Panthers not so super
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Green Bay Packers dealt the Carolina Panthers the kind of defeat now familiar to Super Bowl losers.
Ahman Green ran up, down and all over the defending NFC champions, scoring three touchdowns to lead Green Bay to a 24-14 victory Monday night. That made Carolina the sixth straight team to lose its season opener after losing in the Super Bowl.
“I was surprised at how well we ran the ball,” quarterback Brett Favre said. “Our philosophy is we’ll wear you down before you wear us down.”
The Panthers looked nothing like the Super Bowl team of a year ago. Unable to stop the run or run the ball – the two main principles that carried them all last season – the Panthers were out of sync from the start.
“We didn’t get in a groove, and when we did get the opportunities, we didn’t make the plays,” said Stephen Davis, who ran for just 26 yards. “It’s all of us. We’ve got to get better.”
Green scored on touchdown runs of 3 and 6 yards and rushed for 119 yards against a Carolina defense that only gave up four individual 100-yard rushing games last season. He did it with ease, giving no indication this was the first time this year Green Bay’s entire offensive unit was on the field together.
“I told them last night that I thought they were ready to play a football game and play well,” coach Mike Sherman said.
Carolina, meanwhile, showed just how bad its patchwork offensive line really is. With three starters from last season gone, a rotating group of aging veterans has gamely tried to fill holes.
But behind 35-year-old Matt Willig, who last started a game at right tackle in 1997, and 33-year-old Rich Tylski, who was out of football the past two years, the Panthers managed just 38 yards on the ground.
“One game doesn’t define a season, and I really think we’re better than we showed,” center Jeff Mitchell said.
A rare Carolina bright spot – a 30-yard Jake Delhomme TD pass to Muhsin Muhammad late in the fourth quarter – came one play after star receiver Steve Smith broke his left leg.