opening possessions.
Faced with a 3rd-and-2 on its own 30-yard line, the Panthers advanced on a pass interference call on Rams defensive back O.J. Atogwe. One play later, Delhomme scrambled 11 yards to the St. Louis 24-yard line. King followed with a six-yard reception and Brad Hoover's subsequent six-yard run brought Carolina to the Ram's 12-yard line.
Then, on 3rd-and-8 at the 10-yard line, Delhomme found Carter in the middle of the end zone for a touchdown.
St. Louis responded as Bulger found Holt for two straight receptions that quickly put the Rams at midfield. Jackson soon followed with three consecutive runs to the Carolina 32-yard line.
Jackson moved the chains on a 3rd-and-1 and Bulger hooked up with Dante Hall for a 12-yard catch on 3rd-and-6 that brought St. Louis to the Carolina eight- yard line. The Panthers held Jackson on two runs, but on third down Bulger hit Holt for a three-yard touchdown to tie the game with two minutes left in the first.
Carolina had a chance to answer with on its next possession, but Kasay hooked a 47-yard field goal attempt wide right.
A pass interference call with just under two minutes left in the first half moved St. Louis into Carolina territory and Jeff Wilkins' 42-yard field goal as time expired gave the Rams a 10-7 lead heading into the locker room.
Hall then opened the second half with an impressive kickoff return to the Carolina 17-yard line and Wilkins' 28-yarder handed St. Louis a six-point advantage.
Game Notes
Pace will undergo an MRI and be reevaluated...Delhomme improved to 4-0 in his career against St. Louis, including a 2003 playoff win...King finished with five catches for 35 yards for Carolina.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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