Sir Purr
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- Mar 16, 2019
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Nevertheless, the Panthers fought through the flood of noise to build a 23-12 lead after a 7-yard touchdown run by fullback Brad Hoover in the fourth quarter. With only 8:50 left in regulation, Carolina seemed to be in good shape.
But the Panthers weren't. So much happened in the last 8:50 of the fourth quarter and the two overtime periods that it is difficult to recall it all. The Rams' comeback to force overtime began when kicker John Kasay's 53-yard field-goal attempt hit the left upright and failed to go through with 6:29 remaining.
Had Kasay made the field goal, the Panthers would have been ahead by two touchdowns and the crowd possibly silenced. Instead, the stadium erupted - and it seemed to give the Rams new life.
Given favorable field position and with the crowd seemingly growing louder with every snap, the Rams embarked on a scoring drive. Running back Marshall Faulk capped the 15-play, 57-yard march with a 1-yard touchdown run, and then quarterback Marc Bulger hit wide receiver Dane Looker for the two-point conversion to pull the Rams to within 23-20 with 2:39 left.
Then, the unthinkable happened.
St. Louis kicker Jeff Wilkins not only attempted but also recovered his own on-side kick, setting up his game-tying 33-yard field goal as time expired. The Rams could have gone for the win, but St. Louis head coach Mike Martz played it conservatively and went for the tie, figuring there was no way the Rams would lose in overtime with the crowd behind them and momentum also finally on their side.
"I felt like if we could get it into overtime, we would win. I was very sure about that decision and don't regret it," Martz said.
He was wrong.
The Panthers won the coin toss and took the opening drive of overtime to the St. Louis 22-yard line. Unfortunately, Kasay's apparent game-winning 40-yard field goal was nullified by a delay-of-game penalty. After lining up again, Kasay missed wide right from 45 yards away.
And the teams played on.
On the Rams' first possession of overtime, they moved the ball to the Carolina 35-yard line. Then Wilkins, who had already kicked five field goals in the game, tried from 53 yards out. But this time, his attempt fell just inches short.
And the teams played on some more.
Following a Carolina punt, St. Louis drove to the Panthers' 38-yard line on their next possession. Then, with St. Louis needing just a few more yards to be in field goal range, cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr. wrested the ball away from Rams wide receiver Torry Holt for an interception that ended the drive and gave the ball back to the Panthers shortly before the first overtime expired.