Panthers show they can still throw the ball in 30-10 win
December 15
Gaston Gazette
"After the Carolina Panthers rolled up 563 yards on the ground in their last two home games, Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan seemed determined not to let DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart beat his team on ground Sunday.
So the Broncos stacked the box with eight guys - often adding a fourth linebacker -- and forced the Panthers to beat them through the air.
And Jake Delhomme did just that.
Delhomme proved the Panthers can still be a dangerous passing team, completing 17 of 26 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown as Carolina routed Denver 30-10 to complete a perfect 8-0 regular season at Bank of America Stadium. Steve Smith caught nine passes for 165 yards and a touchdown and Muhsin Muhammad added four catches for 70 yards.
And the Broncos didn't exactly slow down Carolina's running attack.
DeAngelo Williams ran for 88 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown run on a play where the Broncos had eight men in the box. Jonathan Stewart added Carolina's other touchdown as the Panthers gained 147 yards on the ground.
"It lets other teams know that we're not a one-dimensional team," said Williams, who has scored a touchdown in seven straight games. "We can run. We can pass. We are a complete team."
Said coach John Fox: "They were stacking the box pretty good. I thought our coaching staff and players did a good job adjusting. They were susceptible to some big plays and luckily we were able to connect on them. We've had teams earlier in the season play similar types of things on us that we didn't connect as well. That is something that the players and the coaches have worked very hard on and we saw some results today."
Combined with Tampa Bay's loss to Atlanta earlier in the day, the Panthers (11-3) opened a two-game lead in the NFC South and also remained in the driver's seat as far as securing home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The Panthers can clinch both with a win over the New York Giants on Sunday night.
And given the way the Panthers are playing at Bank of America Stadium it truly would be a home-field advantage.
The Panthers have outscored their opponents 234-111 at home in 2008.
Ironically, the Panthers were very average at home since coach John Fox arrived in 2002, just 24-24 entering this season.
"I think it's great," Fox said. "It's something that we addressed in the off-season. We have a unique bunch. It was something they put on their list of goals and we were able to accomplish it. I think it was done one other time here by this organization. It's not easy to do anywhere, and so those guys ought to be commended."
Carolina's offense is hitting on all cylinders, scoring at least 30 points in four of their last five games.
The Broncos tried to derail them by using an exotic defense - adding Wesley Woodyard as a fourth linebacker."
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