Was at the Carolina Panthers game on Sunday and was one of the many who bolted for the exits in the fourth quarter.
I did manage to beat some of the traffic, but also missed Steve Smith's 74-yard touchdown in person.
Call it an even trade.
I think the biggest thing to take from this is that Houston completely outcoached Carolina's staff. From playcalling to schemes to in-game adjustments, John Fox and Co. were handled by Gary Kubiak. The Texans exploited the middle the field the entire game, taking advantage of sub par Carolina safeties (deemed a non "impact" position earlier in the year). And for some reason, the Panthers went away from Steve Smith in the second and third quarters.
Houston got pressure up front with its defensive line, and Julius Peppers was a non-factor. For some reason, Carolina stuck Dan Morgan on wide receiver Andre Johnson when he lined up in the slot, resulting in two big plays and a touchdown. I don't care how fast a linebacker is, he can't cover Andre Johnson.
The other thing to take is that Carolina again lost all the momentum of a big win. It seems like whenever the Panthers get momentum on their side, they lose it very quickly by losing games big or losing games they ought to win.
Fox will face considerable pressure if a team this talented continues this hot-and-cold routine the rest of the season.
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