2006: Seahawks Overwhelm Panthers for NFC Championship

The NFC Championship game on January 22, 2006 featured the Seattle Seahawks, winners of the NFC West and top-seeded team in the conference, hosting the Carolina Panthers, a Wild Card team that finished second in the NFC South.

The Seahawks were coached by Mike Holmgren, who had previously guided the Packers to a NFL Championship, and posted a 13-3 record during the 2005 regular season. RB Shaun Alexander (pictured above) topped the league in rushing (1880 yards) and scoring (168 points) while setting a new NFL record for touchdowns (28, which was broken the next year) and QB Matt Hasselbeck achieved career highs in completion percentage (65.5), yards per attempt (7.7), and passer rating (98.2). The defense was unspectacular but effective and benefited from the addition of rookie MLB Lofa Tatupu. Seattle, which was in the playoffs for the third consecutive year, defeated the Redskins in the Divisional round to advance to its first conference title game since 1983, when the Seahawks were in the AFC (they moved to the NFC as part of the 2002 reorganization). If there was a major concern coming into the game, it was that Alexander had suffered a concussion the previous week.

Carolina, coached by John Fox, was two years removed from a losing Super Bowl appearance and, after dipping to 7-9 in 2004, had bounced back to 11-5 in ’05. Key players on offense were Pro Bowl QB Jake Delhomme and WR Steve Smith, who was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection after catching 103 passes for 1563 yards (15.2 avg.) and 12 TDs. However, the running game struggled due to injuries and RBs Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster were both out for the NFC title contest. The defense had trouble against the run, having lost DT Kris Jenkins to injury for virtually the entire season, although there were capable pass rushers in ends Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker. The Panthers shut out the Giants in the Wild Card playoff round and then defeated the Bears at the Divisional level.

There were 67,837 fans in attendance at Qwest Field. The teams traded punts until the Seahawks, gaining the advantage in field position, put together a 57-yard drive in five plays. The last two were the biggest as Matt Hasselbeck threw to QB/WR Seneca Wallace for 28 yards and then connected with a wide-open TE Jerramy Stevens for a 17-yard touchdown. Josh Brown added the extra point.

Seattle got the ball back on the next series when Lofa Tatupu intercepted a Jake Delhomme pass that was thrown into coverage and returned it 21 yards to the Carolina 20. The Seahawks weren’t able to reach the end zone again, but Brown kicked a 24-yard field goal to extend the lead to 10-0.

With time running down in the opening period, the Seahawks again took advantage of a turnover as FS Marquand Manuel picked off a throw by Delhomme and ran it back 32 yards to the Carolina 17. Shaun Alexander had a 15-yard run on the last play of the first quarter and, two plays later it was Alexander running for a one-yard TD. Brown’s conversion put the home team up by 17-0.

The Panthers, who had lost yet another running back in Nick Goings during the first quarter, fought back as Delhomme completed a pass to WR Drew Carter for 41 yards to the Seattle 26, but a holding penalty backed the visitors up and a sack by DT Rocky Bernard took them out of field goal range, forcing a punt. A short Seattle possession also resulted in a punt and Steve Smith returned it 59 yards for a touchdown. While a penalty flag was thrown during the return, a conference by the officials led to no infraction being called and, when John Kasay kicked the point after, the Seahawks’ lead was narrowed to 17-7.

Seattle responded by advancing to another score. Hasselbeck (pictured below) completed three passes, all to WR Darrell Jackson, and Alexander had back-to-back carries of 11 and 18 yards. A 15-yard penalty for an illegal crackback block blunted the drive, but Brown booted a 39-yard field goal to make it a 20-7 game. Following a punt by the Panthers, the Seahawks had an opportunity to add to their margin with 33 seconds remaining in the first half, but Brown missed a field goal try from 49 yards. Thus far the Seahawks had been dominant on defense, holding Carolina to three first downs and 62 total yards in the first thirty minutes.

Seattle took the second half kickoff and drove 65 yards in eight plays, essentially putting the game out of reach for Carolina. Alexander again ran effectively, with a 16-yard gain along the way, and Hasselbeck had three completions, the last to Jackson for a 20-yard TD. Brown’s extra point had the Seahawks up by an imposing 27-7.

Seattle’s defense kept the Panthers in check as their next two possessions went three-and-out, resulting in punts, and the third ended with a Delhomme pass being intercepted by SS Michael Boulware. An exchange of punts led to the last score for the Seahawks on a one-yard carry by Alexander. Carolina responded with one last hurrah, a Delhomme throw to WR Drew Carter for a 47-yard touchdown, but with six minutes remaining in the contest, the outcome was not in doubt. The Seahawks won convincingly by a final score of 34-14.

The statistics reflected Seattle’s dominance. The Seahawks had big leads in total yards (393 to 212), first downs (27 to 11), and time of possession (41:51 to 18:09). In addition, Carolina turned the ball over four times, to none suffered by Seattle.

Matt Hasselbeck completed 20 of 28 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Shaun Alexander, showing no ill effects from his concussion the week before, rushed for 132 yards on 34 carries that included the two short TDs. Darrell Jackson and Jerramy Stevens each accounted for a team-leading six pass receptions, for 75 and 66 yards, respectively, and scored a touchdown apiece. On defense, Rocky Bernard was credited with both of Seattle’s sacks.

For the Panthers, Jake Delhomme was successful on only 15 of 35 throws for 196 yards and a TD while giving up three interceptions. RB Jamal Robertson, forced into action due to the attrition at running back, led the club in pass receiving with 37 yards on five catches and in rushing with only 19 yards on four attempts. Steve Smith, who was well bottled up by the defense, also had five pass receptions, gaining 33 yards, but he provided one of Carolina’s few highlights with his lone punt return for a 59-yard TD.

“I don’t know if we ran out of gas,” said Carolina’s Coach Fox from the losing team’s perspective. “I’m not too sure what the problem was. Their defense played tremendous. We know we’d have our hands full with their offense.”

The Seahawks lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl. They topped the NFC West with a lesser record in 2006 but lost in overtime to the Bears at the Divisional level in the postseason. Carolina dropped to 8-8 and missed the playoffs in ’06, next appearing in the postseason in 2008.

2003: Delhomme Rallies Panthers Past Jaguars

The Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars, who had come into the NFL together in 1995, started off the 2003 season on September 7 in Charlotte. It was the head coaching debut for Jacksonville’s Jack Del Rio, who had been Carolina’s defensive coordinator the previous year.

The Jaguars were coming off of three straight losing seasons under their original head coach, Tom Coughlin, after having been a playoff team the previous four years. The team was looking to the future, not only by hiring Del Rio, but in drafting QB Byron Leftwich out of Marshall in the first round, although Mark Brunell, nearing his 33^rd birthday, would start the season. Sixth-year RB Fred Taylor was still a key player in the offense, although star WR Jimmy Smith, at age 34, appeared to be on the downside and would miss the first four games of the season due to a drug suspension. The defense was in transition.

Carolina, in its second year under Head Coach John Fox, was on the upswing. A 1-15 team two years earlier, the Panthers were 7-9 in ’02. 37-year-old QB Rodney Peete played well in the conservative offense the previous year, but Jake Delhomme (pictured above) had joined the team after five years as a backup in New Orleans to mount a challenge. RB Stephen Davis arrived from the Redskins to strengthen the ground game and 35-year-old WR Ricky Proehl to bolster the receiving corps. The defense was young and tough, featuring ends Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker up front.

There were 72,134 fans in attendance for opening day at Ericsson Stadium. Stephen Davis took a handoff on the first play from scrimmage of the game and ran for 20 yards, but it would prove to the Carolina’s only first down of the first half. The teams traded punts throughout the opening period until, early in the second quarter, Mark Brunell fumbled and DE Al Wallace recovered for the Panthers at the Jacksonville 31.

However, the punchless offense was unable to capitalize on the turnover, moving backward rather than forward. Peete was sacked for a nine-yard loss on third-and-nine, and Todd Sauerbrun punted for the fifth time. The Jaguars proceeded to drive 80 yards in nine plays. Brunell completed three passes, the longest to WR J.J. Stokes for 22 yards, and the Panthers were penalized twice. FB Marc Edwards ran two yards up the middle for a touchdown to cap the series and, with Seth Marler’s extra point, Jacksonville was ahead by 7-0.

The contest reverted to form until, with 29 seconds left, the Jaguars regained possession at their own 47 following a punt and 12-yard return by WR Jermaine Lewis. Brunell connected with Fred Taylor for 18 yards and, after a false start, tossed two short passes to Stokes before going long to WR Matthew Hatchette for a 33-yard touchdown on the last play of the half. Marler kicked the PAT and the visitors took a 14-0 lead into the intermission.

The Jaguars added more points with their first possession of the third quarter, driving 46 yards in ten plays that concluded with a 40-yard Marler field goal and 17-0 lead. When the Panthers came out for their first series of the second half, Jake Delhomme was at quarterback in place of Rodney Peete. Clearly excited at the opportunity to play, he immediately energized the offense. Davis ran the ball three times for 24 yards and the Panthers got on the board when Delhomme threw to WR Muhsin Muhammad for a 13-yard touchdown. John Kasay’s extra point made it a ten-point game.

Jacksonville had to punt following a short possession and the Panthers again drove to a score. Davis ran three times for 14 yards and caught a pass for another 11, one of two completions for Delhomme. However, after reaching the Jacksonville 20, an offensive pass interference penalty backed the Panthers up and they settled for a Kasay field goal from 49 yards. Still, they were just a touchdown behind at 17-10.

It got worse for the Jaguars, who bogged down in their own territory, thanks to a penalty and a sack. Carolina RB Rod Smart blocked Chris Hanson’s punt, which resulted in a safety and two more points for the Panthers.

WR Steve Smith returned the free kick 38 yards and, with Davis and RB DeShaun Foster running effectively, the Panthers again moved into Jacksonville territory. However, they came up empty this time when a Delhomme pass was intercepted by CB Rashean Mathis. The reprieve was a short one for the Jaguars as they went three-and-out and punted once again, and this time Carolina did not fail to reach the end zone, going 52 yards in seven plays. Delhomme had three more completions, with the last resulting in a 24-yard touchdown to Smith. An attempted two-point conversion failed, but the Panthers were in front by 18-17.

The Jaguars weren’t ready to quit, however, and pulled off a big play in short order as Brunell threw to Lewis for a 65-yard TD. They also failed in their try for a two-point conversion, but were back in the lead at 23-18 with less than six minutes to play.

Delhomme gave up another interception on the next series, this time by LB Akin Ayodele. Playing conservatively, the Jaguars punted the ball back four plays later, and Smith returned the kick 36 yards to give the Panthers good starting field position at their 46 with 3:34 remaining.

Davis ran twice for nine yards and Delhomme gained a yard to convert third down. Passes to Smith and Foster picked up 19 yards and, on a third-and-two play, Davis ran around end for four yards. Reaching the 12 and facing fourth-and-11, Delhomme threw to Ricky Proehl in the left corner of the end zone (pictured at right), who made the catch for the touchdown with a scant 16 seconds left to play. Yet another two-point conversion attempt failed, but Carolina was back in front by a point.

In the time remaining, Brunell passed the Jaguars down the field, but a 55-yard field goal try by Marler was blocked by safety Mike Minter and the Carolina celebration began. In dramatic fashion, the Panthers had won by a score of 24-23.

Jacksonville had the edge in total yards (331 to 242) although both teams generated 17 first downs. The Panthers turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the Jaguars, and Jacksonville had the edge in sacks (five to four), although three of those sacks were of Peete during the first half. There were 17 penalties, divided almost evenly, with Carolina drawing nine and the Jaguars eight.

Jake Delhomme completed 12 of 20 passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns, giving up two interceptions. By comparison, Rodney Peete had been four of ten for 19 yards. Stephen Davis rushed for 111 yards on 22 carries. Steve Smith topped the Carolina receivers with four catches for 44 yards and a TD.

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell (pictured at left) completed 13 straight passes at one point to tie the franchise record and ended up being successful on 23 of 27 throws for 272 yards and two TDs, with none intercepted. J.J. Stokes had the most catches, with 6 for 42 yards, while Jermaine Lewis gained 90 yards on three receptions, thanks to the long touchdown. Matthew Hatchette contributed 60 yards and a TD on his four catches and, in addition to rushing for 71 yards on 22 attempts, Fred Taylor also had 5 catches for 51 yards.

“We needed to do something to spark our offense and I thought Jake did an outstanding job,” said Coach John Fox. “We are going to enjoy this win and make decisions later.”

The decision was to make Jake Delhomme the starting quarterback, and the Panthers started off the season with five straight wins on the way to an 11-5 finish, NFC South title, and playoff run that made it to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Patriots. Jacksonville, on the other hand, lost its first four games in going 5-11 and placed fourth in the AFC South.

Delhomme, in his first year as a starting quarterback, threw for 3219 yards and 19 touchdowns. He would remain with the Panthers for another six years. Stephen Davis ran for 1444 yards on 318 carries (4.5 avg.) and eight TDs and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

In what was his last of nine seasons in Jacksonville, Mark Brunell yielded the starting job at quarterback to the rookie Leftwich after three games. He ended up throwing just 82 passes for 484 yards and his two TD passes against the Panthers were his only ones of the year. Overall in Jacksonville, he passed for 25,698 yards and 144 touchdowns and was named to the Pro Bowl three times.

2003: Backup QB Banks Leads Texans to Upset of Panthers

The Houston Texans were going through the anticipated difficulties of being a second-year expansion team as they hosted the Carolina Panthers on November 2, 2003, although there were signs of improvement. Coached by Dom Capers, they had a star in the making in first-round draft choice WR Andre Johnson and also received an unexpected boost to the ground game in the form of fourth-round RB Domanick Davis, who had been expected to be a kick returner but was outperforming veteran RB Stacey Mack. Still, the team had lost three straight contests and was at 2-5. Furthermore, they were without the services of starting QB David Carr for the first time in the franchise’s brief history. The 2002 first overall draft pick was out due to a sprained right ankle and 30-year-old backup Tony Banks (pictured above) would be taking his place.

Carolina, coached by John Fox for the second year, was cruising at 6-1. The conservative offense was guided by QB Jake Delhomme and benefited from the presence of RB Stephen Davis, acquired after seven years in Washington. WR Steve Smith was a rising talent and dependable WR Muhsin Muhammad started across from him. The team’s defense was the key to the team’s success, however, in particular the solid line.

There were over 70,000 fans present at Reliant Stadium and they saw the Panthers get the opening kickoff and drive 83 yards in 12 plays. Eight of them were runs by Stephen Davis, who picked up 20 yards, a fourth-and-one was successfully converted, and Jake Delhomme completed all three of his passes, the last one to Steve Smith for a 24-yard touchdown. John Kasay added the extra point.

The Texans had to punt following their first possession and Carolina moved the ball all the way from its 12 to the Houston 25. While the Panthers again relied on Stephen Davis carrying the ball for the most part, Delhomme threw to TE Kris Mangum for 34 yards. However, on the first play of the second quarter, a Delhomme pass was intercepted by CB Aaron Glenn to snuff out the threat.

Another Houston punt was followed by a nine-play drive by the Panthers that featured Stephen Davis compiling 41 yards on the ground, but the series stalled at the Houston 44 to force a punt. The teams continued to trade punts until the end of the half, with the visitors holding onto the 7-0 lead.

It was Houston’s turn to put together a long scoring series to start the third quarter. Domanick Davis ran the ball effectively, with carries of 23 and 17 yards along the way, and Tony Banks completed three passes. The third, to TE Billy Miller, picked up 11 yards on a third-and-nine play and set up a one-yard touchdown carry by Stacey Mack. Kris Brown’s successful PAT tied the score.

Carolina once again moved the ball effectively on a long possession of 14 plays that covered 68 yards. Stephen Davis carried six times and Delhomme had completions of 12 yards to Smith and 20 yards to Muhsin Muhammad. Another throw to TE Jermaine Wiggins in a third-and-four situation at the Houston eight gained six yards, but the Panthers couldn’t punch the ball into the end zone and settled for a 23-yard Kasay field goal. The third quarter ended with Carolina back in front by 10-7.

Houston started off the final period by driving 67 yards in nine plays. Banks had two big completions to Andre Johnson, with the second gaining 35 yards to the Carolina 28 in a third-and-18 situation. Banks finished the series off by threading a pass through coverage to Miller, who made a one-handed grab for a 20-yard touchdown. With Brown’s extra point, the Texans were in front by four.

It was all the home team needed. The Panthers reached the Houston 46 on the next series and had to punt, set back by a personal foul penalty on Smith after he kicked DE Jerry Deloach, and the Texans were able to effectively run out the clock. Banks had key third down passes to WR Jabar Gaffney for 12 yards and 21 yards to Miller. Carolina got the ball back with just one second remaining and Houston held on for the 14-10 win.

In a game that featured plenty of long, ground-based possessions by the offenses (each team had the ball seven times), Carolina had more total yards (367 to 267) and also led in first downs (21 to 14). There was only one turnover – by the Panthers – and Carolina was penalized seven times, to four flags thrown on the Texans. The Panthers also recorded the only two sacks of the game, both by DE Mike Rucker.

Tony Banks had an efficient performance, completing 13 of 19 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Domanick Davis, who was lost to a chest injury in the second half, rushed for 74 yards on 12 carries. Andre Johnson had four catches for 64 yards and Billy Miller also had four receptions, for 58 yards and a TD.

For the Panthers, Stephen Davis (pictured at left) ran the ball 30 times for 153 yards. Jake Delhomme was successful on 13 of 23 throws for 193 yards and a TD with one interception. Steve Smith caught 5 passes for 88 yards and a score, although he also had the costly penalty in the fourth quarter.

“I’ve seen Tony Banks play before, and we did not take Tony Banks lightly,” said Carolina’s Coach Fox. “I thought he had a terrific second half.”

David Carr was back behind center for the Texans the next week in a loss to Cincinnati, but further injuries had Banks in action again as well as third-string QB Dave Ragone. Houston ended up at 5-11 and last in the AFC South. The Panthers topped the NFC South with an 11-5 record and won the NFC Championship, but lost a closely-fought Super Bowl to the New England Patriots.

Tony Banks had been a disappointment when starting for the Rams, moving on to the Ravens and Redskins, before becoming the backup for the new Texans in 2002. He saw no action that first year as Carr took every snap. Appearing in seven games in ’03, and starting three of them, he completed 61 of 102 passes (59.8 %) for 693 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions. He was the backup quarterback in Houston for two more seasons but never again saw as much action.

Domanick Davis (who would later change his last name to Williams) continued to have a productive rookie year, ending up with 1031 rushing yards on 231 carries (4.3 avg.) and another 351 yards on 47 pass receptions. Andre Johnson also had an outstanding first season, catching 66 passes for 976 yards (14.8 avg.) and four touchdowns.

Stephen Davis rushed for a career-high 1444 yards on 318 attempts (4.5 avg.) and scoring eight TDs. It was his fourth (and last) thousand-yard rushing season and resulted in his being selected to the Pro Bowl for the third time. 

2002: Panthers Beat Ravens to End 15-Game Losing Streak

The Carolina Panthers won their first game of the 2001 NFL season – and proceeded to lose the remaining 15 straight contests, something no club in league history had done before. On September 8, 2002 they hosted the Baltimore Ravens, nearly a year to the day since their last win, with hopes of ending the skid as part of a new beginning for the franchise.

George Seifert had been replaced as head coach by John Fox, formerly defensive coordinator of the Giants. The team also added DE Julius Peppers, the second overall pick in the ’02 draft out of North Carolina (the expansion Houston Texans had the first choice), and rookie RB DeShaun Foster from UCLA. RB Lamar Smith, a free agent signed away from Miami, was brought in to bolster the running game. And Coach Fox decided to bench QB Chris Weinke, who had suffered through a difficult first season starting for the 1-15 team, in favor of 36-year-old journeyman Rodney Peete (pictured above), who had been sitting on Oakland’s bench for two years and had not thrown a pass in a regular season game since he was with the Redskins in 1999.

As for the visiting Ravens, coached by Brian Billick, they were two years removed from being a Super Bowl champion and had gone 10-6 in 2001. Defense had carried them to a title, but while they still had a strong nucleus of talent, salary cap problems had forced them to jettison several players. The offense would have a new starting quarterback as well in Chris Redman, a third-year player. RB Jamal Lewis, who was outstanding as a rookie for the 2000 Championship team, was back after missing all of ’01 due to a knee injury.

Most of the scoring came in the first quarter. On their second possession of the game, the Ravens went 80 yards in 9 plays that featured a 22-yard pass completion from Redman to WR Brandon Stokley in a third-and-eight situation and a 36-yard pass play to WR Travis Taylor that got the ball to the Carolina 11 yard line. Redmon threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to WR Ron Johnson and, with Matt Stover’s successful extra point, Baltimore was ahead by 7-0.

The Panthers, however, came right back with a scoring drive of their own that also covered 80 yards. Rodney Peete completed three passes, the second to WR Muhsin Muhammad for 33 yards and the third to TE Wesley Walls for a 20-yard TD. John Kasay, the last remaining original member of the Panthers, added the extra point to tie the contest.

In the second quarter, and following a punt by the Ravens, Carolina went 40 yards in 10 plays to score again. Peete threw to Walls for 18 yards on a third-and-13 play and RB Nick Goings converted another third down with a 20-yard run to the Baltimore 12. John Kasay kicked a 27-yard field goal and the Panthers were up by three points.

That was it for the scoring. Twice the Ravens moved into Carolina territory but were forced to punt, and the Panthers were consistently kept on their end of the field. A 47-yard field goal attempt by Stover late in the third quarter was unsuccessful. Midway through the final period, the Panthers put together a promising drive that reached the Baltimore 33 in ten plays, but Kasay’s 50-yard field goal attempt failed.

With under two minutes remaining and the ball approaching midfield, Redman threw a pass that was deflected by Julius Peppers and intercepted by LB Dan Morgan, who returned it 22 yards, and that was it. Amid great celebration worthy of a postseason victory, Carolina came away a winner by the score of 10-7.

“It just feels so incredible to finally win again and to finish a game and just put an end to all this misery,” said the 13-year veteran Wesley Walls, who had scored Carolina’s lone touchdown.

The statistics reflected the low point total. The Ravens had the most total yards (289 to 265) while both teams had 15 first downs apiece. There was only one turnover – the game-clinching interception at the end – and the clubs combined for 13 punts.

In a workmanlike performance, Rodney Peete completed 12 of 19 passes for 136 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Lamar Smith ran the ball 24 times for 84 yards. WR Steve Smith caught 4 passes for 38 yards and Wesley Walls also gained 38 yards on his two receptions that included a TD.

For the Ravens, Chris Redman was successful on 20 of 34 throws for 218 yards with a TD and one picked off. Jamal Lewis gained 64 yards on 17 rushing attempts and gained 33 more on 4 catches. Brandon Stokley was the top receiver with 6 receptions for 83 yards.

The Panthers doubled their win total of the previous year the next week against the Lions and reached 3-0 before dropping eight straight games. Still, they ended up with a much-improved 7-9 record that put them fourth in the NFC South. A year later they were NFC Champions – a remarkable two-year turnaround from 1-15 in 2001. Baltimore was also 7-9 to finish third in the AFC North.

Rodney Peete enjoyed something of a resurgence in his last year as a starting quarterback (he lasted two more seasons as a backup). He completed 58.5 percent of his passes for a career-high 2630 yards and 15 touchdowns along with 14 interceptions. While his physical skills had declined, he provided solid leadership to the rebuilding club.

2004: Patriots Edge Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII

Super Bowl XXXVIII on February 1, 2004 matched the New England Patriots, champions of the AFC after compiling a league-best 14-2 record, against the Carolina Panthers, representatives of the NFC following an 11-5 regular season in 2003. The teams had been in radically different places just two years earlier – while the Patriots were coming out of nowhere to win their first title, the Panthers had gone a dreadful 1-15.

New England had risen to prominence under Head Coach Bill Belichick and had uncovered a major talent in QB Tom Brady (pictured above). Unheralded coming out of Michigan in 2000, Brady replaced veteran Drew Bledsoe during the ’01 season that ended in a championship and was continuing to develop into an elite quarterback. The nondescript but effective receiving corps was led by wide receivers Troy Brown and Deion Branch. Running backs Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk both ran for over 600 yards (642 and 638, respectively) while Faulk added 48 pass receptions for another 440 yards. The tough defense contained All-Pros in DT Richard Seymour, CB Ty Law, and SS Rodney Harrison, plus Pro Bowl DE/LB Willie McGinest and a solid group of linebackers that included Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi. New England won a close Divisional playoff game against Tennessee and then defeated the Colts, with Brady’s quarterback archrival Peyton Manning, for the AFC title.


Carolina was coached by the defensive-minded John Fox, and defense was the source of the team’s rise. The front four was especially effective with ends Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers and tackles Kris Jenkins and Brentson Buckner. The conservative offense was guided by QB Jake Delhomme (pictured at left) and benefited from the presence of ex-Redskins RB Stephen Davis (1444 yards) and rookie backup DeShaun Foster. Eighth-year veteran WR Muhsin Muhammad (54 catches, 837 yards) was paired with rising star Steve Smith (88 catches, 1110 yards). The Panthers won the NFC South to make the playoffs for the second time in their nine-year history, beat Dallas in the Wild Card round, just got past the Rams in overtime in their Divisional game, and earned a trip to the Super Bowl with a 14-3 win over the Eagles in the NFC Championship game at Philadelphia.

There was a crowd of 71,525 at Houston’s Reliant Stadium that witnessed a slow-developing contest. The Panthers didn’t manage so much as a first down until their fourth possession, late in the first quarter. New England, starting its first series on the Carolina 46, got pass completions by Brady to Branch for 16 yards and Troy Brown for 12, but after getting to the 13 yard line, the normally-dependable Adam Vinatieri missed a 31-yard field goal attempt. For the rest of the opening period, the Patriots couldn’t move the ball effectively either despite winning the battle for field position. Carolina’s defense played its part, especially in one key instance when LB Will Witherspoon dropped Brown for a loss of ten yards on a third-down end-around play that took the Patriots out of field goal range.

New England finally put together a long 13-play, 57-yard drive in the second quarter, methodically moving down the field, but again came up empty when Vinatieri’s 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by DE Shane Burton. The Patriots got a break four plays later when Delhomme fumbled while being sacked by Vrabel and Seymour recovered at the Carolina 20. Brady capped the four-play series with a five-yard touchdown pass to Branch to end the longest opening scoring drought in Super Bowl history.

With just over three minutes remaining in the first half, the Panthers offense gained possession at their 10 yard line, and having been dominated in total yardage by a margin of 125 to -7, it seemed like another fruitless series until Delhomme completed a third-and-five pass to WR Ricky Proehl for 13 yards. Following the two-minute warning, Delhomme completed two more throws, to Muhammad for 23 yards and back to Proehl for 15 to penetrate into New England territory. Three plays later, and facing a third-and-ten situation, Delhomme threw to Steve Smith for a 39-yard touchdown and, with John Kasay’s extra point, the score was tied at 7-7.

The Patriots came right back on a 78-yard drive over six plays that featured a Brady pass to Branch for a 52-yard gain to the Carolina 14. Brady capped the series with a five-yard scoring toss to WR David Givens to again put New England up by a touchdown. On the last play of the half, after the squibbed kickoff was returned 12 yards by TE Kris Mangum and Stephen Davis ran for 21 yards, Kasay booted a 50-yard field goal and it was 14-10 going into the intermission.

Following a halftime that included a notorious wardrobe malfunction and concluded with New England LB Matt Chatham tackling a streaker on the field, the teams resumed play in much the same way that they started the game – trading punts after short possessions. Again it was the Patriots taking the initiative as they got the ball at their own 44 following a Carolina punt with 4:37 to go in the period. On an eight-play drive that was highlighted by Brady completions of 16 yards to Branch and 33 to TE Daniel Graham, Antowain Smith ran for a two-yard TD early in the fourth quarter and the Patriots extended their margin to 21-10.

The Panthers again came alive on offense with Delhomme throwing passes to Muhammad for 13 yards and Steve Smith for 18 and 22 and DeShaun Foster running for a 33-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the margin at five points, and it seemed as though the Patriots would add to their lead when they went 64 yards in 10 plays that included three Brady pass completions and a 23-yard run by Kevin Faulk to the Carolina 10. But facing a third-and-goal situation, Brady threw off-balance and was intercepted by CB Reggie Howard, and three plays later Delhomme connected with Muhammad for an 85-yard touchdown. In stunning fashion, the Panthers were in front by a score of 22-21, although another try for a two-point conversion was unsuccessful.

There were now just under seven minutes to play, and New England again drove down the field. Brady completed six passes in the 11-play series, the last to Vrabel, inserted on offense as a tight end, for a one-yard touchdown. Faulk successfully ran for two points and the Patriots were back in front at 29-22.

Steve Smith’s 37-yard kickoff return was negated by a penalty, and the Panthers had to start the next possession at their 19. Delhomme, who had started the game so poorly, was now unstoppable as he succeeded on five of his six passes, including 19 yards to Muhammad and 31 yards to Proehl. The last was for 12 yards and a touchdown to Proehl and, with Kasay’s successful extra point, the game was tied at 29-29.

New England started the next series at its 40, thanks to Kasay booting the kickoff out of bounds, with the clock down to 1:08. After an incomplete pass, Brady connected with Brown for 13 yards and, following a timeout and a 10-yard penalty, hit Brown again for 13 yards to the Carolina 44. A four-yard completion to Graham got the ball to the 40 and then Brady found Branch for 17 yards to the 23. From there, Vinatieri (pictured below) re-burnished his credentials as a clutch kicker by booting a 41-yard field goal, and the Patriots were champions for the second time in three years by a score of 32-29.


The combined 37 points in the fourth quarter were the most in any quarter of Super Bowl play to date. New England outgained the Panthers by 481 yards to 387 and also accumulated more first downs, 29 to 17. Each team turned the ball over once. Delhomme was sacked four times, twice by Vrabel, while the Panthers failed to record any sacks.

Tom Brady, the game’s MVP, completed 32 of 48 passes for 354 yards with three touchdowns and the one interception. Deion Branch caught 10 of those throws for 143 yards and a TD and Troy Brown contributed 8 for 76 yards. Antowain Smith led the ground game with 26 carries for 83 yards and a score.


For the Panthers, Jake Delhomme missed on eight of his first nine pass attempts but rallied from there, completing 16 of 33 throws for 323 yards and three TDs with none intercepted. Muhsin Muhammad (pictured at right) caught 4 passes for 140 yards and the long touchdown, Steve Smith gained 80 yards and scored a TD on his 4 receptions, and Ricky Proehl also caught 4, for 71 yards with a score. Stephen Davis rushed for 49 yards on 13 attempts and DeShaun Foster added 43 yards on just three carries thanks to his scoring run.

“Nobody makes all of them. But if you've got to have one kick with everything on the line, he's the one you want kicking it,” Bill Belichick said of Adam Vinatieri, who was successful on just one of three field goal attempts, but connected when the game was on the line – just as he had against the Rams two years before. “It was an awesome kick. It was a great kick. That's the game. That's what Adam's here for.”

The Patriots went on to make it three championships in four years in 2004, again going 14-2 and defeating the Eagles in the Super Bowl. Carolina slumped to 7-9 in ’04 but returned to the playoffs in 2005 and made it to the NFC Championship game before succumbing to the Seahawks.

2003: Panthers Defeat Cardinals to Clinch Division Title

In their first eight years after coming into the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1995, the Carolina Panthers achieved both a winning record and division title on one occasion, in 1996. Since that time, they had reached .500 once and, in 2001, suffered through a dreadful 1-15 season. On December 14, 2003 the Panthers faced the Arizona Cardinals sporting an 8-5 tally and with an opportunity to once again reach the playoffs.

In the second year under Head Coach John Fox, Carolina was better offensively thanks to the addition of veteran RB Stephen Davis, who had been obtained from the Redskins. QB Jake Delhomme, in his first year starting behind center, was improving as the weeks went by in operating the conservative attack and had a good target when he passed in up-and-coming WR Steve Smith (pictured above). The defense was the key to the team’s turnaround, however, and the strength of that unit was the outstanding line that featured ends Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers and tackles Kris Jenkins and Brentson Buckner. However, after starting off 8-2, Carolina had lost its previous three games and needed to get back into the win column.

As for the Cardinals, coached by Dave McGinnis, the season was already yet another lost cause in what had been the franchise’s long-time pattern. They were 3-10 coming into the contest with Carolina and had lost five straight.

There were just 23,217 in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium and the game started off with a rash of turnovers. The Cardinals got a 35-yard return of the opening kickoff by RB Josh Scobey to provide them with good initial field position at their own 46 yard line, but two plays later RB Marcel Shipp fumbled and CB Dante Wesley recovered for Carolina. Delhomme’s first pass of the day was intercepted by safety Dexter Jackson. Arizona QB Josh McCown, making his first start in his second year with the club, was in turn picked off by SS Mike Minter, who returned it 35 yards for a touchdown to put the Panthers ahead by 7-0.

The teams traded punts before the Cardinals put together a scoring drive of 80 yards in 10 plays. McCown completed all four of his passes and ran for 15 yards on a quarterback draw in a third-and-twelve situation. He rolled out and ran again for a 16-yard touchdown and the score was tied at 7-7 following one quarter of action.

Carolina started off the second quarter by driving to the Arizona 32, but Delhomme fumbled when hit by DE Fred Wakefield and the Cards recovered. They again mounted a 10-play scoring drive that went 59 yards. McCown was successful once more on all four of his passes, including a 15-yard completion to WR Anquan Boldin on a third-and-nine play to the Panthers’ four. On the next play, aging all-time great RB Emmitt Smith ran the remaining distance for a TD to put the Cardinals ahead.

The Panthers once more drove into Arizona territory with Delhomme completing a pass to Davis for 17 yards and RB DeShaun Foster running for a 16-yard gain, but had to punt. Arizona maintained the 14-7 lead at halftime.

The clubs again traded punts to start off the third quarter before Delhomme connected with Steve Smith for 36 yards to the Arizona 34. The drive finally ended at the three yard line and John Kasay kicked a 21-yard field goal that narrowed the Cards’ lead to 14-10.

Following an Arizona series that ended with a punt, Carolina put together a 93-yard drive in nine plays that extended into the fourth quarter and put the Panthers ahead. Delhomme completed five passes, including two to Smith for 14 yards, one to TE Kris Mangum that gained 19, and a 31-yard scoring throw to Foster. With Kasay’s extra point, the Panthers had a 17-14 lead.

The Cardinals came back with a series that featured runs of 11 yards by Emmitt Smith and 21 by Shipp. They reached the Carolina 17, but a 35-yard field goal attempt by Neil Rackers was unsuccessful. The Panthers went three-and-out in their next possession and Arizona again mounted a drive from its own 30. McCown completed a pass to Boldin for a 24-yard gain in a third-and-20 situation and the series reached the Carolina 12 before penalties backed the Cardinals up. Rackers booted a 44-yard field goal and the score was tied at 17-17 with just over a minute remaining in regulation.

The Panthers came out throwing and the combination of Delhomme to Steve Smith was good for five pass completions that covered 41 yards. With time running out, Kasay was successful on a 49-yard field goal attempt and the Panthers came away with a 20-17 win and the NFC South title. It was the seventh time over the course of the season that they had won by three points or less.

The Cardinals outgained Carolina (317 yards to 298) and had more first downs (23 to 17). Each team turned the ball over twice, but the Panthers sacked McCown five times while Delhomme was dumped for a loss just once.

Steve Smith had a big performance as he caught 9 passes for 99 yards and was especially significant during the game-winning drive; he also had a 21-yard punt return. Jake Delhomme completed 20 of 32 passes for 236 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Stephen Davis led the ground game with 48 yards on 13 carries.


For the Cardinals, Josh McCown showed poise as he was successful on 14 of 25 throws for 172 yards with one picked off - he also ran six times for 48 yards and a TD. Marcel Shipp rushed for 89 yards on 23 carries while Emmitt Smith (pictured at right) contributed 23 yards and a touchdown on his 9 attempts. Anquan Boldin led the receivers with 7 catches for 73 yards.

“Are we playing our best football right now? Probably not,” said Delhomme. “But we still got the win, and that's an encouraging sign.”

They might not have been playing their best football, but the win over Arizona was the first of six straight – three to conclude the regular season with an 11-5 record and three more in the playoffs to win the NFC Championship. They lost a closely-fought Super Bowl to the Patriots. The Cardinals ended up 4-12 and at the bottom of the NFC West in what proved to be the last year for Coach McGinnis.

Steve Smith, who had caught a total of 64 passes in his first two seasons and had been better known for his outstanding kick returning, had 88 receptions for 1110 yards (12.6 avg.) and seven touchdowns. Jake Delhomme did not put up big passing numbers in a ball control offense but did crack the league’s Top 10 in yards per attempt (7.2) and yards per completion (12.1).

2006: Delhomme & Smith Lead Panthers Past Boller & Ravens

Coming off of an 11-5 record in 2005 that ended with a loss in the NFC Championship game, the Carolina Panthers lost their first two contests in ’06. However, they won their next three games as they headed to Baltimore to take on the 4-1 Ravens on October 15 at M&T Bank Stadium.

Head Coach John Fox’s Panthers had been without WR Steve Smith (pictured at right) in the first two losing games due to injury, and his return had a positive impact on the offense’s performance. Smith gave the conservative, run-oriented unit a significant receiving threat. Meanwhile, Carolina had a strong defense, as did Baltimore. Under Head Coach Brian Billick, they had dipped to 6-10 in ’05 but made a significant upgrade at quarterback in acquiring 11-year veteran Steve McNair from the Titans. The Ravens entered the game with a six-game home winning streak.

McNair came out throwing, but not to great effect. The Ravens went three-and-out in the opening series, in which the veteran passed on each down, and the second possession was marked by his tossing an interception to safety Colin Branch on the third play.


QB Jake Delhomme (pictured at left) had thrown an interception to end Carolina’s first series, but after the pickoff of the McNair pass the Panthers drove 59 yards on nine plays, highlighted by pass completions of 32 and 16 yards to Smith, that culminated in a 21-yard field goal by John Kasay. On the first play of the next Baltimore possession, McNair was hit hard by LB Chris Draft and DE Mike Rucker - not only was he sacked, but the quarterback was forced to leave the game. He was replaced by backup Kyle Boller.

Boller, a fourth-year pro who had started nine games the previous season, had been relegated to the bench once McNair was obtained. However, after the teams traded fumbles and the Panthers punted early in the second quarter, Boller directed the Ravens on a 13-play, 73-yard drive that included a three-yard run in a fourth-and-one situation and ended with a touchdown pass of 14 yards to WR Mark Clayton. Baltimore was up by 7-3.

Carolina came back with an eight-play drive that also ended in a score as Delhomme connected with WR Drew Carter for a 42-yard touchdown. A 31-yard field goal by Kasay at the end of the half gave the Panthers a 13-7 lead at the intermission.

Both quarterbacks gave up interceptions in their teams’ initial second half possessions. Baltimore controlled the ball for most of the third quarter, but neither club scored. In the fourth quarter, after a long 15-play, 91-yard drive that ate up nearly eight minutes, Kasay kicked a 21-yard field goal to extend Carolina’s lead to 16-7. Along the way, Steve Smith gained 58 yards on three catches.

After the teams traded punts, the Ravens struck for a big play as Boller connected with Clayton for a 62-yard touchdown that narrowed the margin to 16-14. But the Panthers responded on the very next play from scrimmage with a 72-yard Delhomme-to-Smith TD pass, quieting the record crowd of 70,762.

Baltimore came back to score on the next possession, going 68 yards in seven plays highlighted by a 35-yard pass play from Boller to WR Demetrius Williams and capped with a seven-yard touchdown pass to TE Todd Heap. Once again, it was a two-point game with just over two minutes remaining in the game.

But while the Ravens had all three timeouts, they never got another chance on offense. On a key third-and-one situation at the Carolina 46, Delhomme completed a four-yard pass to Carter for a first down and the Panthers ran out the clock to win, 23-21.

Jake Delhomme completed 24 of 39 passes for 365 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Steve Smith was the recipient of 8 of those completions for 189 yards and the long TD. The aerial game had been crucial as the tough Baltimore defense held the Panthers to just 58 yards rushing on 30 attempts; RB DeShaun Foster accounted for all of the yards on 26 of the carries.


In relief, Kyle Boller (pictured at right) had a solid passing performance with 17 completions in 31 attempts for 226 yards with three touchdowns and one picked off. Mark Clayton caught 5 passes for 101 yards and two TDs; Todd Heap gained 55 yards on his 5 receptions and scored a touchdown. The Ravens were only a bit better running the ball, with a total of 80 yards, and RB Jamal Lewis accounted for 41 of that total on his nine carries; Boller took off and ran six times for 27 yards.

Overall, the Panthers gained 414 total yards, to 292 for Baltimore. Having come into the game ranked last in the league in third down conversions, Carolina converted a crucial 7 of 15, including the game-clincher at the end.

“It’s always frustrating when the other team converts third downs,” said Baltimore LB Terrell Suggs. “We wanted to get off the field, but they kept making big plays. I give them a lot of credit.”

DE Julius Peppers had two sacks and eight tackles for the Panthers and complimented the backup quarterback, Boller. “He did a good job when he came in. He got them some points and moved the ball.”

The win proved to be the high point of the season for Carolina – the Panthers lost six of their next eight games, including four straight at one point, and finished in second place in the NFC South with an 8-8 record. Baltimore went in the other direction, winning nine of their remaining ten contests to win the AFC North with a 13-3 tally. They lost to the Colts in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Steve Smith caught 83 passes for 1166 yards (14.0 average) and eight touchdowns. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the third time.

With Steve McNair returning to action, Kyle Boller went back to the bench and saw only limited time the rest of the way. He completed 33 of 55 passes for 485 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions.

2004: Panthers Lose Lead to Rams but Win in Overtime

The Carolina Panthers, going to the playoffs for the second time in their brief history, traveled to St. Louis to play the Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on January 10, 2004. What ensued was a game of drama and missed opportunities that, in the end, came down to a big play.

The Panthers went 11-5 during the 2003 regular season to win the NFC South. Under Head Coach John Fox, they featured a solid defense anchored by ends Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers and tackle Kris Jenkins. The offense was based on a strong running attack led by veteran Stephen Davis (1444 yards), signed as a free agent from Washington in the offseason, and DeShaun Foster. Jake Delhomme became the starting quarterback and showed poise, throwing primarily to outstanding WR Steve Smith (88 catches, 1110 yards). They were at their best in close games, going 10-3 during the ’03 season in games decided by six points or less.

St. Louis led the NFC West for the third time in five years with a 12-4 record under Head Coach Mike Martz. Marc Bulger replaced injury-plagued Kurt Warner as the starting quarterback and still had outstanding receivers to throw to, most notably wide receivers Torry Holt, the league leader in both receptions (117) and yards (1696) and Isaac Bruce. The great all-purpose RB Marshall Faulk was showing signs of wear, but still rushed for 818 yards and caught 45 passes.

The Panthers defeated Dallas in the Wild Card round to advance while the Rams had the advantage of a week off thanks to their second-seeding in the NFC.

Carolina’s offense struggled and while the Rams led 6-0 early in the second quarter, they had twice made it inside the 10 yard line but were forced to settle for field goals by Jeff Wilkins of 20 and 26 yards. The Panthers scored on their third possession of the game shortly after the second Rams field goal on a questionable fumble recovery of a botched Delhomme shovel pass in the end zone by WR Muhsin Muhammad. The teams traded field goals, with John Kasay giving Carolina a 10-9 lead from 45 yards out with just over a minute remaining in the half.


It was a battle of field goals in the third quarter as Wilkins (pictured at right) put the Rams back ahead with a 51-yard three-pointer on the first St. Louis possession of the second half, but Kasay kicked two, of 52 and 34 yards, to make the score 16-12 in favor of Carolina by the end of the period. When RB Brad Hoover ran for a seven-yard TD just over six minutes into the fourth quarter, the Panthers went up by 23-12 and seemed to have the game well in hand, especially when safety Mike Minter intercepted a pass by Bulger on the Rams’ very next play. However, in a third-and-six situation DT Tyoka Jackson sacked Delhomme for an 11-yard loss that forced the Panthers to attempt a long field goal; Kasay’s 53-yard kick hit the left upright and bounced away.

The rejuvenated Rams, starting with 6:29 remaining on the clock, drove down the field with the partisan home crowd of 66,165 roaring all the way, converting four third downs and a fourth down in the process. Faulk, who gained 16 yards on a pass from Bulger on the successful fourth down play, scored a one-yard touchdown to cap the drive. St. Louis successfully went for two points, with Bulger passing to WR Dane Looker, and the Carolina lead was cut to 23-20.

The Rams went for the onside kick which, surprisingly, the placekicker Wilkins recovered with 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter. In a controversial decision, Coach Martz chose to let the clock run down and play for the tie and overtime rather than try for a touchdown in regulation. Wilkins successfully converted the 33-yard field goal, and the game proceeded into overtime with a 23-23 score.

The Panthers took the first possession of the “sudden death” period and made it appear that it would be the only one as they drove to the St. Louis 22 yard line. From there, Kasay kicked an apparent 40-yard field goal, but the Panthers were called for delay of game. Two running plays actually backed Carolina up and when Kasay again tried for a field goal from 45 yards, it went wide to the right.

Now it was the turn of the Rams offense, and they moved the ball to the Carolina 35, but Wilkins was short on a three-point attempt from 53 yards. The Panthers had to punt on their next possession, but got the ball back when CB Ricky Manning Jr. outwrestled Holt to intercept a Bulger pass with a minute remaining in the first period of overtime.

On a third-and-14 situation in the first play of the second overtime period, Delhomme hit Smith on a pass and run that covered 69 yards for the winning touchdown. The result of the tense, draining game was 29-23 in favor of the upstart Panthers.


Smith (pictured at top) was the offensive star for Carolina, not only scoring the game-winning touchdown in spectacular fashion but accumulating 163 yards on 6 pass receptions. Jake Delhomme completed 16 of 26 passes for 290 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Stephen Davis ran for 86 yards on 6 carries, but had to leave the game in the second quarter after suffering a quadriceps injury on a 64-yard run. DeShaun Foster (pictured above left) performed admirably in his place, rushing for 95 yards on 21 attempts. The Panthers won in spite of committing 13 penalties, costing them 92 yards, along the way.

In defeat, Marc Bulger threw for 332 yards while completing 27 of 46 passes with no TDs and, critically, three interceptions. Marshall Faulk caught the most passes with 9 for 78 yards to go along with his team-leading 53 rushing yards on 19 attempts. Isaac Bruce had 116 yards on 7 pass receptions. Jeff Wilkins tied a NFL postseason record with his five field goals, although he missed a potential game-winner in overtime.

Mike Martz defended his decision to not go for the win in regulation, saying “I felt like if we could get it into overtime, we would win this game.” It was the first time the Rams ever lost a postseason home game since moving to St. Louis.

Carolina went on to win the NFC Championship, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles handily, 14-3, but lost a hard-fought game in the Super Bowl to New England. For the Rams, it was the start of a period of decline; they made it into the postseason in ’04 with an 8-8 record, lost in the Wild Card round, and settled in to a long playoff drought.