Sunday Football Open Thread – #Panthers at the Chiefs

Fresh off of an impressive win over the Eagles last week in Philadelphia, the Panthers are away from home again this week as they prepare to take on the KC Chiefs. And while both teams would love to be talking and focusing on nothing but football this weekend, a horrifying tragedy unfolded yesterday that is understandably dominating headlines. The KC Star reports:

The argument apparently started about 1 a.m. Saturday, when Kasandra Perkins returned to her Kansas City home from the Trey Songz concert at The Midland and drinks afterward with friends.

Her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher, lived with her and was mad that she’d stayed out so late, a friend of Perkins said.

The disagreement ended tragically about seven hours later, when Belcher killed Perkins by shooting her multiple times at the couple’s home, witnessed by his mother who was in from New York visiting the couple and their 3-month-old daughter.

Belcher then drove the few miles to Arrowhead Stadium, where, in a parking lot outside the team’s practice facility, he fatally shot himself as Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, coach Romeo Crennel and other team personnel tried to stop him.

News of the deaths spread quickly and resonated around the nation. Expressions of sympathy poured in from current and former Chiefs, other National Football League players and teams, college football coaches and others.

“I am devastated by this morning’s events,” Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali tweeted. “I want to send my thoughts and prayers out to everyone affected by this tragedy.”

As do I. The pain both sets of families are feeling today is surely unbearable, especially considering Belcher’s actions robbed an infant girl of both of her parents. It is so completely senseless and heartbreaking, and my heart goes out to all impacted.

On top of this, last night at Bank of America Stadium – where the Panthers play their home games – a man fell from the 400 level to the grass trying to find his seat during the ACC Championship football game. Via the Charlotte Observer:

A 22-year-old man remained in critical condition with life-threatening injuries late Saturday after falling from a fourth-floor ramp at the Bank of America Stadium, officials said.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police identified the victim as Sean Michael Powers, a resident of New Port Richey, Fla.

They said he had just arrived at the stadium and was looking for his seat when he fell.

Powers was walking up a ramp at the stadium at 8:02 p.m., got too close to the edge and fell about four stories onto the grass outside the facility, police said. Authorities said they notified his family about the accident.

The ACC Championship football game between Florida State University and Georgia Tech had begun at the Charlotte stadium just before Powers fell. The game continued.

It was not immediately known whether Powers was a student at Florida State.

It also was not immediately clear what caused the fall. Authorities do not suspect foul play. CMPD Capt. William Boger said the victim was possibly intoxicated at the time of the fall. “He fell from high enough up where he is pretty messed up,” Boger said.

This is the first fall of this nature at the stadium, which opened in 1996.

The Panthers & the Chiefs play today at Arrowhead Stadium at 1 ET and the game will be broadcast locally on Fox.

My office pool picks:

Falcons (W)
Bears
Packers
Texans
Patriots
Bills
Colts
Panthers
Cardinals
49ers
Broncos
Chargers
Raiders
Ravens
Cowboys
Giants (42 total game points scored)