4:30 a.m. (Friday): I'm up! I'm up!
After all of a 90-minute sleep, uh nap, I'm back at the Pittsburgh airport looking to catch a 6:10 a.m. Air Tran flight to Charlotte, via Atlanta. I'll let you know as soon as I hear something on Matt Moore's condition. In the meantime, if you want to talk Panthers I'll be on a guest on the Pacman Show on WFNZ-AM (that's 610 on your AM dial) from 3-7 p.m., providing I don't fall asleep first.
Check back later in the day for an update on Moore.
11:59 p.m. Right now the Panthers are saying Matt Moore has a "deep shin bruise," but I've been told he'll have more tests on Friday in Charlotte and the team is at least a little worried it could be worse than the original conservative diagnosis.
Carolina fans will have to hold their breath on this one -- possibly for a few days.
I suspect that if Moore's injury is worse than just a bruise the team won't announce it until after the NFL's final cuts on Saturday when they have a chance to scan the waiver wire and sign a free agent replacement, someone who was cut by another team. There will be other teams in the running to sign some of the released quarterbacks, so from their perspective, the less information made public to other NFL teams, the better.
For now, I'm sure we'll get the "day-to-day" update on Moore.
"I know I fell awkwardly and didn't feel anything until I got to the ground and I knew something was wrong," Moore said after the game while leaning on a crutch. "Hopefully it's not a big deal and it's a bruise like they say. We'll figure that out tomorrow."
Moore was asked if the injury was away from the knee area.
"I guess they are going to look at everything tomorrow, but right now it's just my upper ankle," Moore said. "They are saying it's just a deep bruise right now... It started throbbing pretty good when I got (to the locker room). But I've been able to put a little weight on it."
9:24 p.m. Carolina Panthers backup quarterback Matt Moore left Saturday night’s game late in the third quarter with a left leg injury and did not return. Moore was attempting to throw downfield when he was hit by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Antony Smith somewhere between his knee and his hip.
We'll keep you updated on his status, but right now the report is a "leg injury" and that he will not return to the game.
If the injury is serious, it leaves the Panthers perilously thin at quarterback with Jake Delhomme and Brett Basanez the only other signal callers on the roster. If Moore’s injury is anything serious, look for the Panthers to scan the waiver wire this week for a possible replacement.
One notable name still available is veteran Duante Culpepper, who said in an interview with Yahoo.com that he's "perplexed" why no teams have offered him a contract.
Moore won over Carolina fans last year by leading the Panthers to wins in two of their final three games.
However, Moore has struggled throughout this preseason.
He led 28 drives, none of those resulting in touchdowns. Of those, 17 ended in punts or turnovers on downs, seven in field goals and four in turnovers.
Moore finished the preseason completing 35 of 65 passes for 389 yards with three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
7:11 p.m. John Fox is taking no chances of getting any of his starters hurt. In fact, he isn't even playing the first-team offense or the first-team defense -- at all. Not a quarter. Not a series. They won't see any action. The second-team will start for Carolina.
It's the first time in Panthers history that any coach has rested all of his starters for the final preseason game.
6:30 p.m. In keeping up with my training for the Thunder Road Marathon in December, I went for a run Thursday afternoon along the Alleghany River. Great place to run and the weather here (60 degrees) is perfect.
There were hundreds of Pittsburgh fans already out tailgaiting. One thing I noticed is that while Ben Roethlisberger's is a pretty popular guy up here, it seems there are almost twice as many fans dressed in No. 43 Troy Polamalu jerseys. I guess that is fitting given that Polamalu's style seems to fit the mystique of the Steel City.
Another thing I didn't realize is that Pittsburgh was the site of the first ever World Series back in 1903. Boston defeated Pittsburgh in the best-of-nine series 5-3. I'm a baseball fan but for some reason I didn't know that until I read the landmark near the stadium here.
One thing that is kind of neat here is that fans drive up their boats along the sides of the river, throw a rope and tailgate. Then, when the game is about to begin they throw tarps over their boats and head into the stadium.
--OK, some notes on the game: As expected, D.J. Hackett and Ryne Robinson did not make the trip to Pittsburgh. According to the pre-game notes distributed to the media, Ricardo Colclough will serve as Carolina's primary punt and kick returner tonight. However, I'm wondering if we will see rookie Jonathan Stewart on kickoff returns (coach John Fox has been threatening to do that) and Samie Parker on punt returns.
--Panthers GM Marty Hurney said the team must turn in its cuts to the NFL by 6 p.m. Saturday. I wouldn't look for a list of names to be released until closer to 8 p.m.
6 p.m. Just talked to Phil Youtsey, the team's Director of Ticket Sales, and he said tickets still remain for four home games. There are about 1,500 tickets left for Chicago (Sept. 14) and Atlanta (Sept. 28) and about 2,500 tickets remaining for Arizona (Oct. 26) and Detroit (Nov. 16). The other four games against Kansas City, New Orleans, Tampa Bay and Denver are sold out.
3:40 p.m. The Carolina Panthers history of swings-and-misses on third round draft picks has been well documented.
Well, the legacy could grow on Saturday if the Panthers release offensive lineman Evan Mathis and linebacker James Anderson, two former third rounders. Neither player seems to fit into Carolina's plans. Anderson has a chance to make the roster, but Mathis probably doesn't.
Mathis, who started 15 games in 2006, has been working with the third team throughout training camp and it would be a shock if the Panthers keep him around. Anderson has been backing up at outside linebacker, but with the Panthers adding Dan Connor and Landon Johnson this past off-season he could lose his roster spot if the Panthers decide to go with Donte Curry and/or Tim Shaw, two regular contributors on special teams.
If the Panthers cut Mathis (2005) and Anderson (2006), they would join a list of failed third-round picks that includes offensive tackle Rashard Butler (2006), defensive tackle Atiyyah Ellison (2005), tight end Mike Seidman (2003), defensive linemen Mitch Marrow and Chuck Wiley (1998), linebacker Kinnon Tatem (1997), running back Winslow Oliver and defensive lineman J.C. Price (1996). It would also mean all FOUR third-round picks from 2005 and 2006 combined would be gone.
To be fair, the Panthers have also hit on some very good third-round picks through the years, including Travelle Wharton (2004), Ricky Manning Jr. (2003), Will Witherspoon (2002), Steve Smith (2001) and Leander Jordan (2000), although Manning, Witherspoon and Jordan have moved on.
Also, the Panthers seem to have reversed the trend of wasted third round picks in recent years with defensive end Charles Johnson (2007) and safety Charles Godfrey (2008) looking like they have a chance to become solid contributors on defense. Godfrey will start at free safety this year as a rookie, while Johnson will see action as a pass rusher in nickel situations.