Carolina Panthers get first win of the season
The Carolina Panthers got their first win of the season with a 23-20 home win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
How it happened
It was a meeting of two of the NFL's worst teams with only one win between them going into Sunday's game.
The teams played it close the entire game, each matching the other stride for stride.
It was a 37-yard field goal by John Kasay with just over a minute to go that got the win for the Panthers.
It was another shaky outing for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, who left the game early in the third quarter with an injury and was replaced by backup David Carr. Carr didn't fare much better
completing only five passes for 67 yards and one interception.
Matt Moore made the most of his opportunity in taking the starting quarterback job as he threw for over 300 yards including two touchdown passes – both to David Gettis who also had eight catches for 125
yards.
What they're saying
The 49ers, who finally got their first win of the season by beating the lowly Raiders two Sundays ago, stumbled once again against another weak opponent. No matter how bad things seem to get in the 49er
camp, head coach Mike Singletary remains confident that his team can turn it around.
"There's no doubt in my mind that somehow, someway, we will regroup and keep fighting," Singletary said. "We're going to make a season of it, and I still believe we can go to the playoffs. I still believe
we can get those things done."
Getting their first win of the season left the Carolina Panthers in a jubilant mood as quarterback Moore compared the feeling to that felt by baseball's San Francisco Giants who clinched a World Series
berth, "To get a taste of how it feels, you saw those guys celebrating for the baseball last night," he said "That is what it was like without all the bottles. It was awesome. Guys loved it."
What it all means
The win for the Panthers means they rise, ever so slightly, to 1-5 on the season, leaving the Buffalo Bills as the only team in the NFL yet to win a game. They travel to St. Louis to take on the Rams next
Sunday.
With the loss, the 49ers now find themselves in the position of needing to win just about every game if they hope to make the play-offs as they fall to 1-6 on the season. They host the 2-5 Denver Broncos
next Sunday.
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