Eagles Blowout Panthers, 38-10

NFL News - September 13th, 2009 - Written by John

For many NFL analysts, the NFC South was a three-team race.

Maybe they got the three teams wrong. In a day where Tampa Bay was surprisingly competitive despite being picked last in the division, the Carolina Panthers laid an egg. The Philadelphia Eagles were only two point favorites, yet scored in almost everyway possible and ran away with a 38-10 opening day win.

The Panthers scored the first points of the game on an 11-yard touchdown run by DeAngelo Williams, but never led again. The Panthers turned the ball over seven times and created a buzz around the league about how the team will pick themselves up in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL.

Meanwhile, the Eagles deserves credit for making the Panthers pay for their mistakes. Victor Abiamiri scooped up Jake Delhomme's fumble inside the five-yard line and leaped into the end zone on the first play of the third quarter to make it 10-7. DeSean Jackson then added a special teams touchdown to the list when he zig-zagged his return 85 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-7.

That lead grew when Brent Celek hauled in a nine-yard pass in the end zone from Donovan McNabb before Brain Westbrook picked up a touchdown reception of his own six minutes later.

McNabb had to leave the game with a sore back after colliding with three Panther defenders in the end zone on a touchdown run. Backup Kevin Kolb looked serviceable in his wake, going 7-for-11 for 23 yards.

Meanwhile, the Panthers are going to have a quarterback controversy this week after Delhomme threw four picks and had the fumble that led to the first Eagle touchdown. The Panthers only converted one of their three red zone opportunities.

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