Embattled Beuerlein Prevails

Steve Beuerlein has felt personally responsible for several Carolina losses this season. On Monday night, he was a major reason the Panthers won.

Beuerlein overcame two turnovers to pass for 243 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Panthers to a 31-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers needed a win to improve already slim playoff hopes but they looked flat from the start. Their most energetic moment might have been when Ahman Green tackled a fan who ran onto the field in the fourth quarter.

Beuerlein, who only had 13 turnovers last season, came into the game with 19 this season. He also had been sacked a league-high 45 times.

The poor numbers caused the 14-year veteran to take responsibility for several setbacks, especially a 20-10 loss to New Orleans this month, when he gave up the ball five times.

“We’ve had a lot of problems on offense. A few too many turnovers is just one them,” Beuerlein said. “You go through periods in your career, periods through a season, when things don’t happen for you and you just don’t know why.

“But the bottom line is we got a win and I made up for some of that.”

Against the Packers, it looked like Beuerlein’s turnovers would again hurt Carolina (5-7). He threw two first-quarter touchdown passes to put Carolina up 14-0, but negated those with a fumble and interception in the second quarter that led to Green Bay touchdowns.

“There is no question that our team was excited about the ball game and we got off to a great start,” Carolina Coach George Seifert said.

But as Beuerlein dropped back to pass early in the second quarter, LeRoy Butler pushed the ball out of his hands directly into Nate Wayne’s open arms. Green Bay scored 44 seconds later, when Green ran 26 yards untouched into the end zone to make it 14-7.

Beuerlein later wasted fantastic field position when he was intercepted at the 10-yard line by Tyrone Williams.

The Panthers got the ball when Ken Walters’ punt dropped between Allen Rossum and Mike McKenzie, and the ball then bounced up and hit McKenzie. Carolina’s Karl Hankton pounced on it and the Panthers had the ball at the 20.

Beuerlein finished 22 of 37 with two turnovers and two more sacks.

Beuerlein had a three-yard touchdown pass to Chris Hetherington. He later threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Muhsin Muhammad and hit Muhammad again in the third quarter on a three-yard scoring strike.

Muhammad finished with 131 yards on 11 catches.

Hoover, an undrafted rookie from Western Carolina filling in for the injured Tshimanga Biakabutuka, had 117 yards in 24 carries and one touchdown.

Green Bay (5-7) must win out--against Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota and Tampa Bay--to have a chance to make the playoffs.

Brett Favre passed for 267 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted three times.

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Return to Bad Habits

Mike Holmgren is credited with Brett Favre’s transition at Green Bay from talented and undisciplined (1992-93) to a Pro Bowl quarterback (1994-98). With Holmgren coaching in Seattle, Favre has returned to his bad habits, including a three-interception game Monday night at Carolina. Favre’s numbers:

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Seasons TD Passes Int. With Holmgren 1992-93 37 37 With Holmgren 1994-98 176 79 Without Holmgren 1999-00 37 36

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--Research by ROY JURGENS