Jets Make Panthers’ First Victory an Easy One

Leave it to the New York Jets to take all the mystery and suspense out of the Carolina Panthers’ quest for their first victory.

The expansion Panthers came tantalizingly close to winning three times earlier this season, only to lose in the final seconds. On Sunday against the Jets, however, there was no nail-biting in the fourth quarter.

With rookie quarterback Kerry Collins playing easily his worst game yet, the Panthers used a strong showing on defense, took the lead to stay in the first half and went on to a 26-15 victory that added to the Jets’ woes.

“Now that we’ve got this first one out of the way, hey, let’s get used to it,” said safety Brett Maxie, who had one of Carolina’s three interceptions of Bubby Brister.

Collins, after looking sharp in his first two starts, was picked off twice by the Jets, including one by Mo Lewis, who returned it 15 yards for a touchdown. Collins, the Panthers’ top draft pick, also had numerous other passes tipped and was sacked for a safety.

But Carolina (1-5) turned a pair of Jet miscues into 10 points and held the Jets to four first downs in the second half.

Afterward, the players dumped Gatorade on Coach Dom Capers and Panthers fans chanted “Super Bowl! Super Bowl!” on their way out of Clemson’s Memorial Stadium.

The Jets (1-6) have scored only three touchdowns in losing their last four games.

“I wish I could tell you what’s wrong with the offense,” Coach Rich Kotite said. “We seem to get worse every week.”

Carolina hadn’t held any team to less than 300 total yards this season; the Jets got 138. And the Jets, who remain the only team in the NFL to not score a rushing touchdown, were held to 25 yards on the ground.

Brister, who got the start because Boomer Esiason suffered a concussion in last week’s loss to Buffalo, completed 17 of 41 passes for 143 yards.

The game featured the peculiarities that might be expected in a matchup between teams with a combined record of 1-10 entering the day. The Jets’ strangest sequence was a drive of minus-6 yards that produced a field goal. The Panthers outdid that when Sam Mills intercepted an innocent-looking shovel pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown.

Even the officials got into the act, reversing a penalty call due to their own mistake. After Carolina’s John Kasay missed a 39-yard field goal late in the first half, the officials picked up a flag thrown for the Panthers letting the play clock expire, giving Kasay another chance.

“We were setting the ball,” referee Mike Carey said over the public address system, “and it took more time than it should have.”

Kasay made the kick the second time.

Brister made the blunder that put Carolina in front to stay. With less than a minute left in the first half and the Jets at their 40, Brister flipped a shovel pass to Adrian Murrell. But Mills stepped in front of Murrell, intercepted the pass and went untouched for the score that made it 13-12.