CANTON, Ohio, July 29 -- Rookie cornerback Tyrone Poole returned an interception 85 yards for a touchdown and John Kasay kicked two fourth quarter field goals Saturday to lead the Carolina Panthers to a 20-14 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the annual Hall of Fame game. The NFL's two expansion franchises played their inaugural contest in the opening exhibition game of the season.
Jacksonville drove 63 yards in 13 plays to the Carolina 2-yard line in the final minute, but Panthers' cornerback Steve Lofton knocked down a pass intended for Mike Williams in the end zone on a fourth down play to preserve the win. Desmond Howard, claimed in the expansion draft from the Washington Redskins, scored on a 66-yard punt return in the first quarter for Jacksonville's first touchdown. The Panthers scored their first touchdown when former buffalo quarterback hit running back Bob Christian with a 16-yard scoring pass 6:47 into the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7. Carolina took the lead when Poole, a first round draft choice from Fort Valley State, picked off a pass by Jacksonville's Mark Brunell and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown with 4:55 left in the first half. Jacksonville tied the game at 14-14 when James Stewart, a first round draft choice out of Tennessee, scored on a 1-yard run five minutes into the third quarter. A 31-yard field goal by Kasay 1:16 into the fourth quarter snapped the 14-14 tie. Kasay added a 39-yard field goal with 3:09 remaining to increase Carolina's lead to 20-14. The 63-game exhibition campaign will continue through Aug. 26 with the 76th NFL season getting underway Sept. 4.
