Chiefs-Panthers Game Log

Oct 05, 2008, 2:58:42 PM

by Josh Looney

PRE-GAME, 10:59 AM (ET)
The last of the team busses have arrived here at Bank of America Stadium…a coliseum feel situated in the heart of downtown.

PRE-GAME, 11:15 AM (ET)
Panthers left tackle Jordan Gross, whose known in league circles as one of the premier left tackles in the game, will miss today’s contest with a concussion (he was actually knocked unconscious for 3-4 minutes last week). This breaks a streak of 84 consecutive starts since being drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. The Panthers other starting tackle, rookie right tackle Jeff Otah, is listed as doubtful today.

For the Chiefs, rookie left tackle Branden Albert will miss today’s game with an elbow injury suffered last week against the Broncos. Second-year T Herb Taylor will start in his place.

The battles up front should be interesting today…stayed tuned for the rest of today’s inactives.

PRE-GAME, 11:34 AM (ET)
The inactives are in:
CHIEFS
12 Brodie Croyle
50 Napolean Harris
59 Donnie Edwards
60 Brian De La Puente
76 Branden Albert
83 Mark Bradley
99 T.J. Jackson
15 Ingle Martin is 3rd QB

PANTHERS
10 Ryne Robinson
26 Quinton Teal
50 James Anderson
69 Jordan Gross
79 Jeff Otah
80 Dwayne Jarrett
91 Gary Gibson
3 Matt Moore is 3rd QB

PRE-GAME, 12:20 PM (ET)
Maybe it’s just me, but Panthers QB Jake Delhomme looks like he altered his throwing motion after having elbow surgery last year? In baseball circles, his surgery is known as “Tommie John Surgery.” The different throwing motion actually looks like it is producing more velocity for Delhomme than we’ve seen in previous years.

PRE-GAME, 12:42 PM (ET)
Look for today’s game to be a close one…it’s the style of play that the Panthers just always seem to play. They have two thrilling finishes on their resume already this season, and were knotted in a 14-9 game in the second-half last week with Atlanta before pulling away late.

PRE-GAME, 12:45 PM (ET)
It’s imperative that the Chiefs get RB Larry Johnson going early today…look what happened last week!

PRE-GAME, 12:56 PM (ET)
Sirr Purr, the Panthers mascot has just led his squad on the field for battle. I’m not the safety director here, but I personally wouldn’t want my football team running behind a guy carrying a firworks-laced flagpole while sprinting in a giant cat suit.

1st Q, 14:11, KC 0 CAR 0
The Panthers win the toss and elect to receive. A personal foul/illegal block puts them in a while to start the game at their own 11. If the Chiefs can keep Carolina pushed back it may prove vital in the field position battle Herm Edwards always focuses on.

1st Q, 10:30, KC 0 CAR 0
LB Derrick Johnson has been active early in the game, seemingly picking up right where he left off in winning AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors a week ago. His third-down blitz as the Panthers reached mid-field helped force an incompletion, allowing the Chiefs to take over the football on their own 17 following the Carolina punt.

1st Q, 8:51, KC 0 CAR 0
They handed out white towels to every fan in attendance today…and right now they are getting full use. This crowd is going nuts as the Chiefs move the football back inside their own five after two negative plays, a fumble a penalty and a third-down pass that is batted out the back of the end zone. Reluctantly the Chiefs manage to punt out of trouble, but the Panthers will take over at the KC 46.

1st Q, 5:10, KC 0 CAR 7
The Panthers go with a power rushing game, just handing the ball off to RBs Jonathan Stewart and Deangelo Williams until Williams finished off the ground effort with a 10-yard scamper. Carolina just came right at the Chiefs that series and KC couldn’t answer.

7 plays, 46 yards, 3:41

1st Q, 2:14, KC 0 CAR 7
The Chiefs second possession ends with a three-and-out, but NFL history was recorded. TE Tony Gonzalez caught a five-yard pass on third down that moved him past TE Shannon Sharpe as the NFL’s all-time receiving leader for tight ends. Gonzalez now owns NFL all-time tight end records for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. It was also Tony’s 120th straight game with a catch.

1st Q, 0:00, KC 0 CAR 7
The Chiefs are saved by the bell at the end of the first quarter, but when they return to action they’ll face a Carolina offense that is clicking on all cylinders that has driven inside the KC red zone.

2nd Q, 14:43, KC 0 CAR 7
It looked like the Panthers were well on their way to pushing their lead up to two scores until DT Glenn Dorsey batted the football out of Stewarts hands at the KC 15, allowing DT Tank Tyler to recover the loose football.

Still, the Chiefs have to get something together offensively to give themselves a chance as the Panthers nearly went ahead two scores, while the Chiefs have only had six offensive plays (compared to Carolina’s 21).

2nd Q, 9:51, KC 0 CAR 14
You can’t execute a screen any more perfectly than the Panthers just did as KC blitzed off the edge and Williams caught the screen on third-and-seven with nothing around him but the green grass for a 25-yard TD reception.

7 plays, 80 yards, 3:17

2nd Q, 9:35, KC 0 CAR 14
A 15-yard roughing the passer penalty was assessed, allowing Panthers K Rhys Lloyd to literally kick the ball out of the playing area. A lucky fan in the end zone (about 20 rows up) will leave the game today with a souvenir…now that’s what I consider a kickoff specialist.

2nd Q, 6:33, KC 0 CAR 14
The Chiefs are showing some signs of offensive life as Huard connects on a few long passes to bring the Chiefs to mid-field, but the drive still results in a punt. The KC rushing game has been non-existent thus far. Panthers take over at their own 16.

2nd Q, 0:00, KC 0 CAR 21
The Panthers have had a dominating defensive effort, and their offense is putting together long, drawn-out drives. When you can to that, halftime statistics will look like this.

KC – 15 plays, 29 yards
CAR – 39 plays, 291 yards

HALFTIME: BMX Bike Extreme! One problem though…the BMXers spent more time setting up their stunt ramp (perched up by a golf cart….yeah, a golf cart) than actually performing the stunts.

3rd Q, 14:40, KC 0 CAR 21
And the Panthers just keep pouring it on as DE Julius Peppers rushes around right end and strips Huard. Panther football on the KC 28.

3rd Q, 12:25, KC 0 CAR 21
The KC defense comes up big inside the red zone for the second time today as S Jarrad Page picks of Delhomme in the back of the end zone. The play was originally ruled incomplete, but Herm challenged the call and it was revealed that Page got both feet down inside the back of the end zone.

3rd Q, 12:20, KC 0 CAR 21
Well…the Chiefs will have to produce another turnover to keep Carolina off the board as Huard throws an INT on the ensuing play. Back-to-back turnovers happened last week vs. Denver as well.

3rd Q, 10:14, KC 0 CAR 24
The Chiefs manage to hold Carolina to a 34-yard Kasay field goal.

4 plays, 9 yards, 2:03

3rd Q, 8:29, KC 0 CAR 24
It all starts up front for the Panthers defense. They are showing that they have one of the premier defensive fronts in the league today. Another punt for the Chiefs.

3rd Q, 2:31, KC 0 CAR 31
The KC offense finally appeared to get a jump start when back-up RB Jamaal Charles sparked a few gains to move past mid-field, but as has been the case today something went wrong. D. Bowe and Huard mis-communicated on a route that ended with Bowe breaking a short out and Huard throwing the deep fade. The result was an INT, followed by a 47-yard Delhomme-Muhammad TD.

3 plays, 52 yards, 1:34

3rd Q, 0:00, KC 0 CAR 31
Huard takes a few big hits on that last Chiefs possession that ends with another Colquitt punt. The Chiefs have gone exclusively with Charles at running back the last two possessions as they have opted to rely solely on the passing game.

4th Q, 13:25, KC 0 CAR 31
S Bernard Pollard just laid a huge hit on WR Steve Smith that has the wide receiver laying on the sidelines a bit loopy. The Panthers opt to take Delhomme out and Josh McCown is the new QB. I think we’ll see more and more starters heading to the sidelines as this game is out of hand. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Tyler Thigpen get some work the rest of the way for Kansas City.

4th Q, 12:26, KC 0 CAR 34
The left-footed KC adds another three to the scoreboard for Carolina.

6 plays, 40 yards, 2:50

4th Q, 12:18, KC 0 CAR 34
As anticipated, Thigpen enters the game at QB for Kansas City. I’m sure the Chiefs offense will change a bit as they like to use Thigpen in boots, nakeds and rollouts, while Huard is more of a straight drop back guy.

4th Q, 5:32, KC 0 CAR 34
Back-to-back turnovers on downs bring the Chiefs full circle as Thigpen will try to avoid the shutout from the KC 30.

I’m not sure what else is happening around the league, but I’d think that RB DeAngelo Williams is a shoe-in for NFC Player of the Week honors as he has 20 carries for 123 yards with two TDs, while adding a 25-yard TD catch as well.

4th Q, 0:00, KC 0 CAR 34
A dominating effort today by the Panthers. All you have to do is look at the final statistics to get a feel for how this game went for the Chiefs today.