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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The Carolina Panthers didn't intend to run
up the score against San Francisco. The 49ers let them.
|  | | Steve Beuerlein came out blazing, leading the Panthers to a touchdown on their first possession of the game. |
"They really didn't do anything to stop us," quarterback Steve
Beuerlein said. "They're a better team than that."
Beuerlein threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns as the
Panthers beat the 49ers 38-22 on Sunday. All of the 49ers' points
came in the second half.
Former 49ers running back William Floyd opened the game with a
1-yard touchdown run and Tshimanga Biakabutuka ran for another as
the Panthers' offense rebounded from a sloppy season-opening loss
to Washington.
A halftime celebration honored former San Francisco greats Joe
Montana, Ronnie Lott and Dave Wilcox, but the 49ers on the field
bore no resemblance to their storied predecessors.
All of San Francisco's touchdowns came in the second half. Terry
Jackson ran from 1-yard out to open the second half, and J.J.
Stokes caught a 17-yard scoring pass from Rick Mirer midway through
the final quarter. Inside the two-minute warning, fullback Fred
Beasley had a 2-yard TD run.
"Momentum was on their side until the second half," 49ers
coach Steve Mariucci said. "Penalties, blown assignments, you name
it, everything seemed to go their way. We couldn't get Carolina off
the field before halftime."
The 49ers, who lost last weekend in Atlanta, had won their past
seven home openers.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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The fans in San Francisco are going to have to be patient with a very young defensive football team. Any time you're relying on inexperienced players on defense -- and particularly rookies -- it's going to cause some problems.
Carolina jumped off to a big lead. Panthers QB Steve Beuerlein was successful last year against the 49ers, and he picked up in this game right where he left off last season. Carolina also managed to get running back Tim Biakabutuka in gear and got an impressive performance from receiver Donald Hayes.
The 49ers got way behind and don't really have a quick-strike offense, so basically it was too difficult for them to catch up after being behind 28-0 at the half.
San Francisco did generate some offense in the second half and scored 15 points late in the fourth quarter to make the score respectable. But the probems on defense may plague the 49ers in the early part of the season.
This is an impressive road win for Carolina. George Seifert continues to show he's one of the top coaches in the NFL.
For the 49ers, the key is probably patience.
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With former 49ers coach George Seifert now in charge at
Carolina, the Panthers took full advantage of their familiarity
with San Francisco.
On the opening series, Beuerlein hit on his first three passes --
including a 21-yard pass to a wide open Wesley Walls -- to take the
Panthers down to San Francisco's 1. Floyd ran over safety Pierson
Prioleau for the touchdown, putting Carolina up 7-0.
Beuerlein was equally effective on his next series, capping it
with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Donald Hayes.
"We really hadn't had any chance to get any continuity or
rhythm," Beuerlein said of the season so far. "It was nice to go
out there and explode a little bit."
The 49ers bumbled their way through the first half on both sides
of the ball. But the offense was completely stopped by the
Panthers' new-look defense featuring offseason acquisitions Reggie
White, Eric Swann and another former 49ers player, Lee Woodall.
The new group, which looked disorganized last weekend against
the Redskins, had a sack and forced a fumble. But its strength was
keeping San Francisco out of the end zone.
"When you get 28 points in the first half and you don't punt,
that eases the pressure on the defense immensely," White said.
The 49ers, meanwhile, didn't help themselves.
Late in the first quarter, Terrell Owens caught a short pass
from Jeff Garcia and ran 53 yards down the sideline. Caught by
several Carolina defenders, Owens fumbled on 1, and it tumbled
through the end zone and out of bounds for a touchback.
Julian Peterson, San Francisco's top draft pick, intercepted
Beuerlein's pass in the second quarter, but the 49ers' offense
wasn't able to move the ball.
The Panthers took just five plays to move 72 yards on the next
series, and Beuerlein hit Mushin Muhammad with a 3-yard touchdown
pass despite two 49ers in front of him in the end zone.
Before the half, Beuerlein hit Muhammad with a 36-yard pass that
he fumbled before it fell out of bounds at the 2. Biakabutuka later
ran it in for the touchdown.
Beuerlein connected with Walls on a 9-yard touchdown pass, and
Richie Cunningham added a 24-yard field goal for the Panthers in
the third quarter.
Garcia, who was replaced by Mirer in the fourth, finished
12-of-20 for 181 yards and an interception. Mariucci, who has
always solidly backed Garcia as the team's starter, was not as
definite after Sunday's game.
"We'll be talking about the quarterback situation as we go,"
he said. "Today we had to go to the bullpen and we were able to
score a few points."
Beuerlein was 24-of-32 and was intercepted once.
Seifert coached the 49ers to two Super Bowl championships and
six NFC West titles, with stars such as Montana, Lott, Steve Young
and Jerry Rice.
Game notes
Carolina defensive tackle Sean Gilbert injured his groin in
the second quarter. ... Jerry Rice had caught a pass in 211
consecutive games, an NFL record. Rice reported lower back pain
after the game. He had three catches for 22 yards against Carolina.
... The Panthers have won three straight against the 49ers. Seifert
has been the Panthers' coach for all of those victories. ... The
49ers have had 168 consecutive sellouts, a streak that dates back
to Oct. 11, 1981. ... The 49ers have allowed 74 points in the past
two games, most in the NFL.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Carolina Clubhouse
San Francisco Clubhouse
Week 2 wrap-ups
Week 2 infirmary report
TJ's Take on Week 2
Week 2 stats leaders
Prime Time Players
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