BY Cory Spiers
coryspiers@gmail.com
Panthers running back Jonathon Stewart needs 103 more yards to pass DeAngelo Williams as the team's all-time leading rusher.
Stewart should reach that number in the next game or two. That accomplishment will be further proof that despite his history of injuries, Stewart is one of the best backs the Panthers have employed.
Stephen Davis and Fred Lane were both fantastic backs, but Davis was only with the team for three seasons before spending one final season with the Rams before retiring. The promising Lane also put three seasons in the books before his untimely death.
DeShaun Foster, Tshimanga Biakabutuka and Williams were also fine backs but when reflecting on Stewart's 10 NFL seasons (all in Carolina) it's easy to find a handful of iconic, memorable moments to look back on as the former Oregon Duck prepares to soon cement his place in Panthers history.
The 5-10, 240-pound Stewart was Carolina's first round draft pick (13th overall) in 2008.
Stewart played in all 16 regular season games in three of his first four seasons with the team but has not played a full regular season since 2011.
Lower body injuries have been the snafu often for Stewart, who was at the height of his powers in his first two seasons in Carolina in which he appeared in all 32 games and totaled 1,969 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.
Stewart has crossed the 1,000-yard mark in just one season-- he amassed 1,133 yards during his second year in the league in 2009. He came close when the Panthers went 15-1 in 2015, finishing with 989 in 13 games.
Over the course of his decade in Carolina, here is a short "Best of Stew" list with some moments I'm sure you remember.
5. Stewart goes up and over in Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl 50 was a lot of things for Carolina, few of which were pleasant.
The team's lone touchdown was an exclamation mark at the time and still stands as a very cool photo.
With his team trailing the Broncos 10-0 early in the second quarter in Santa Clara, Stewart took the hand-off on a first and goal play and jumped skyward over the offensive and defensive lines from about the two yard line and landed in the end zone.
It was Carolina's only touchdown of the game in what would be a 24-10 loss, but at the time, it got Panthers fans plenty excited.
Stewart had three touchdowns in the 2015 postseason.
4. Stewart gashes the stout Vikings defense
There was a time not long ago that Minnesota's defense was fierce and rather nasty.
Heading into their December 2009 game against the Panthers, the Vikings hadn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in more than two years.
That was until they ran headfirst into Stewart.
Stewart blasted Leslie Frazier and Brad Childress's defense to the tune of 109 yards and a touchdown on 25 attempts in Carolina's 26-7 victory.
The Panthers, who went 8-8 that season, won their final three games of the season, including the win over Minnesota.
After crossing the century mark against the stingy Vikings defense, Stewart stayed hot and ran for 206 against the Giants and closed the season with 125 rushing yards against the Saints.
3. Stewart helps Williams run all over Buccaneers
Williams and Stewart became the sixth running back tandem in league history to rush for 1,000 yards each in a season when they did so in 2009.
Before that, though, the two put the league on notice with a little prime time preview during Stewart's rookie season (2008).
The Panthers hosted the Buccaneers on Monday Night Football late in the 2008 season. Both teams came in with a 9-3 record and Carolina had won five of its last six. It was an important game.
Stewart and Williams were up to the task, though. Stewart ran 15 times for 115 yards and two touchdowns and Williams racked up another 186 with two scores.
The Panthers burned Jon Gruden and the "Tampa-2" defense for 299 rushing yards and took sole possession of first place in the NFC South all in one night.
The season turned sour for Carolina in the postseason when the team lost to the Cardinals behind Jake Delhomme's infamous turnover meltdown, but after the second and final Tampa game of the season, Stewart had officially arrived in the NFL.
2. Stewart helps deliver much-needed playoff win
Before the Panthers beat the injury-ravaged Cardinals in the Wild Card round of the 2014 playoffs, the team hadn't won a playoff game since a 29-21 Divisional Round win in 2005.
It had been a long time coming. With the playoffs back in Charlotte for a second-straight season, however, Stewart did his best to will his team to a win.
Stewart ran for 123 yards-- second highest in team postseason history-- in the 27-16 win over the punch-less Cardinals.
Stewart scored an important touchdown for the home team when he broke a pair of tackles and maneuvered his way into the end zone for a 13-yard rushing touchdown.
The Panthers ran into a much stiffer challenge in the next round and fell 31-17 at Seattle. The vaunted Seahawks defense held Stewart to 70 yards on the ground and no touchdowns. More on Seattle in No. 1.
1. Stewart starts the Super Bowl run off with a bang
On the heels of an emotional 15-1 regular season, it wasn't clear how the Panthers would come out in the postseason after earning a bye in the first round.
Two things everyone did know, though, were the team would have home field advantage and they would face a Seahawks team that had given them plenty of recent fits.
The Panthers needed a fast start at home against Seattle and Stewart ensured this was the case.
On Carolina's first play from scrimmage, Stewart grabbed the ball and scampered 59-yards deep into Seattle territory.
Stewart's run ignited the home crowd and set up Carolina's first touchdown.
The Panthers surged to a 31-0 lead before putting it into cruise control and holding off a late Seattle rally for a 31-24 win.
Stewart racked up 106 rushing yards with two touchdowns on 19 attempts in the first playoff win of 2015. His 100-yard performance was the second of his career in the postseason.
Stewart had a great 2015 regular season despite missing three games with a lower body injury. His postseason was special, too, and he was a big part of the reason the Panthers even got to see the Broncos in Santa Clara that year.
coryspiers@gmail.com
Panthers running back Jonathon Stewart needs 103 more yards to pass DeAngelo Williams as the team's all-time leading rusher.
Stewart should reach that number in the next game or two. That accomplishment will be further proof that despite his history of injuries, Stewart is one of the best backs the Panthers have employed.
Stephen Davis and Fred Lane were both fantastic backs, but Davis was only with the team for three seasons before spending one final season with the Rams before retiring. The promising Lane also put three seasons in the books before his untimely death.
DeShaun Foster, Tshimanga Biakabutuka and Williams were also fine backs but when reflecting on Stewart's 10 NFL seasons (all in Carolina) it's easy to find a handful of iconic, memorable moments to look back on as the former Oregon Duck prepares to soon cement his place in Panthers history.
The 5-10, 240-pound Stewart was Carolina's first round draft pick (13th overall) in 2008.
Stewart played in all 16 regular season games in three of his first four seasons with the team but has not played a full regular season since 2011.
Lower body injuries have been the snafu often for Stewart, who was at the height of his powers in his first two seasons in Carolina in which he appeared in all 32 games and totaled 1,969 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.
Stewart has crossed the 1,000-yard mark in just one season-- he amassed 1,133 yards during his second year in the league in 2009. He came close when the Panthers went 15-1 in 2015, finishing with 989 in 13 games.
Over the course of his decade in Carolina, here is a short "Best of Stew" list with some moments I'm sure you remember.
5. Stewart goes up and over in Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl 50 was a lot of things for Carolina, few of which were pleasant.
The team's lone touchdown was an exclamation mark at the time and still stands as a very cool photo.
With his team trailing the Broncos 10-0 early in the second quarter in Santa Clara, Stewart took the hand-off on a first and goal play and jumped skyward over the offensive and defensive lines from about the two yard line and landed in the end zone.
It was Carolina's only touchdown of the game in what would be a 24-10 loss, but at the time, it got Panthers fans plenty excited.
Stewart had three touchdowns in the 2015 postseason.
4. Stewart gashes the stout Vikings defense
There was a time not long ago that Minnesota's defense was fierce and rather nasty.
Heading into their December 2009 game against the Panthers, the Vikings hadn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in more than two years.
That was until they ran headfirst into Stewart.
Stewart blasted Leslie Frazier and Brad Childress's defense to the tune of 109 yards and a touchdown on 25 attempts in Carolina's 26-7 victory.
The Panthers, who went 8-8 that season, won their final three games of the season, including the win over Minnesota.
After crossing the century mark against the stingy Vikings defense, Stewart stayed hot and ran for 206 against the Giants and closed the season with 125 rushing yards against the Saints.
3. Stewart helps Williams run all over Buccaneers
Williams and Stewart became the sixth running back tandem in league history to rush for 1,000 yards each in a season when they did so in 2009.
Before that, though, the two put the league on notice with a little prime time preview during Stewart's rookie season (2008).
The Panthers hosted the Buccaneers on Monday Night Football late in the 2008 season. Both teams came in with a 9-3 record and Carolina had won five of its last six. It was an important game.
Stewart and Williams were up to the task, though. Stewart ran 15 times for 115 yards and two touchdowns and Williams racked up another 186 with two scores.
The Panthers burned Jon Gruden and the "Tampa-2" defense for 299 rushing yards and took sole possession of first place in the NFC South all in one night.
The season turned sour for Carolina in the postseason when the team lost to the Cardinals behind Jake Delhomme's infamous turnover meltdown, but after the second and final Tampa game of the season, Stewart had officially arrived in the NFL.
2. Stewart helps deliver much-needed playoff win
Before the Panthers beat the injury-ravaged Cardinals in the Wild Card round of the 2014 playoffs, the team hadn't won a playoff game since a 29-21 Divisional Round win in 2005.
It had been a long time coming. With the playoffs back in Charlotte for a second-straight season, however, Stewart did his best to will his team to a win.
Stewart ran for 123 yards-- second highest in team postseason history-- in the 27-16 win over the punch-less Cardinals.
Stewart scored an important touchdown for the home team when he broke a pair of tackles and maneuvered his way into the end zone for a 13-yard rushing touchdown.
The Panthers ran into a much stiffer challenge in the next round and fell 31-17 at Seattle. The vaunted Seahawks defense held Stewart to 70 yards on the ground and no touchdowns. More on Seattle in No. 1.
1. Stewart starts the Super Bowl run off with a bang
On the heels of an emotional 15-1 regular season, it wasn't clear how the Panthers would come out in the postseason after earning a bye in the first round.
Two things everyone did know, though, were the team would have home field advantage and they would face a Seahawks team that had given them plenty of recent fits.
The Panthers needed a fast start at home against Seattle and Stewart ensured this was the case.
On Carolina's first play from scrimmage, Stewart grabbed the ball and scampered 59-yards deep into Seattle territory.
Stewart's run ignited the home crowd and set up Carolina's first touchdown.
The Panthers surged to a 31-0 lead before putting it into cruise control and holding off a late Seattle rally for a 31-24 win.
Stewart racked up 106 rushing yards with two touchdowns on 19 attempts in the first playoff win of 2015. His 100-yard performance was the second of his career in the postseason.
Stewart had a great 2015 regular season despite missing three games with a lower body injury. His postseason was special, too, and he was a big part of the reason the Panthers even got to see the Broncos in Santa Clara that year.
Comments
Post a Comment