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September 8th, 2008
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Black cats rule

Panthers claim Super Bowl with 24-14 win over Lions

By Dave Faries
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
July 2nd, 2008 issue

MICHAEL HEITMANN/The Prague Post
Although Lions receivers were open, Libor Navrátil's (4) frequent misfires and a tenacious defensive effort ensured a Panthers win.
BOXSCORE


Final
Lions 0 7 0 7 14
Panthers 7 14 0 3 24

Scoring summary
1st Qtr: Panthers - Kolek 31-yd pass from Shrum, Srp kick
2nd Qtr: Panthers - Dlouhý 1-yd run, Srp kick; Lions - Halenkovský 11-yd pass from Navrátil, Tomaník kick; Panthers - Dopita 32-yd run, Srp kick
4th Qtr: Panthers - Srp 28-yd FG; Lions - Dundáček 13-yd pass from Navrátil, Tomaník kick
Rushing
Lions: Dundáček 3-9, Gabriel 5-4, Sotola 2-0, Petrikovič 1- -3, Andres 1- -5, Navrátil 2- -12
Panthers: Zvada 11-60, Dopita 9-59, Jantoš 6-58, Shrum 10-50, Dlouhý 10-37, Víšek 6- -1
Passing
Lions: Navrátil 5-22 51 yds 2 TD
Panthers: Shrum 5-8 78 yds 1 TD
Receiving
Lions: Halenkovský 2-22, Dundáček 1-13, Andres 1-12, Gabriel 1-4
Panthers: Kolek 3-42, Wajtr 2-36
Penalties
Lions 11-111
Panthers 13-120
Third-down conversions
Lions 1 of 8
Panthers 8 of 12
First downs
Lions 4
Panthers 17
Attendance
2,500

The numbers tell one story, the tense second half another. And neither explains perhaps the tightest lopsided contest in Super Bowl history.
Only the Panthers’ victory in the 15th ČLAF title game makes sense. The 24-14 margin, however, barely stands scrutiny. For 30 minutes, a blowout win seemed inevitable. But the second half appeared to promise a dramatic, come-from-behind upset as the Lions repeatedly threatened to rally.
“You either do what you’re supposed to do, or you don’t and get beat,” said winning coach Petr Matlovič, summing up the strange evening.
On paper, the Panthers mauled their opponents. During a first half onslaught, quarterback Jake Shrum and his crew racked up 220 yards, converted five of seven third downs and reached the end zone three times, once when Miroslav Dopita scampered 32 yards almost untouched.
The Panthers called seven consecutive running plays in a relentless, monotonous opening drive. When the Lions stifled tailback Ondřej Víšek, Shrum took the ball himself, following the downfield blocking of Miloš Hildebrand for a critical first down.
The grinding series had the Lions defense so concerned with the run that, on the eighth play, they allowed Panthers tight end Jan Kolek to slip behind the secondary into a wide open space. Shrum lofted an easy touchdown pass.
Meanwhile the Lions went three and out on every first half possession except the one in which they scored — and, thanks to Shaka Martin’s punt block, that drive started deep inside the red zone.
“We couldn’t get into a proper rhythm,” said quarterback Libor Navrátil. “We were not able to get first downs.”
Navrátil lives — and dies — by the streak. In the two games leading up to the Super Bowl, he threw for over 500 yards and seven touchdowns. “Libor’s on fire,” reserve QB Petr Boháček reported before the game.
But with a title on the line, Navrátil’s tenuous grip on the subtle mechanics of passing a football failed. He completed just two of nine in the first half and 3 of 13 in the second.
Still, when Martin blocked Michal Srp’s punt and Navrátil finally connected with Lukáš Halenkovský for a score, it seemed to revive the Lions. Despite a 21-7 halftime deficit, they held the Panthers vaunted backfield of Shrum, Dopita, Martin Dlouhý and Stanislav Jantoš to 34 yards and no points during a vicious third quarter.
Two key members of the Panthers secondary, Jaroslav Langhans and Jaroslav Vondráček, were ejected, the latter for a spearing incident late in the quarter that gave the Lions their initial first down.
“I wouldn’t say we were worried,” Matlovič said of the shift in momentum. “Once they started moving the ball, we had to adjust.”
The Lions tallied almost all of their positive yards in the second half. And Navrátil regained enough form to hit tight end Jan Dundáček for a 13-yard touchdown midway through the final period.
Fortunately for Matlovič and his squad, the Lions wasted their time outs early. And Shrum’s offensive line dominated the point of attack so completely that he was able to dictate the tempo as the game wore down.
With the Lions unable to stop the clock, Shrum put together three time-consuming drives in the final eight minutes of play, repeatedly sending Dopita and Jan Zvada, rarely used during the regular season, into the line for short but crucial gains. Although the Panthers only managed a Srp field goal in the second half, control of the line of scrimmage and the relentless logic of the veer offense secured the win.
“It feels good,” Matlovič said, celebrating the team’s 10th league championship after a dominating but still harrowing performance. “And once you get it, you want more.”

Dave Faries can be reached at dfaries@praguepost.com


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