Redskins.com:Redskins Come Back But Can't Hold On

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Redskins Come Back But Can't Hold On

11/16/2003

By Gary Fitzgerald

Redskins.com

The Redskins’ road woes continued on Sunday, as Washington lost to the Carolina Panthers 20-17 in a fight to the finish at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The Redskins’ offense had come to life in the final quarter and scored two touchdowns to take their first lead with just over four minutes left in the game. But Carolina drove downfield for a game-winning touchdown, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by former Redskin turned Panther Stephen Davis.

The Redskins, who have lost five of their last six games after a promising 3-1 start, dropped to 4-6 on the season. Washington has lost four straight on the road and is 1-4 in away games this season with another road game at Miami coming next Sunday.

“We just have to get ready for the Miami Dolphins [next Sunday],” head coach Steve Spurrier said. “That’s about all we can worry about right now. Our record is what it is. We can’t change it. We played with a lot of effort in this game. We didn’t play extremely well at times, especially on offense early. But we had a chance to win. It didn’t work out.”

Davis’s 1-yard touchdown plunge completed a 7-play, 71-yard drive. He lost the ball just after he crossed the goal line, but officials—and the replay booth—confirmed it was a touchdown.

In Spurrier’s mind, the fumble was reminiscent of a fumble in the first quarter by Rock Cartwright just before he crossed the goal line. Officials ruled that one a fumble.

“[The game] came down to two running backs going into the end zone and one fumbled and one didn’t fumble,” he said.

After Davis’s score, the Redskins had one final chance. With the ball at the Redskins’ 27-yard line, Patrick Ramsey was unable to complete a pass on four chances.

The second-year quarterback struggled, completing 16-of-35 for 150 yards and one interception. He was sacked three times and pressured on several occasions as he released the football. The Redskins as a team had only one first down in the first half.

In the second half, Ramey came back to lead the Redskins to two fourth-quarter touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough in the end.

“The Panthers’ defense wasn’t doing anything in particular in the first half other than getting pressure,” Ramsey said. “In the second half, we just started getting guys open and we had time to throw the ball. Guys were making great catches out there.”

Two of those “great catches” were touchdowns by wide receivers Patrick Johnson and Darnerien McCants. Prior to the Panthers’ game-winning score, the Redskins had taken their first lead of the game—at 17-13—on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Ramsey to Johnson, capping a 3-play, 59-yard drive.

The score was set up first by a 28-yard kickoff return by Chad Morton and a 29-yard pass interference call on Panthers’ cornerback Reggie Howard during a deep sideline pass to Darnerien McCants.

Earlier, McCants made a leaping 4-yard touchdown catch in the right corner of the end zone to tie the game. On third and goal from the 4-yard line, Ramsey lofted a high-arching pass over the coverage toward the back of the end zone. McCants leaped up with both hands, caught the pass and managed to get both feet in before falling out of bounds.

The score capped a 12-play, 56-yard drive that included strong running by Rock Cartwright and several clutch catches by Laveranues Coles.

For most of the game, it was a taut defensive battle. The Redskins had several scoring opportunities, thanks to four turnovers forced by the defense. But they were able to come away with only three points off the turnovers.

On the Panthers' first offensive play, Ifeanyi Ohalete forced a Stephen Davis fumble and recovered it to give the ball to the Redskins. Laveranues Coles drew a pass interference penalty on Terry Cousins on the next play, giving the Redskins the ball at Carolina's 5-yard line.

Two plays later from the 2-yard line, Rock Cartwright dove toward the goal line, but Brentsen Buckner knocked the ball from his arms. The Panthers recovered the fumble in the end zone.

On the Panthers' next drive, Fred Smoot intercepted a Jake Delhomme pass and returned it to Carolina's 19-yard line. On a key third-down play, Patrick Ramsey was sacked on a blitz by Terry Cousins, forcing the Redskins into a field goal attempt. But John Hall's 46-yard field goal was wide left.

In the second quarter, the Panthers took the first lead of the game with a 25-yard field goal by John Kasay. The 11-play, 69-yard drive was eventually thwarted by key tackles of Davis by Bruce Smith on first down and Lional Dalton on second down. A pass by Jake Delhomme fell incomplete on third down.

Late in the first half, the Redskins got on the scoreboard when Hall kicked a 23-yard field goal to tie the game in the second quarter. The drive was set up by an interception by Matt Bowen, who caught a deflected pass and ran down the left sideline for 44 yards, following a block by Bruce Smith.

With the ball at Carolina's 39-yard line, Patrick Ramsey completed a 23-yard pass to Rock Cartwright, giving the Redskins a first and goal. But the drive was thwarted as a third-down quarterback draw by Ramsey was stopped at the five-yard line.

As time expired in the first half, Kasay missed a 47-yard field goal, preserving the 3-3 score. It was Kasay's first miss of the season.

The Panthers forged back ahead of the Redskins on the first possession of the second half. Jake Delhomme led the Redskins on a 7-play, 55-yard drive after Rod Smart returned the kickoff 39 yards.

Delhomme scored on a 1-yard run on a key fourth down play. With the defense keying on Stephen Davis, Delhomme rolled left and scooted into the corner of the end zone, wrapping up a 7-play, 55-yard drive to open the second half.

The only other scoring opportunity for either team in the third quarter came after Ramsey's arm was hit as he threw a pass in the flat. The ball landed in defensive tackle Shane Burton's hands near midfield. Carolina was unable to convert the turnover into a score, as Kasay missed a 54-yard field goal.

Bowen had given the Redskins another scoring opportunity when he leveled a bone-jarring hit on Panthers wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, knocking the ball from his hands just after a reception. Champ Bailey recovered the fumble.

But the Redskins were unable to move the ball again. On the drive’s first play, Trung Canidate fumbled a pitch from Patrick Ramsey. He was able to recover the fumble for a 10-yard loss, but the offense was eventually forced to punt.

Late in the third quarter, the Redskins’ offense finally got untracked, leading to the Johnson and McCants touchdowns. When Washington forged ahead 17-13, it appeared the Redskins could steal a victory. But the Panthers had other ideas.

“We had some confidence in the second half,” McCants said. “When we do have that confidence, that’s when we can come out and fight. But we need to start from the beginning of the game and play better. It’s a pattern we have to stop.”

As a team, the Redskins recorded 181 total yards of offense and just 54 yards rushing. Cartwright and Canidate struggled to find much rushing room against a stout Panthers’ defensive line.

“There wasn’t much room for them to run,” Spurrier said. “Give Carolina credit. Their front four and their linebackers are pretty strong. We didn’t have a lot of room up there.”

The Redskins came out of the game relatively injury free. Bowen suffered an elbow injury but did not miss any action.

Prior to the game, the Redskins announced the release of offensive lineman Mitch White. The team signed Pita Elisara from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Elisara backed up Friedman at center in the game.