Panthers' Secondary Makes the Jets Pay
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - About that Carolina Panthers 'weakest link.'
Remember those words? It was just on Thursday that Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes used them to criticize the Panthers' secondary in advance of their meeting Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
'We do know not to call these guys out,' Holmes told reporters as he went ahead and called them out, anyway, 'but their secondary is probably their weakest link on their defense.'
The Panthers took it to heart. And then they took it to the Jets in a 30-20 victory that moved Carolina (10-4) one step closer to a playoff berth for the first time since 2008. It also virtually assured the Jets (6-8) will not be in the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn had two sacks and made the play that sealed the victory: an interception of Jets quarterback Geno Smith that Munnerlyn returned 41 yards for a touchdown to give Carolina a 30-13 lead with 8 minutes 17 seconds to play.
And guess who Munnerlyn stepped in front of on the play? Holmes, of course. When Munnerlyn got to the end zone, he mimicked a Holmes touchdown celebration by holding his arms out like wings and pretending to fly. Munnerlyn then crashed to the ground.
Just like the Jets.
Munnerlyn, who received a penalty for excessive celebration, had been defending Holmes for much of the game.
'There was a lot of talking out there,' Munnerlyn said. 'I wanted to get in his head and be real physical with him. I took that kind of personal that we was the weakest link on defense, and we just went out there and executed. He had two catches in the game. I don't think he had that many yards at all. I think we did a great job on their receivers.
'He felt like they can come out here and pick on our secondary. I think he got shot down today.'
The comments by Holmes provided the subtext for a battle among the Panthers' secondary and Jets receivers throughout the day. It was not just hitting. There was plenty of talk, too.
'They made a point to let us know the first drive, the first series of the game, they were not appreciative of the comments,' Jets wide receiver David Nelson said. 'The first series, it was like they were just gunning for us. It seemed like every time the ball, even if the ball wasn't in one of our hands, if Geno was scrambling, it seemed like they were targeting - not targeting, I don't want to say that word - they were coming to be physical with us. They tried to set the tone from that first series and I think one of the players said to me, 'You guys messed up' or 'Ten messed up,' or something like that.
'It died down as the game went on. But at the same time, you could definitely tell that those comments didn't go over too well with them.'
And Smith paid the price. He was 15 of 28 for 167 yards with a touchdown pass to tight end Jeff Cumberland late in the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach.
Still, the Jets managed to keep it close for much of the game, closing to 16-13 on a 1-yard touchdown run by the rookie defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson with 3:04 left in the third. But a blocked punt led to a Panthers touchdown early in the fourth, and the Jets never recovered. When Smith tried to find Holmes down the middle on the next drive, he found Munnerlyn instead.
As for Holmes, he did not have a catch until the fourth quarter and finished with two receptions for 14 yards as well as a few drops along the way.
But Holmes was unapologetic in defeat, doubling down on his pregame comments against a secondary that came into the game ranked fifth in the league in fewest yards allowed a game.
'I'm an eight-year veteran,' Holmes said. 'I don't regret anything.'
Nor did Holmes seem to believe his comments had any effect on the game.
'You get out there and you play the game on the football field,' he said. 'You don't play the game through the media and through words that are being exchanged in front of cameras.'
That makes one wonder why he played that game to begin with. But he stood by his words even after the game.
'It's football, man,' Holmes said. 'Those guys wanted to back up being the weakest secondary in the league. I said it and I still feel that way.'
Weakest in the league? Really?
No, Holmes said, clarifying that he had meant what he said earlier.
Either way, the damage was done.
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