THE San Francisco 49ers no longer reign supreme in the National Football Conference West, dethroned this season by the upstart Carolina Panthers, a team that did not even clinched the NFC West by holding off the Pittsburgh Steelers 18-14 in a dramatic finale.
(Although the 49ers could still tic for, (the division leadership, the Panthers win because they upset the 49ers, (not once but twice, during the regular season. It is only the third time in 14 years that the 49ers have failed to capture the NFC West.
"We wanted to be in the same division with San Francisco because they're the standard and you tend to play up to the competition," said Mike Mc Cormack, the Panthers president. "We wanted to replace the 49ers. We've at least bumped them."
There was similar elation among the Jacksonville Jaguars, the other, NFL newcomers. The Jaguars squeaked into the play offs with a 19-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons who would have won had Morten Andersen successfully kicked a 30 yard field goal with four seconds left, an attempt the veteran kicker normally makes with his eyes, closed. So both the expansion teams are in the play offs, while more experienced teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and the New Orleans Saints failed to make the cut.
The Panthers, playing at home in Charlotte, North Carolina, scored on their opening drive, a 58 yard effort that took 10 plays. The drive culminated in a six yard touchdown pass from Kerry Collins to Wesleyalls, the tight end. The lead extended to 9-0 when the Steelers' quarter attack Mike Tomezak, was called for a safety when he grounded the ball in the end zone.
The Steelers, last season's runner ups to the Dallas Cowboys and already assured of a play off spot, struck back in the second quarter, grabbing two touchdowns in less than three minutes. The first came from Howard Griffith's fumble on Carolina's seven yard line. Pittsburgh quickly cashed in as Tomezak threw a six yard pass to Andre Hastings.
Pittsburgh then replaced the erratic Tomezak with Kordell Stewart, a double threat in his ability to play receiver and quarterback and the move paid of immediately. On Pittsburgh's next series, Stewart set an NFL record as he squirrelled through a pack of Steelers to score an 80 yard TD, the longest scoring run by a quarterback in NFL history.
Those two scores gave Pittsburgh a 14-9 lead at half time. But the Panthers regained the lead as John Kasay kicked three field goals, bringing his tally for the season to 37 to set his own NFL record.
The Steelers were not yet done and mounted a furious onslaught in (the fourth quarter. They almost snatched victory in the last fours minutes, but the Panthers survived two close shaves. With 3:54 left, Ernie Mills dropped a fourth down pass in the end zone. Then with 29 seconds left Chad Cola an obscure" safety, made a diving interception at the back of the end zone, to ensure a memorable victory for the Panthers. It was a fitting end to the season for Carolina, who have depended heavily on their stingy defence.
"Everybody on the defence wouldn't have wanted it any other way," said Kevin Greene, a Panther linebacker.
With the regular season over, the teams that have made the play offs, which start on Saturday, are New England, Buffalo, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville and Denver from the American Football Conference. From the NFC, it will be Dallas, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Minnesota, Carolina and San Francisco. The favourites to meet in New Orleans arc Denver and Green Bay.
