NFL Recap (Carolina-Indianapolis)
Posted: Sun December 27, 1998 at 7:28 p.m. EST
CAROLINA 27, INDIANAPOLIS 19
INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- If this is Dom Capers' last game as coach of
the Carolina
Panthers, at least it was a memorable one.
Michael Bates
returned the opening second-half kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and Tim Biakabutuka rushed for
a career-high 109 yards as the Panthers defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 27-19,
in what was likely Capers' last game as Panthers coach.
Carolina (4-12) ended a turbulent season on and off the field with two
straight wins for the embattled Capers, who received a Gatorade shower
following the victory.
"My focus the last two weeks was to do the very best job I can," said
Capers. "My approach has been the same since my first day here. That is to
do my very best for this football team."
Published reports claim that Capers, whose team has endured a dramatic
fall just two seasons after appearing in the NFC Championship, will be
fired at the end of the season. Capers also was criticized for his handling
of the sideline fight between Pro Bowl linebacker Kevin Greene and assistant
coach Kevin Steele two weeks ago,.
"I can't even predict what will happen," said Greene, who had a sack
and two tackles in his return from a one-game suspension stemming from the
sideline incident. "I will say that Dom has been good for my career going
back to Pittsburgh. He's a class act."
Rocket Ismail caught seven passes for 109 yards -- setting a franchise
single-season record for receiving yards with 1,024 -- and Fred Lane replaced an
injured Biakabutuka in the fourth quarter for Carolina and rushed for 72
yards on just 12 carries. Biakabutuka left the game with a sprained left
knee.
Peyton Manning
completed 17-of-34 for 225 yards, one TD and three interceptions as the top
overall pick in this year's draft finished his rookie season with 3,739
passing yards, including a club record-tying four 300-yard games.
"Every week it has slowed down for me a little bit but every week I
learned something new," said Manning. "In the offseason I'll study this
game as well as every game and hopefully learn from my mistakes and be able
to build upon the things we did well this year and carry them into next
season."
Marshall Faulk had
all of Indianapolis' 72 rushing yards, but caught four passes for only 30
yards as he fell short in joining Roger Craig as the only players in NFL
history with 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in the same season. However,
his 86 catches on the season broke Reggie Langhorne's franchise record of
85 receptions set in 1993.
Indianapolis (3-13) ended the season tied for the worst record with
Cincinnati, with the 3-12 Philadelphia Eagles
playing later today as the three teams fight for the second pick in next
year's draft. The expansion Cleveland Browns own the first overall pick.
"I'm not disappointed with the team. I'm disappointed on our record
-- the fact that we lost 13 games and won only won three," said
Indianapolis coach Jim Mora. "Every coach and player on this team is also
disappointed. We do have hope, but we are a long way from where we need to
be."
The Panthers took a 20-19 lead in the third quarter when Biakabutuka
ran it in from five yards out. Biakabutuka carried seven times for 32
yards, including a 4-yard run on 4th-and-1, and Beuerlein completed a
46-yard pass to Ismail on that drive.
After Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 42-yard field goal -- his fourth of the
game -- late in the third quarter to pull the Colts within 20-19, Carolina
increased its lead when Beuerlein found Ismail in the back of the end zone
for a five-yard touchdown pass with 3:16 left in the game.
The Colts were thwarted on the ensuing drive when Manning was picked
off by cornerback Eric
Davis with 2:02 remaining. After a bad snap to punter Ken Walter gave
Indianapolis the ball at the Carolina 43 with 55 seconds left, Manning
threw his second straight interception to Lenny McGill with 46
seconds left.
"Today's game makes a statement about this football team," added
Capers. "When you go through the discipline and frustration of losing it
speaks volumes about the character of this team to come back and win this
game. If they've learned anything from this season, it is to commit
yourself to never having a season like this again."
Capers has compiled a 31-35 record in four seasons with Carolina, but
only 27-23 the last two years.
Trailing 16-6 at halftime, Carolina moved within three as Bates fought
off three tackles near the right sideline and broke left to return the
opening second-half kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. It was Bates' second
career kickoff return for a touchdown and the second longest in team
history.
The Panthers took a 3-0 lead on their first possession of the game
when John Kasay booted
a 44-yard field goal. The Colts tied the game later in the quarter when
Vanderjagt kicked a 22-yard field goal, set up by a 46-yard pass from
Manning to Torrance
Small.
After Carolina gained possession, linebacker Bertrand Berry stripped
Anthony Johnson of the
ball on third down and Monty Montgomery recovered on the Carolina 15. That
turnover set up a 28-yard field goal by Vanderjagt on the first play of the
second quarter.
Indianapolis extended its lead to 13-3 on its next possession when
Manning connected with leaping tight end Marcus Pollard on a
44-yard scoring pass, extending his own NFL rookie record with his 26th TD
pass of the season.
Carolina cut the lead to seven with only 26 seconds left in the first
half when Kasay kicked a a 27-yard field goal. But the Colts, on their own
40 with 25 seconds remaining, moved 30 yards in five plays to set up a
47-yard field goal by Vanderjagt with one second left.
Beuerlein completed 12-of-21 for 178 yards with one TD and one
interception.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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