Panthers rally to beat Browns
8/31/2002CLEVELAND - Nearly one year later, the Carolina Panthers finally won again.
Nick Goings had two short touchdown runs in the fourth quarter, and the Panthers rallied against Cleveland's reserves for a 20-19 win over the Browns on last night.
Goings' second TD - a one-yard plunge - with 35 seconds left gave the Panthers (1-3) their first win under first-year coach John Fox and first win since Sept. 9 last season when they beat the Minnesota Vikings in their regular-season opener.
The Panthers dropped their next 15 in a row, and for more than three quarters they looked pathetic against the Browns (2-2), whose starters dominated while they were in.
Carolina trailed 16-0 in the first half, and were down 19-6 in the fourth quarter before rookie quarterback Randy Fasani guided the Panthers on two scoring drives.
Fasani finished 8-of-17 for 124 yards.
Goings scored from a yard out with 8:49 left, and when Carolina got the ball back, Fasani took the Panthers 82 yards for the go-ahead score.
Phil Dawson kicked four field goals for the Browns.
Kelly Holcomb showed he could run Cleveland's offense for injured starter Tim Couch, and Anthony Henry, a surprise defensive star as a rookie last season, returned an interception for a touchdown for the Browns.
Dawson kicked field goals of 32, 25, 36 and 47 yards - the final one putting the Browns up 19-6 with 5:53 left in the third quarter.
With Couch sidelined with a bruised forearm, the Browns' starting offense tuned up for their Sept. 8 opener against Kansas City.
Holcomb guided the Browns' starting offense on two first-half scoring drives and was nearly perfect in his 15 plays. He completed 8 of 9 passes for 90 yards, with his one incompletion a ball that hit wide receiver Quincy Morgan's hands.
Holcomb went 35 of 47 for 437 yards and three TDs during the preseason.
PACKERS 21, TITANS 20
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Third-string quarterback Craig Nall solidified a roster spot by leading Green Bay on three second-half scoring drives. Starting QB Brett Favre played just two series. Nall completed 12 of 19 passes for 182 yards.
JETS 23, EAGLES 16
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - New York finished off a perfect preseason as Ataveus Cash made his first pro reception a touchdown catch and defensive tackle Geradie Mercer scored on an interception return.
SAINTS 25, COLTS 21
NEW ORLEANS - Jake Delhomme, the New Orleans' No. 2 quarterback, threw three touchdown passes.
Peyton Manning made a brief appearance in his home town. He drove the Colts 80 yards on 10 plays before tossing a 7-yard scoring pass to Marvin Harrison to put Indianapolis up 7-0 seven minutes into the final preseason game for both teams. On the drive Manning completed 5 of 7 passes for 63 yards.
LIONS/INJURIES: Detroit starting linebacker Clint Kriewaldt will miss two to four weeks after injuring his foot in the Lions' preseason game against Buffalo.
Linebacker Chris Claiborne left the game with a shoulder injury, but is expected to practice with the team tomorrow. Defensive end John Taylor also left the game with an ankle injury, and he may not be able to play in the season opener against Miami.
DOLPHINS/SEARCY: Miami guard Leon Searcy probably will be sidelined for a third consecutive season after tearing his right triceps during the preseason finale.
The 6-4, 310-pound lineman, who is in his 11th season in the league, injured his arm during warmups Thursday before Miami's 24-22 win over Chicago. Tests determined the injury.
CHIEFS-GONZALEZ: Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez ended his two-month holdout with an air of resignation and signed a one-year tender with the Kansas City. Gonzalez, who rejected an $8 million signing bonus and a long-term deal that would have approached $28 million, signed the one-year deal for $3.05 million.
DALBY KILLED: Dave Dalby, a center who helped the Oakland Raiders win three Super Bowl titles, was killed when the van he was driving hit a tree in Dana Point, Calif. He was 51.
Dalby played for the Raiders in Los Angeles and Oakland from 1972-85, during which they won NFL titles in 1977, '81 and '84. He was nominated to the NFL Hall of Fame last year, but wasn't elected.