Kasay kicking so special as Panthers down Bucs
John Kasay drilled a 47-yard field goal with 3:28 left in overtime to lift the Panthers to a surprising 12-9 victory over the Bucs. Kasay kicked four field goals to account for all of Carolina’s scoring.
Trailing 9-3, the Buccaneers (1-1) thought they had the game won when Keenan McCardell made a leaping six-yard catch in the back of the end zone as time expired. However, with the sellout crowd on its feet prepared to celebrate a come-from-behind win, Jenkins penetrated the line and blocked Martin Gramatica's extra-point attempt, forcing overtime.
Then in overtime Smith set up the winning field goal with a 52-yard punt return to the Tampa Bay 40. Stephen Davis then ran right for 10 yards to the 30. After three more running plays netted six yards, Kasay prepared for a 42-yard kick. A false start penalty pushed the kick back five yards, but it had no effect on Kasay, who split the uprights with his third career overtime field goal.
Tampa Bay could not sustain an effective running game as Brad Johnson attempted 61 passes, completing 34 for 339 yards.
The defeat may not be such a bad omen. Last year the Bucs also lost their home opener but went on to capture the championship.
In Baltimore, Ravens running back Jamal Lewis' domination of Cleveland should have come as no surprise as Lewis made good on a promise to break the NFL single-game rushing record against the Browns. He shattered Corey Dillon's record with 295 yards, including a franchise-record 82-yard touchdown run, as the Ravens rolled to a 33-13 victory.
He torched the Browns' defence again, needing just 30 carries for the most prolific day in league history. The fourth-year running back beat the NFL's previous mark held by Dillon, who ran for 278 yards with the Cincinnati Bengals in October, 2000.
The St Louis Rams, with Marc Bulger in at quarterback for ailing Kurt Warner, posted a 27-24 overtime victory over San Francisco. Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens combined for San Francisco's tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but mistakes by receiver Cedrick Wilson and linebacker Jeff Ulbrich proved costly for the 49ers.
A 15-yard facemask penalty on Ulbrich and a 22-yard catch by Marshall Faulk set up a 28-yard field goal by former 49er Jeff Wilkins 1:56 into overtime as the Rams edged their NFC West rivals.
New England, led by a defence that harassed Donovan McNabb into four turnovers and a big game from Tom Brady, routed Philadelphia 31-10, while Miami and Green Bay posted their first wins of the new season, Miami in a 21-10 victory over AFC East rivals the New York Jets, their first win in New York since 1997, while the Packers posted their victory - 31-6 over Detroit - in the friendly confines of Lambeau Field.
In other games, Indianapolis downed AFC South rivals Tennessee 33-7, while Minnesota beat NFC North foes Chicago 24-13.
Kansas City rolled to a 41-20 victory over Pittsburgh, the Chiefs going 2-0 to start the season for the first time since 1996.
Buffalo also posted their second straight victory, 38-17 over Jacksonville. Washington edged Atlanta 33-31, New Orleans downed Houston 31-10, Oakland beat Cincinnati 23-20, and Denver routed San Diego 37-13.
Matt Hasselbeck threw a pair of long touchdown passes to Darrell Jackson and ran for another as Seattle whipped Arizona 38-0.
