Carney’s kick provides ‘a tiny bit of hope’

THE NEW ORLEANS Saints did a little to lift the spirits of the people of Louisiana.

In an emotional start to the NFL season for the Saints, kicker John Carney nailed a game-winning field goal with three seconds left to lift them to a 23-20 win at the Carolina Panthers.

Without a home after Hurricane Katrina roared through New Orleans, the Saints battled to an emotional victory as they prepare to spend a season on the road.

The Saints will play their home opener against the New York Giants next weekend in New Jersey, then are expected to play most of their remaining home games at the Alamodome in San Antonio or Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

“In the back of our minds, we know we have to give them one tiny bit of hope,” said quarterback Aaron Brooks. “We’ve complete faith in what we are doing because every time we go out there, it’s our job to give them hope that every day will be a better day.”

Brooks completed 18 of 24 passes for 192 yards while Deuce McAllister rushed for 64 yards and two touchdowns. But it was Carney who provided the heroics, booting the winning field goal after John Kasay’s 46-yard kick with 64 seconds remaining had tied the game for Carolina.

It was an emotional day in New York too. Exactly four years on from the terrorist attacks that rocked the city, the Giants hosted the Arizona Cardinals at Giants stadium with the Giants coming out comfortable winners, 42-19.

Drew Bledsoe made a successful start to life in Dallas as he guided the Cowboys to their first season-opening victory in six years, a 28-24 triumph over the San Diego Chargers.

Two coaches celebrated victories as they made their NFL debuts. The Miami Dolphins gave Nick Saban a 34-10 win over the Denver Broncos, while Mike Nolan saw his San Francisco 49ers edge past the St Louis Rams 28-25.

But another new coach, Romeo Crennel watched his Cleveland Browns slip to a 27-13 defeat at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Byron Leftwich threw two touchdown passes to veteran Jimmy Smith as the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the mistake-prone Seattle Seahawks 26-14.

The Indianapolis Colts kicked off with a 24-7 win over the Baltimore Ravens, while the Pittsburgh Steelers steam-rolled the Tennessee Titans 34-7.

Elsewhere, the Kansas City Chiefs beat the New York Jets 27-7, the Buffalo Bills defeated the Houston Texans 22-7, the Washington Redskins beat the Chicago Bears 9-7, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Minnesota Vikings 24-13 and the Detroit Lions saw off the Green Bay Packers 17-3.