Panthers DE Julius Peppers is returning to the scene of one of his best games ever this weekend.
In the 2006 loss in the Metrodome, Peppers logged nine tackles (eight solo), three sacks, five pressures, batted down a pass and blocked a field goal. A fourth sack was wiped out when then-Vikings QB Brad Johnson was called for intentional grounding. That all became for naught because of the special teams misadventures late — the fumbled punt on an attempted Chris Gamble lateral and a Vikings fake field goal for a touchdown.
“It’s been a long time,” he said with a grin when asked about it. “It was a good game, played well. It was one of the best, if not the best.”
When asked what worked for him that day, he replied: “Everything, ... everything worked.”
Peppers doesn’t have a sack this year, but has been credited with two pressures, including the one last week when he forced Bears QB Kyle Orton forward into the arms of DT Damione Lewis, who got the statistical bump.
“Way too much is made about sacks,” Panthers coach Fox said Friday. “I don’t know how else to say it. There have been great players have Super Bowl runs that have had two sacks. Really, it’s a team game. I view their performance a lot more than sacks. I think Julius has played exceptionally the first two games of the year.”
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