Peppers, Beason avoid media after game

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Written by Steve Reed

Sunday, October 11, 2009 6:56 pm

Panthers DE Julius Peppers converges on Redskins RB Clinton Portis for a safety. (Photo by John Clark)

   CHARLOTTE -- Only a few days after being called out on local radio by teammate Jon Beason, Julius Peppers responded with a game that won’t leave him ridiculed this week on sports radio.
   Peppers had four tackles, two sacks, three pressures and played a big role in Clinton Portis being tackled for a safety in the end zone.
   “If Julius isn’t there, then (Portis) is out of the end zone and that play wouldn’t exist,” said Thomas Davis.
   Earlier in the week, Beason told Charlotte sports fans on WFNZ-AM that he planned to talk with Peppers about how bringing more intensity would help out the Panthers.

   After the game, both Beason and Peppers had cleared out of the locker room before the media were allowed to enter.
   Davis said after the game Beason actually spoke with several members of the defense, not just Peppers, about stepping up their play.
   “He talked to me and some of the other guys,” Davis said. “Not a lot of people know that. It was something that defensively we felt like we needed to pick up our game. We were giving up way too many rushing yards. We were last in the league and we knew we were capable of being better than that.
   “We have been playing well in spurts but we needed to step up and do more. We hadn’t done enough to get a win and he wanted to talk to guys about it. A lot was made of it because he said it on the radio and people were blowing it out of proportion. But there was really nothing to it.”
   Regardless, Peppers’ presence was felt Sunday.
   “He was lively out there,” Davis said. “He was running around, making plays. But what he was also doing for us was keeping guys up. Whenever something bad would happen on offense, special teams, or even defense, he stepped in as a leader. He kept our heads straight. We just had to get out there and fight.”

   MOORE THAN ENOUGH: One of the unsung heroes of Sunday’s game was Kenny Moore, who got Carolina going with a 55-yard kickoff return when they were down 17-2.
   Jonathan Stewart started the game as the kickoff returner, but gave way to Moore after two shaky returns, one of which he fumbled.
   “I just wanted to come out and do something big because we looked flat,” Moore said. “The whole emotion of the game changed after that. That was big. We drove it in and scored on that drive and the defense came out big and everyone was ready to play after that.”
   Moore also assumed punt return duties after Captain Munnerlyn injured his shoulder.
   Added DeAngelo Williams: “Our fans were kind of out of it. We were still on the sidelines focused and ready to play but after seeing his energy and determination I think it sparked us and we rode that wave all the way to victory.”

THAT WAS DUMB: Coach John Fox poked fun at himself for going for it on fourth-and-goal from the Redskins 1-yard line in the second quarter instead of kicking a field goal. The Panthers failed to score as Brad Hoover fumbled at the goal line.
“The dumb head coach for the Panthers went for it on forth down and didn’t get it,” Fox said. “So, that was important to get field position. Unfortunately we were unable to take advantage of it on the kick off after the safety. We were three and out. We didn’t really get the field position we would have liked but anytime you score points, it’s important.”

I'M GONNA BE FIRED?: In his press conference after the game, Fox denied a report on the Fox Sports website which said he'd told friends that he expected to be fired at the end of the season.
"I think if I was talking to my friends, I'd probably tell them if I was expecting a new five-year contract, but I don't think I'd be telling them I'm getting fired at the end of the season," said Fox, whose $5 million-a-year contract runs through the 2010 season. "I really don't even know how to respond to that. It doesn't make much sense even if it did come out."

BROWN GETS SACK: Rookie Everette Brown was back from a high ankle sprain which has limited him early in the season and recorded his first NFL sack on Jason Campbell.
“That’s my game,” Brown said. “I’m all about speed and stretching my talent up the field. I did a good job of countering the momentum today. One of the things the Redskins did was they wanted to hold the ball in the pocket and go through a series of routes before they threw the ball. That just gave us time to get there.”

   PINK SIGHTS: Bank of America Stadium was awash in pink as players wore cleats, wristbands and athletic tape to support Breast Cancer Awareness. Several areas of the field were also decorated in pink.
   “Of course it’s dear to me,” said DeAngelo Williams, who helped get the pink cleats idea off the ground. “And seeing all those guys out there in pink, especially some of the bigger guys, touched me. People were asking where asking were I got the pink shoes, the pink gloves, the pink hats, so it was interesting to see how many people got behind it. Breast cancer is dear to a lot of football players. Every football player I have come into contact with has known someone who has had it or at the least a family that has been effected by it. So I think that pink has a place in the NFL.”

   DELHOMME TEASED: Jake Delhomme said several of his own teammates on the field didn’t even know he was going to run the bootleg so as to help sell the play.
   “The only people who knew were Brad Hoover, Jonathan Stewart and I told Gary Barnidge, the backside tight end just so he knows not to take off running and to keep his guy inside,” he said. “For Hoover and Jonathan to know that play can go front side or cut back, but to keep it off the front side so there’s not any flow coming the other way.”
   Davis, who watched from the sidelines, admitted he was fooled.
   “I’m going to be honest with you, my eyes were on J-Stew (Jonathan Stewart) because I knew we weren’t running a bootleg with Jake,” joked Davis.
   Said Williams: “I was laughing at him first of all. I don’t know what kind of stiff arm that was. It was effective, though. It was effective for the first down. It was pure intensity, determination and know how. He got the job done.”

NOTES: After one of Carolina’s sacks, DT Damione Lewis did a forward roll before celebrating… Muhsin Muhammad went over 11,000 yards receiving for his career.