Panthers revive memories of Super Bowl run

Oct 6, 2008 - 6:41 PM By Tom Torrisi PA SportsTicker Pro Football Editor

It's starting to look a lot like 2003 for the Carolina Panthers. And for quarterback Jake Delhomme and Co., it cannot get much better than that.

The Panthers are one of the NFL's surprise teams, off to a 4-1 start in the wake of Sunday's 34-0 demolition of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Sitting atop the NFC South and holding a one-game lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina bears an eerie resemblance to the 2003 team that lost Super Bowl XXXVIII to the New England Patriots, 32-29, on a last-second field goal.

"We are running the football. We were really able to run it in '03, and I think we have a great mix," Delhomme said. "We are somewhat younger, but I think we have the right mix of veterans."

Start with Delhomme, who was in his first season with the Panthers as a starter in 2003, having left the New Orleans Saints as a free agent.

Sure, the experience factor is much greater this time around for Delhomme, but the former NFL Europe quarterback still experienced a first coming into this season: He was just the third NFL quarterback to ever undergo "Tommy John" surgery - and only the second to resume his career.

The early returns have been promising. Delhomme has completed just over 60 percent (86-of-142) of his passes for 1,096 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions while showing no effects from the surgery to repair a torn elbow ligament.

"Jake is just getting better," Panthers coach John Fox said. "A lot was made of his arm in the offseason. A lot was made of whether he'd be healthy to play. Once we got going, I never really thought about his arm. It was just the whole year off that he took, especially at the quarterback position.

"I've seen him play a lot better in the last two weeks."

The numbers reflect it. Delhomme's yards per pass has nearly doubled the past two weeks, jumping from 6.0 in Week One to 10.7 yards per attempt on Sunday.

That rise coincided with the return of star wide receiver Steve Smith, who was suspended for the first two games by Fox for throwing a sucker punch at teammate Ken Lucas during the preseason.

Smith has been reunited with fellow wideout Muhsin Muhammad, who spent his first nine seasons with the Panthers and formed a potent tandem with Smith during that memorable 2003 season.

Muhammad rejoined Carolina as a free agent in February after spending three years with the Chicago Bears, and again is providing a solid complement to the speedy Smith.

Against the Chiefs, Smith had six receptions for 96 yards and Muhammad had three catches for 71 yards and a touchdown. One week earlier, both players got in the end zone as Smith posted identical numbers and Muhammad pulled in eight balls for 147 yards.

"We both like to make big plays," Muhammad said. "We work hard every week in practice, and I think that is where we hone our skills and challenge each other. If we make big plays, that allows our defense to rest and be fresh on the field and they can pin their ears back. When they have a lead to protect, they do a great job of going out and playing hard."

Indeed, the defense has done its share while facing a who's who of elite running backs through the first five weeks. In succession, the Panthers have gone up against LaDainian Tomlinson, rookie Matt Forte, Adrian Peterson, Michael Turner and Larry Johnson.

All but Tomlinson are ranked among the top eight rushers in the league, but none of the backs reached 100 yards against Carolina, which swallowed up Johnson, holding him to two yards after a 198-yard effort the previous week.

"That is something we thrive on," safety Chris Harris said. "We love the challenge anytime we get the chance. We have had five straight. We thrive on that. That makes us better. We don't want to be that team that gave up 150 or 200 yards to a running back. It's motivation."

"I think they continue to get better and have a little more swagger each week," Fox said of the defense. "It doesn't matter who you're playing, to get a shutout in this league is very difficult."

Meanwhile, the Panthers are punishing opponents with their own ground game, sparked by the two-pronged attack of DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart, who gouged the Chiefs for 205 yards rushing despite playing without starting tackles Jordan Gross and Jeff Otah.

Williams had three touchdowns against Kansas City and has piled up 324 yards on 75 carries. Stewart, the No. 13 overall pick, has 269 yards and four touchdowns on 11 fewer carries.

"Coach does a great job of rotating us," Williams said. "So whether it is me or him, we just try to keep the pressure on the defense. We try to create things. Jonathan is a powerful runner; he bangs in there. And I get in there and bang a little bit or cut. But I think we complement each other well."

The running game also was a hallmark of the 2003 squad, with Stephen Davis rambling for over 1,400 yards and DeShaun Foster chipping in 630 combined yards.

Fox said it's no accident that the Panthers are having success with a similar blueprint.

"What happens in football, offensively, is we try to establish the run. We make no bones about it," he said.

There's one other notable similarity to the 2003 team. It made its run to the Super Bowl following a 7-9 mark the previous season.

Carolina's record in 2007: 7-9.

Fox acknowledged that the Panthers are built along the same lines as five years ago - "We've wanted to be like that every year" - but cautioned against looking too far ahead.

"I think the goal is to get to a Super Bowl and win it - I think that's probably everybody's goal," Fox said. "It is hard to compare. The only good thing is that we both had good records at this point. So that would be a comparison.

"The reality, in this league, is that we're only guaranteed 4-12."