CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After the Carolina Panthers returned from last year's NFC Championship Game loss to Green Bay, quarterback Kerry Collins told the hometown fans: "What you've witnessed is the beginning of a dynasty."
Well, you know Collins, he's always shooting his mouth off and regretting it later.
This summer he directed a racial slur at a teammate and received a black eye, a warmup to Monday night's 34-21 bashing at the hands of San Francisco after his dynasty proclamation had been repeated to the 49ers earlier in the week and posted all over their locker room.
"We had that comment from Collins on our overheard projector the night before the game and Coach [Steve] Mariucci made sure of making a point of it in his pre-game speech," said San Francisco linebacker Gary Plummer. "I think Carolina Coach Dom Capers might have to have somebody in the public relations office follow Collins around to keep him from making any more rookie mistakes and giving the other team bulletin board material.
"This was huge for us; the 49ers have been used to being the NFC West Division champions, and now we're determined to get it back."
The 49ers (4-1), winners of four in a row since being blindsided by Tampa Bay to start the season, avenged two defeats and a second-place NFC West finish to the Panthers a year ago and now have the chance to run off with a 7-1 record after taking on the likes of the Rams, Saints and Falcons the next three weeks.
Instead of dominating, as Collins promised, Carolina (2-3) solidified its reputation as an expansion team, a flash in the pan that had the Panther faithful chanting, "Beuerlein, Beuerlein," in the fourth quarter on their way to a third consecutive loss in Ericsson Stadium before 70,972 after a 9-0 run at home last season.
Collins, who had his mouth wired shut earlier this year after being hit by the opposition and breaking his jaw, left the game physically shaken in the early seconds of the fourth quarter. Although he recovered in time to return one play later, Capers kept him on the sideline as Steve Beuerlein took the Panthers in for their final two touchdowns.
Who knows if we will see Collins after an open date. A year ago, Collins' job description with the defensive-minded Panthers was not to lose the game, but in the past two games he has fumbled twice and has had seven passes intercepted.
