Stewart glad to finally get some game time

By Charles Chandler - Charles Chandler

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PHILADELPHIA -- After waiting four months following toe surgery to start practicing again, and after sitting out last week's exhibition opener, Carolina Panthers prized rookie running back Jonathan Stewart had another delay Thursday night before finally making his NFL debut.

He dressed out for the team's exhibition against the Eagles, but lightning halted play with 5:01 remaining in the first period and suspended the game for 58 minutes.

By the time Stewart finally entered the lineup early in the third period, he said it felt like there had been two halftimes.

"It was an up-and-down type of situation where your emotions get involved," he said. "It was just something I wasn't expecting for the first game."

Stewart didn't have much of an opportunity to display the skills that led the Panthers to select him with the 13th pick of the NFL draft. He played in Carolina's three third-quarter possessions, but the team didn't pick up a first down during that time and he gained 3 yards on four rushes.

"I just took what the defense gave me and made the best out of my opportunities," he said.

When asked about Stewart's performance, coach John Fox answered indirectly.

"They loaded us up pretty good in the box and they blitzed us quite a bit in the first half," he said.

Regardless of Stewart's statistics, it was important for him to take some full-speed hits in a game for the first time since his final college game at Oregon last December.

"It felt good," he said. "At least I got the jitterbugs out."

Stewart said it was difficult waiting so long to get in the game.

"I was pretty nervous," he said. "Everyone gets nervous. I think it's a good thing. It just means you're doing something you enjoy and something you really care about. You want to (go) out there and do all you can."

DeAngelo Williams started for the Panthers and played the first half when the starters were in the lineup, leaving Stewart to run behind the second-team offensive line.

"I'm happy I got a chance to really get my feet wet," said Stewart. "You just have to be patient. If you rush things, you're not really going to get a good aftermath.

"I'm just waiting for things to start clicking and rolling. That's how it was when I was in college. Things weren't clicking until my sophomore year."

Stewart said he's still experiencing pain in his right big toe and wouldn't be surprised if the discomfort lasts all season. However, he said team doctors have explained that the pain is to be expected due to scar tissue built up following his March 12 surgery and that he's not further harming the toe by practicing and playing.

"When I'm on the field, I don't really think about it, just because of the adrenaline rush," he said. "So that's not really an issue."

The Panthers, 1-1 in the preseason, return to practice today and host the Washington Redskins next Saturday night at 7 in Bank of America Stadium.