The 49ers (0-1) host the Carolina Panthers (1-0) in the home opener at 3Com Park, a 1:00 PT kickoff against a Panthers offense that put 364 passing yards on Washington in Week 1.
Steve Beuerlein returns for his fourth season as Carolina's starter and his second under George Seifert, the former 49ers head coach now in year two of his Carolina tenure. Muhsin Muhammad and Donald Hayes are the perimeter targets; Tim Biakabutuka is the back.[1][2]
George Seifert returns to Candlestick Point for the second time since he left, and the first time in the visitor's locker room at 3Com with his own quarterback. The Seifert teams the 49ers used to be are not these teams. The Panthers are 1-0 because Steve Beuerlein played the kind of opener that he plays once a month against everyone in the league.
Week 2 has the NFC's two preseason wild-card candidates meeting at 3Com: Carolina, picked third behind the Rams and Saints in the NFC West, and the 49ers, picked fifth. Around the league the Vikings opened 1-0 with Daunte Culpepper throwing two touchdowns; the Bucs handled the Patriots; the Titans played a Sunday-night statement game against the Bills.
Through one game the 49ers sit at 0-1 with a minus 8 point differential. Garcia threw for 253 in the opener; his career start when held below 270 in Week 1 is 4-13 across his Calgary and 49ers seasons. Carolina opened with Beuerlein throwing for 364 and three touchdowns at Washington. Muhammad opened with 8 catches for 108, Hayes with 6 for 115. The 49ers' defensive secondary allowed Atlanta 264 in the air on opening Sunday.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 1-0 | W1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 1-0 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-0 | -- |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-1 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 1-0 | W1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 1-0 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 1-0 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 1-0 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland Raiders | 1-0 | W1 |
| Denver Broncos | 0-1 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-1 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-0 | W1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 1-0 | W1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 0-1 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-1 | L1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 1-0 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-0 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 0-1 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 1-0 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1-0 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 1-0 | W1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 0-1 | -- |
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-1 | L1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Panthers | William Floyd 1 yard rush ( Richie Cunningham kick) | 7-0 |
| Panthers | Donald Hayes 24 yard pass from Steve Beuerlein ( Richie Cunningham kick) | 14-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Panthers | Muhsin Muhammad 3 yard pass from Steve Beuerlein ( Richie Cunningham kick) | 21-0 |
| Panthers | Tim Biakabutuka 1 yard rush ( Richie Cunningham kick) | 28-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Terry Jackson 1 yard rush ( Wade Richey kick) | 28-7 |
| Panthers | Wesley Walls 9 yard pass from Steve Beuerlein ( Richie Cunningham kick) | 35-7 |
| Panthers | Richie Cunningham 24 yard field goal | 38-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | J.J. Stokes 17 yard pass from Rick Mirer ( Wade Richey kick) | 38-14 |
| 49ers | Fred Beasley 2 yard rush ( Terrell Owens pass from Rick Mirer ) | 38-22 |
Steve Beuerlein threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns again, Muhsin Muhammad caught 8 for 108 with a score, and the Carolina Panthers beat the 49ers 38-22 at 3Com Park to drop San Francisco to 0-2. Carolina led 28-0 at halftime. Mariucci pulled Garcia after a scoreless first half and Rick Mirer led the second-half rally that produced both 49ers touchdowns, finding J.J. Stokes on a 39-yard score in the third quarter. Tim Biakabutuka ran for 75 with a touchdown.[1][2]
George Seifert was the head coach of two of the three Super Bowls this stadium has built in its locker-room mythology. Sunday afternoon he walked out at 3Com with a 38-22 win for the visiting franchise and a team that scored on its first four possessions to make it 28-0 at the half.
Mariucci pulled Garcia. Rick Mirer, the backup the offseason had not figured out yet, threw a 39-yard touchdown to J.J. Stokes and a 22-yard score to Beasley in the second half. The 49ers ran the ball better with Mirer than they had with Garcia in the first thirty minutes. Charlie Garner finished with 73 on 11 carries. The numbers say the second-half adjustments worked. The first half says this team needs more than adjustments.
Panthers 38, 49ers 22. Margin: minus 16. Record: 0-2, minus 24 differential. • Halftime: Carolina 28, San Francisco 0. • Beuerlein: 24-of-32 for 364, 3 TDs (back-to-back 350-plus openers). • Garcia pulled after a scoreless first half; Mirer 10-of-20 for 126 with a touchdown. • Stokes: 5 catches for 98, 1 TD. • Owens: 5 catches for 97. • Garner: 11 carries for 73 (6.6 ypc). • Biakabutuka: 22 carries for 75, 1 TD.
A 38-22 home loss to Carolina. The home opener turned on what happened before the half and on Mariucci's decision to bench his starting quarterback.
How it unfolded
Carolina opened with a 7-play touchdown drive and never looked back in the first half: scoring on its first four possessions, two Beuerlein touchdown passes, a Biakabutuka rushing touchdown, and a 17-yard scoring strike to Wesley Walls. By halftime it was 28-0. The third quarter began with Mirer at quarterback. He hit Stokes for the 39-yard touchdown on his second possession. Garner ran for 50 in the second half. The 49ers added a Beasley touchdown reception and a safety in the fourth quarter to make the final 38-22.
The turning point
The first ten minutes. Carolina scored on its opening drive and forced a Garcia three-and-out, then scored again on its second possession to make it 14-0 before the 49ers had run six offensive plays. The home opener was effectively over by the start of the second quarter.
By the numbers
Beuerlein 24-of-32 for 364 and three touchdowns; his second consecutive 350-plus opening month. Garcia 5-of-11 for 50 before the change. Mirer 10-of-20 for 126 with one touchdown. Stokes 5 catches for 98 and the score. Owens 5 for 97, no touchdowns. Garner 11 carries for 73, the most productive single-game ypc of his 49ers career to that point. Defense surrendered 480 total yards.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Jeff Garcia | 12/20 | 181 | 0 | 1 | |
| Rick Mirer | 10/20 | 126 | 1 | 0 | |
| CAR | |||||
| Steve Beuerlein | 24/32 | 364 | 3 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Charlie Garner | 11 | 73 | 0 | 34 |
| Jeff Garcia | 3 | 14 | 0 | 11 |
| Fred Beasley | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Terry Jackson | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Rick Mirer | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| CAR | ||||
| Tim Biakabutuka | 22 | 75 | 1 | 24 |
| Jeff Lewis | 4 | 11 | 0 | 14 |
| Brad Hoover | 3 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| Chris Hetherington | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| William Floyd | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Steve Beuerlein | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| J.J. Stokes | 5 | 98 | 1 | 26 |
| Terrell Owens | 5 | 97 | 0 | 53 |
| Fred Beasley | 3 | 56 | 0 | 34 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 11 |
| Charlie Garner | 4 | 22 | 0 | 10 |
| Greg Clark | 2 | 12 | 0 | 8 |
| CAR | ||||
| Donald Hayes | 6 | 115 | 1 | 38 |
| Muhsin Muhammad | 8 | 108 | 1 | 36 |
| Wesley Walls | 5 | 99 | 1 | 54 |
| William Floyd | 3 | 21 | 0 | 12 |
| Tim Biakabutuka | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Michael Bates | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
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