Brian Mitchell slammed his helmet to the ground and told everyone the fumble wasn't a fumble. If ever there was a reason the owners voted to bring instant replay back, this was it. Coach Norv Turner asked for a review, and the reverse angle showed Mitchell's knee hitting the ground before the ball came loose on a punt return. There were a lot of games lost last year because people made mistakes.
Referees are human beings.
They make mistakes, too. Brad Johnson and his receiving corps had another outstanding game, and it was just enough. Johnson, who completed 20 of 33 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns, provided equal opportunity embarrassment for nearly all the Panthers defensive backs, picking on Eric Davis, Doug Evans, Michael Swift and Mike Minter with random ease. Davis looked lost as he left Michael Westbrook open for tiptoe touchdown catches of 17 and 11 yards and Albert Connell alone for a 32-yard score. Connell also burned Swift for 62 yards.