Published: Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 / Updated: Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 07:27 AM

Moore goes from fantastic to fumbling

CHARLOTTE -- Two weeks ago, same building, similar situation, and Kenny Moore made the play.

He didn't on Sunday, fumbling a punt in the fourth quarter, which drove the final stake through the hearts of the Carolina Panthers in their 20-9 loss to Buffalo.

On a day of mistakes large and small, Moore simply might have made the last one, but that was no consolation after the game.

“It's a humbling experience for me,” Moore said. “You learn from it, and you keep pushing forward. I never in a million years thought that would happen, but it did, and I have to learn from it.”

In many ways, his accidental appearance was similar to his heroism two weeks earlier.

In that game against Washington, Moore only got to return kickoffs because regular return man Mike Goodson was out and running back Jonathan Stewart was being saved for offense. That didn't stop the native Charlottean from taking the kickoff 55 yards up the right sideline, the spark the Panthers needed to overcome a 17-2 deficit that day.

Fast forward to Sunday, and the stage was set for a similar pinch-hit homer.

The Panthers had just cut Buffalo's lead to 17-9, thanks to some improbable heaves by quarterback Jake Delhomme, and the defense had held the Bills in check, using timeouts effectively to give them a chance for a comeback as improbable as against Washington.

The Panthers started the game with cornerback Captain Munnerlyn returning punts, but Munnerlyn left the game with cramps in the second half and was in the locker room when Moore was sent out in his place.

“I told the guys on the sideline I felt like that was my fault,” Munnerlyn said. “I was the guy out there in practice, getting all those reps.”

But Moore was there instead, and when Bills punter Brian Moorman's short punt started descending, it nailed Moore between the 8 and the 1 on his jersey.

“It was a low kick,” Moore said. “I had a chance to catch it, and I dropped it. It bounced off my shoulder pads, and it was all my fault.”

He immediately fell to the ground, but it was too late to recover the ball, the game and perhaps the season.

“It's a big play,” Moore said. “The team did a great job giving us an opportunity to go down and score, and I let us down. ... It was a routine play for me. It just didn't happen. It was an opportunity for me to make a play.

“I really couldn't tell you what happened. I might have tried to run before I caught it. It happens, and I just have to learn from it.”

His lessons began quickly, as teammate and mentor Steve Smith quickly embraced him, sharing his wisdom. Smith made his share of costly mistakes as a return man early in his career and was quick to tell Moore about it on the sidelines.

“Kenny Moore is my friend,” Smith said. “I look at him as like my little brother. I have been in that situation before, probably worse. I know exactly how he feels. I just wanted to give him brotherly advice coming from a guy who knows exactly how he feels.

“I told him he can do two things; he can feed that flame and let it consume him, which will diminish his confidence, or he can learn from it, suppress it, and when he gets his next opportunity he will be ready. I feel bad for him. Growing up as a little kid, you play for those moments and that was his opportunity to go, and it just didn't work out the way that he wanted.”