The Carolina Panthers are getting pretty good at this comeback thing. For the second straight week, the Panthers rallied for a win, this time mounting a fourth quarter comeback to beat the Chicago Bears 20-17.
• The Panthers started the season 2-0 for the first time since 2003 but won those two games by a combined five points.
• The Bears gained 151 yards on their first two drives with eight first downs, scoring once and fumbling once. They then gained 105 yards on their final 11 drives of the game, with just four first downs.
• Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart scored his first two NFL touchdowns, both in the second half. He finished with 77 yards on 14 carries, good for 5.5 yards per carry.
Greg Olsen fumbled twice, the second one leading to a Panthers’ touchdown to cut the Bears’ lead to 17-13. While rookie Matt Forte (92 yards rushing) was once again effective on the ground, Chicago QB Kyle Orton missed open receivers all second half. A couple throws could have led to big gains, if not touchdowns.
What a difference Jake Delhomme makes for the Panthers’ offense. There’s nothing that stands out about this Carolina team, but the way they’ve won the past two weeks have been impressive. In their two wins, the Panthers didn’t panic and made big plays in crunch time. They’re schedule over the next three weeks is very favorable (at Vikings, vs. Falcons, vs. Chiefs), so the Panthers might continue to roll.
