WP:Two Goal Lines, Two Runners, One Fumble

[TK]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49932-2003Nov16.html

Two Goal Lines, Two Runners, One Fumble

By Nunyo Demasio

Washington Post Staff Writer

Monday, November 17, 2003; Page D13

On third and goal from the 2, Redskins running back Rock Cartwright (40) fumbles into the end zone, where football is recovered by the Panthers' Shane Burton (98) for a touchback.

Photo Credit: Preston Keres -- The Washington Post

CHARLOTTE, Nov. 16 -- Rock Cartwright sat near his locker room stall, head down, staring at his bare feet. The 5-foot-7, 223-pound fullback remained in his burgundy pants and a white undershirt as teammates quietly changed.

Cartwright was motionless until being interrupted by myriad reporters who wanted to grill him on a costly fumble at the Carolina 1-yard line early in the game. "I let down the whole organization," Cartwright whispered, head still down, "the city, the team."

Several yards way, in the Carolina Panthers' locker room, Stephen Davis, Cartwright's mentor, unleashed a primal scream.

An armada of reporters surrounded Davis to ask about his game-winning, goal-line touchdown for a 20-17 victory over his former team. Davis punctuated his answers with a toothy grin.

"It was very personal," Davis admitted, smiling gleefully. "Very personal."

The 6-foot, 230-pounder exacted revenge for last year's release by the Redskins with a three-yard run that officials confirmed as a touchdown following a review that was requested after he appeared to have fumbled at the goal line. It was the type of bulldozing gallop that marked his seven-year tenure with Washington until Coach Steve Spurrier arrived last season with his stealth-based offense.

"It came down to a game with two running backs getting into the end zone. One fumbled and one didn't fumble," said Spurrier, whose team dropped to 4-6. "It ended [up] being two big plays in the game, and we were on the bad end of both of them."

But Redskins players felt that Davis -- who finished with 92 yards on 28 carries -- got help from John Schleyer, the sole official to signal a touchdown on the play. Down 17-14, the Panthers were on the Washington 3-yard line on second and goal.

After the handoff, Davis rammed ahead behind left tackle Todd Steussie before being stopped short of the goal line by linebacker LaVar Arrington. As other Redskins joined in the gang tackle, Davis stretched his right hand, with the ball, toward the goal line. Matt Bowen didn't know Davis's exact spot on the field, but the safety was enticed by the exposed football. "It's like looking at a pot of gold," Bowen recalled.

Bowen poked it loose, and the Redskins recovered. Their celebration ended with the touchdown signal. Because of the uncertainty, however, officials reviewed the play. When it was replayed on the big screen, both benches cheered as if the evidence was on their side. The touchdown stood after an official announced that there was "no visual evidence to change the call."

Davis's performance started off in a nightmarish manner when the tailback fumbled on Carolina's first offensive play. Safety Ifeanyi Ohalete knocked the ball out and recovered it to give Washington possession at the Carolina 25-yard line. The Redskins moved to the Panthers 2-yard line for a third-and-goal when Cartwright got the call. (On the two previous plays, tailback Trung Canidate rushed for a combined three yards.) Cartwright bulldozed to his left for one yard before being arm-tackled by two defenders. As Cartwright lunged forward, defensive tackle Brentson Buckner poked the ball out into the end zone, where defensive tackle Shane Burton pounced on it for a touchback.

Cartwright became Davis's protege last season. Like Cartwright, Davis was a fullback before eventually becoming Washington's third all-time leading rusher. The two grew so close that Cartwright spent last Christmas at Davis's home. On Sunday, Cartwright -- who had 81 yards on 13 carries last week -- felt as if he gave Carolina a present. But Bowen said, "Whether he [Davis] got in or not, we don't let him down there in the first place and we don't even have to talk about that play."

The Redskins let the Panthers into the red zone by allowing Carolina to convert a fourth-and-one play on the same drive. The Panthers had the ball on their 38-yard line with under three minutes left. Carolina went with a twist by calling a pass play as quarterback Jake Delhomme scanned the field from left to right. Delhomme looked off four receivers because of tight coverage. But as Washington's defensive line rushed Delhomme, he found his final option open near the right sideline: Davis snagged a pass as the crowd of 70,029 roared.

Davis's 25-yard completion -- and then his controversial score -- made Cartwright's fumble critical "That cost us the game," Cartwright said softly. "I'm at a loss for words right now."

© 2003 The Washington Post Company