Aside from a play early in the game when quarterback Jake Delhomme's pants ripped, the Carolina Panthers held together nicely on Sunday, routing the Atlanta Falcons to clinch a berth in the playoffs.
After the game, Delhomme laughed about the incident, and the Panthers (11-5) exhaled. They were in control of the National Football Conference South on Dec. 4 with a 9-3 record, but then lost two of their next three games and needed a victory at Atlanta to assure a place in the playoffs. Carolina claimed one of the NFC's two wild-card spots with a 44-11 victory and will play the Giants next Sunday at Giants Stadium.
"We've had a few opportunities here in the last month, and it basically got down to one left," Fox said. "Fortunately, we were able to get over the hump."
PHOTO: AFP
Delhomme completed 14 of 20 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns, and DeShaun Foster rushed for 165 yards against the Falcons, who were eliminated from playoff contention last week.
Delhomme threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ricky Proehl on Carolina's first series to give the Panthers a 7-0 lead. On the Panthers' second possession, Foster ran 70 yards for a touchdown, the longest scoring run in team history.
Carolina was so efficient on offense that it scored on its first five possessions and led by 27-3 at halftime. The Panthers converted their first five third-down chances, averaging 30 yards on third-down plays in their first two series.
PHOTO: EPA
Wide receiver Steve Smith caught nine passes for 131 yards against an overmatched Atlanta secondary, which was playing without the All-Pro cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who has an injured shoulder.
"We had some good one-on-one opportunities and our receivers made the most of them," Delhomme said.
The Panthers entered the game 1-9 at the Georgia Dome, and they were averaging only 3.2 yards a carry, 31st in the NFL. Foster averaged 9.2 yards a carry Sunday.
A fourth-year running back from UCLA, Foster had only one other 100-yard rushing game this season -- against the Falcons on Dec. 4, when he ran for 131 yards.
The Falcons were in such disarray that when they forced the Panthers to punt for the first time -- with 3 minutes 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter -- punt returner Michael Jenkins fumbled.
The Falcons were booed by their fans, a stark contrast to the first game of the season here, when the Falcons beat the Philadelphia Eagles, the defending NFC champions, and were declared a leading Super Bowl contender.
But after winning six of their first eight games, the Falcons ended at 8-8. A victory Sunday would have given Atlanta its first back-to-back winning seasons.
For the second time this season, the Panthers bottled up Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. He was 15 of 24 passing for 115 yards. He was sacked three times and, for the first time this season, had no yards rushing. The last time Vick did not have any rushing yards was Nov. 3, 2002, against the Ravens.
Steelers 35, Lions 21
At Pittsburgh, Jerome Bettis, playing what is likely his final game in Pittsburgh, matched his career high with three touchdown runs, none longer than 5 yards, as the Steelers overcame some sloppy defensive play to secure their 10th playoff appearance in 14 seasons under coach Bill Cowher.
Bettis, the fifth-leading rusher in NFL history, ran for just 41 yards as Willie Parker got most of the carries and gained 135. But Bettis scored on runs of 1, 5 and 4 yards to help the Steelers (11-5) overcome an early 14-7 deficit against the Lions (5-11), who finished another dismal season with six losses in their final seven games.
The Steelers won their fourth in a row to return to the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. They will play Sunday at AFC North rival Cincinnati (11-5).
Buccaneers 27, Saints 13
At Tampa, Florida, Joey Galloway caught two touchdown passes from Chris Simms as the Buccaneers clinched their first NFC South title in three years and guaranteed themselves a home playoff game.
Tampa Bay (11-5) was assured a playoff berth when the Giants beat the Raiders on Saturday night, but needed to beat the Saints (3-13) to finish a worst-to-first turnaround few people envisioned when the season began.
The Bucs lost 20 of 32 games and missed the playoffs the past two seasons, becoming the first team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl and then post losing records the following two years. Tampa Bay will host Washington on Saturday.
Galloway has been a big part of the transformation, rebounding from injuries that sidelined him part of 2004 with 83 receptions for 1,287 yards.
Vikings 34, Bears 10
At Minneapolis, Mike Tice left the Metrodome a winner, then lost his job when he was fired as Vikings coach.
Brad Johnson passed for 247 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Vikings past the NFC North champion Bears, who sat many regulars.
Minnesota (9-7) finished with a winning record, but it was not enough to save Tice after another up-and-down season marred by a scandalous boat party during the team's bye week.
Colts 17, Cardinals 13
At Indianapolis, Tony Dungy grabbed the game ball in his right hand, raised it and pumped it toward the crowd in relief. It was a rare emotional outburst for the usually stoic Colts coach.
The Colts' defense had a late goal line stand after Jim Sorgi threw two touchdown passes to give Dungy a victory three days after he returned to the team following his oldest son's funeral in Tampa.
Browns 20, Ravens 16
At Cleveland, Dennis Northcutt's 62-yard punt return helped the Browns win their sixth game under first-year coach Romeo Crennel.
Earlier this season, Northcutt twice brought back punts for TDs that were nullified by penalties. After his third-quarter jaunt, he checked to be certain there were no penalty flags and waved his arms like an official.
It was the first win in the AFC North for the Browns (6-10), who were embarrassed 41-0 by Pittsburgh a week ago. They finished with two more victories under Crennel than they had in 2004. The Ravens (6-10) had won their two previous games, leading owner Steve Bisciotti to say coach Brian Billick would be back next season.
Chiefs 37, Bengals 3
At Kansas City, Missouri, Dick Vermeil went out with a win on his home field -- and a loss on another field hundreds of miles away.
Larry Johnson ran for 201 yards and a career-high three scores on 21 carries, his ninth straight 100-yard game, and broke Kansas City's single-season rushing record. However, Pittsburgh's 35-21 victory over Detroit kept the Chiefs (10-6) from reaching the AFC playoffs, meaning Vermeil's decision to retire at the end of the season takes effect immediately.
Cincinnati hosts Pittsburgh in a wild-card game.
Packers 23, Seahawks 17
At Green Bay, Wisconsin, Brett Favre gave Lambeau Field fans who want him to return a treat by throwing his first touchdown pass in five games to lead Green Bay (4-12) by the Seahawks.
Seattle's Shaun Alexander stole the show, setting an NFL record for touchdowns in a season with 28. He also clinched the NFL rushing title, rushing for 73 yards to pass the New York Giants' Tiki Barber.
Favre was 21-of-37 for 259 yards as the Seahawks (13-2) played backups in the second half. They already have clinched home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.
49ers 20, Texans 17, OT
At San Francisco, the Houston Texans had so much to lose if they won their season finale. They nearly did it anyway.
But after one last loss, fans of the Texans (2-14) might have felt like the real winners. Their franchise clinched the top pick and now has the chance to choose Reggie Bush, the Heisman Trophy-winning tailback from USC who's widely expected to enter the draft.
Dolphins 28, Patriots 26
At Foxborough, Massachusetts, Miami (9-7) won its sixth straight game, its longest winning streak in 13 seasons over a Patriots team which will host Jacksonville in a wild-card game next Saturday night.
The Patriots staged a late comeback in which Doug Flutie converted the NFL's first successful drop kick in 64 years, according to the Web site for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Then backup quarterback Matt Cassel cut the lead to 28-26 with a 4-yard pass to Benjamin Watson with no time left. But Cassel's pass for a 2-point conversion fell incomplete.
The 43-year-old Flutie made the NFL's first successful drop kick since Ray McLean for the Chicago Bears on Dec. 21, 1941.
Jets 30, Bills 26
At East Rutherford, New Jersey, Justin Miller returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown with 5:58 remaining, and Ty Law had three interceptions.
After Buffalo went ahead on Rian Lindell's 36-yard field goal, Miller took the ensuing kickoff and tiptoed down the sideline, finally providing the special teams score the Jets (4-12) lacked all season. Buffalo (5-11) had one final shot with 47 seconds left, but Law intercepted Kelly Holcomb's deep heave.
Jaguars 40, Titans 13
At Jacksonville, Florida, the Jags avoided another slow start and gained some much-needed momentum for the postseason. The Jaguars did it in surprising fashion, too, not needing a comeback thanks to the early work of David Garrard.
The Jaguars scored 27 points in the first half for their eighth win in the last nine games. Although all eight victories came against teams with losing records, this one felt much different than others.
After trailing in the second half in each of the last four games, Jacksonville (12-4) scored touchdowns on its first two possessions, took advantage of two turnovers and essentially sealed the victory on Derrick Wimbush's 6-yard TD run with 4:11 remaining in the second quarter.
The Jaguars already had clinched the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs and learned early in the game they will play at two-time defending champion New England (10-6) on Saturday night.
Tennessee finished 4-12.
Rams 20, Cowboys 10
At Irving, Texas, Aveion Cason and Arlen Harris ran for their first touchdowns since 2003 and Jeff Wilkins added two field goals.
The Rams (6-10) were giving up a league-worst 27.9 points per game, but came away with their stingiest effort of the season.
Although effort may be too strong a word in a game rendered meaningless when Washington beat Philadelphia and eliminated Dallas (9-7) from the wild-card chase more than an hour before kickoff.
St. Louis ended a four-game losing streak and won for only the second time in its last eight games. It may be a going-away present for Marshall Faulk, who got his first start of the season, and coach Mike Martz, who has missed the last 11 games because of health problems and is believed to be on his way out.
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