The AFC West looked just the opposite in 2007. No one took a clear, winning lead in the division until week 12, when San Diego (6-5) won and pulled away from Denver (5-6), which had lost.

The Panthers last played AFC West teams in the 7-9, injury-plagued 2004 season. They went only 1-3 (winning 28-17 @ Kansas City; losing 24-27 against Oakland; losing 17-20 at Denver; and losing 6-17 against San Diego), but all four teams look dramatically different at this point, while the Panthers have not changed too much.

The dates have yet to be determined, and there are still free agency and draft acquisitions to be made, but we can still get a good idea for how these games will play out.

DENVER BRONCOS (7-9 in 2007)

This team fell apart, largely due to its defense. Elite corner backs Champ Bailey and Dre Bly of course did a great job, but they had no support. Safety John Lynch is aging, and there isn’t any depth in the secondary. The linebacking corps was shaken up with the offseason loss of middle linebacker Al Wilson, who really had led the defense. The rush defense was 31st in the league, allowing 145.9 yards per game. Good news for DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams. Still, one thing is for sure — the defense will be much better and the youth more developed in 2008 (after all, it really can’t get much worse).

The really dynamic, potentially dangerous aspect of this team is the offense. Quarterback Jay Cutler is developing along with his receivers, led by Brandon Marshall and his breakout season. Marshall was fifth in the NFL in receptions (102) and sixth in receiving yards (1,347). Brandon Stokely has also helped provide a viable passing option. Javon Walker is still on the roster for the time being, but his return does not look promising.

Cutler threw for 3,497 yards (63.6 percent completion), 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. The real question, however, is in the running game that will take pressure off the passing game. It appears runningback Travis Henry is in the clear. Rookie Selvin Young also looked good, too, in 2007. The key will be finding consistency and revitalizing the offensive line, which has been aging for a while now.

Mike Shannahan is a good coach who will make the necessary adjustments next season.  The key to this game will establishing the run in order to help against the passing game, as well as to establish a strong pass defense.  Taking Cutler’s arm out of the game will benefit the Panthers immensely.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-12 in 2007)

Letting quarterback Trent Green go was obviously not such a good idea. Damon Huard had looked good, but with all the other problems, Green would have been a better steadying force. Second-year quarterback Brodie Croyle was OK in his playing, but his youth definitely came out. It is difficult to draw any conclusions from 1,227 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions in nine games, six of which were starts. It looks like it will be a battle between Huard and Croyle once again in 2008 unless someone like Chad Pennington comes in or unless the Chiefs are willing to bank on Croyle and give him the reins, conceding that 2008 will once again be a rebuilding season.

Rookie wide receiver Dwayne Bowe was a nice surprise on offense, having 70 receptions for 995 yards. Future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez had another outstanding year with 99 receptions for 1,172 yards. And while running back Larry Johnson regressed somewhat, especially with injuries and offensive line issues, the running game will still be a force with which to be dealt.

The Kansas City defense continues to develop, particularly behind Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen. In only 14 games (having served two for a suspension stemming from a DUI), he notched 15.5 sacks. He even stepped in at tight end for goal line situations, grabbing two receptions for two touchdowns. Tamba Hali was almost as dangerous and pressuring on the other end, grabbing 7.5 sacks in only his second season (he’d also had eight as a rookie in 2006).

The three starting linebackers — Derrick Johnson, Napoleon Harris and Donnie Edwards — all provided big play, each notching at least 100 tackles in addition to sacks, interceptions and forced fumbles. At cornerback, Ty Law and Patrick Surtain are aging (13 and 10 years of experience, respectively) but still are forces to be reckoned with.

Herm Edwards will have this team back to at least .500 next season, so it’s especially good that Carolina does not have to travel to Arrowhead Stadium to play a blisteringly cold and blustery game.  As long as Carolina’s defense plays like it did toward end of the season — and especially with a little progress — they ought to be able to suppress the offense.  The key for this game will undoubtedly be to stop Allen and Hali from getting to whomever is at quarterback.  That will definitely require some work on the left side of the offensive line.

Check back for:

@ OAKLAND RAIDERS (4-12 in 2007)

@ SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (11-5 in 2007)

The 2007 season is finally over after lingering for about eight games more than anyone had wanted. The 31-23 victory against the Bucs provided an interesting game to try out some new things. So, on top of every other game of the season WITHOUT JAKE DELHOMME (because Carolina was switched on with him at quarterback), what did we learn from the Tampa Bay game?

*Matt Moore is the second-string quarterback. After all, he was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month! The guy has potential, and at this point, he has ingrained himself as the second-string quarterback. Things can certainly change with the draft and training camp ahead, but assuming Delhomme is back next season in the same form as the beginning of this season, Moore has proven himself to be the guy to back up (if not start over in the future) Delhomme.
We didn’t exactly learn this from the Tampa Bay game, but it’s as obvious as it could be at this point — David Carr is out. Why haven’t we cut him yet?
A note to John Fox: Pushing to cut Carr would be a great, simple way to demonstrate a good coaching mind.

*It’s time for DeAngelo Williams to get a majority of the carries. I’ve been hesitant on Williams. He’s not exacty a between-the-tackles built guy. He’s more like Eagles running back Brian Westbrook — short and speedy with incredible agility. But he proved himself against the Bucs (as well as against many other teams over the past couple seasons), demonstrating that his peak potential is higher than DeShaun Foster’s. Williams carried 20 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
At the beginning of next season, Carolina should maybe begin with a 50/50 split in carries. Use Foster for the hard pounding up the middle. It’s where he excels — dragging numerous defenders with him. Anyhow, about to go into his third season, Williams ought to be at the top of the depth chart now.

*It’s time for Richard Marshall to start. This is fairly obvious. Marshall had nine solo tackles, a sack and an interception against Tampa Bay. On the season, with only six starts in 16 games, he had 89 tackles (79 solo), three interceptions and a sack. He’s a second-year man like Williams, just with even less uncertainty on whether he should play more.
Of course, the big question with this is who do you demote: Chris Gamble or Ken Lucas? Lucas had 61 tackles (57 solo) and two interceptions on 16 starts. Gamble had 47 tackles (42 solo) and one interception in 15 games, although only 12 were starts. He was stuck playing quite a few games with one hand wrapped up in a cast, making him ineffective on many plays. One answer might be to keep a fairly even split in time among the three corner backs. Or, move Gamble to safety for a good many plays (as has been discussed in the past). This is because…

*The free safety position is still somewhat unsettled. Chris Harris at least gave us a solid man at strong safety. He had 96 tackles (76 solo), an interception and eight forced fumbles. Yeah, he’ll be back. However, free safety is still up in the air. Deke Cooper didn’t exactly show great or consistent play. He was decent but not quite what you want. The loss of Nate Salley at the beginning of the year hurt, too. Quinton Teal looked about as good when he stepped in. And Marquand Manuel actually looked like the best guy at the position when he entered. But it’s not clearcut. This is a position that, if Carolina address in free agency or the draft with a great coverage guy, could do wonders for helping stop the passing game.

*Wide receivers are still scattered. No one fully stepped up to really take the pressure off Steve Smith, but Drew Carter is almost there and is the No. 2 guy for now. The tall speedster had the best season of his career, with 38 receptions for 517 yards and four touchdowns. He’s improved every season in receptions, yards and touchdowns, so next season could be HUGE for him, especially given that he will have had a complete season under his belt (although he began as the No. 3 receiver behind Keary “I’ll give half a season of effort and tease people” Colbert. Rookie Dwayne Jarrett could develop… or not. Hey, Chad Johnson and Javon Walker want out. They don’t really have the character Carolina usually likes to bring in, but at this point, the Panthers realize they need someone almost equally as threatening as Smith in order for Smith to be threatening at all.

*** *** *** *** ***

In 2007, injuries were once again the downfall for the Panthers. Thus, at this point, I really would not worry about losing John Fox. There’s already such a rush to find new coaches in the NFL, Jerry Richardson really does not want to enter that market. Marty Hurney is probably safe, too. Carolina’s development and recent draft picks have been great. Just look at DeAngelo Williams, Jon Beason and Richard Marshall among many others.

Carolina will pick [hopefully lucky number] 13 in the draft April 26-27. The complete, tentative list can be seen here: 2008 NFL Draft Order. More to come on what Carolina will do and needs to do in three short months to get back on the playoff track.

*** *** *** *** ***

Some ranting…

*I hope New England gets to the Super Bowl and is promptly whooped by Green Bay or the Washington Redskins (I like those two NFC teams). Were the Patriots to lose in the AFC playoffs, San Diego, Indianapolis and Jacksonville would all be teams it would be great to see win in Foxboro.

*Some more New England dissing: Tom Brady is the MVP?   Uh, David Carr could put up Brady’s numbers if you suddenly have that receiving corps and offensive line.  Yeah, I said it.  When your receivers run perfect routes and always manage to get open — not to mention, they don’t tip a ball on a missed reception, thereby opening up for an interception.  The Patriots’ success — assuming it’s even worthy of being considered credible — was a team effort.  It’s not like Brady was that valuable a piece.  It’s a professional football system.  And Brady is lucky to be in it.  And should be castrated for his personality.  Can someone slap that weird smile off his face?  Here’s some humble pie, Brady — try being content with Bridgette Moynahan!

*And just one more rant: Can all Boston fans please now shut up and quit whining?  All your sports teams are doing an incredible job (at least the Celtics are doing it honestly; thanks to steroids in baseball, we can’t know about the RedSox, although it sounds like that entire sport is tainted).  Go Celtics (you’ve suffered in recent years).  Shut up otherwise, you spoiled brats.

*Might I be saying this had there not been a Spygate?  Eh, possibly, but not this passionately.  New England, you should have been further punished for coming so close (and with some success) to tainting what is America’s most prestigious sport, and an untainted one at that.

So what is the last memory many people have of Weinke?  Well, when Jake Delhomme was out for a couple games last season, Weinke stepped in with mixed results.  By the Christmas Eve game at Atlanta, however, just about everyone had given up on him.  To put this into perspective, teams were so unafraid of Carolina’s passing game with Weinke under center that run-happy Dan Henning just starting calling direct-snaps to DeAngelo Williams.  It actually worked fairly well.  Weinke only threw seven passes, and Carolina won 10-3.  The San Francisco-Cleveland contest might be interesting just to watch him play (if you have access to the game).

For the news story on his start, here’s where ESPN revealed that it must allow a drinking and writing:
“The start will be the first for Weinke since Christmas Eve 2006, when he led the Carolina Panthers to a 10-3 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in a game in which he threw only seven passes.”

Led?  LED?  LED?  LED?  Carolina’s defense LED the Panthers to victory by holding the Falcons to three points.  I understand how a quarterback is a leader of a team, but this is one of those clearcut cases when the quarterback doesn’t lead jack — he just doesn’t lose the game.  The guy threw seven passes, completing four.  ‘Well did he run?’ you might ask.  Once.  For no yards.  Oh, and he fumbled once, thankfully not turning it over.

I don’t care if you don’t keep track of a team or an account about which you’re writing.  A guy who does nothing but throw seven passes — again, completing only four — does not lead a team.

All that said, it was sad to see Weinke pinball so much between showing potential and showing what not to do.  I really do hope he can find a nice nook with some team in the NFL.  Hell, with the way David Carr played this season, it might have been nice to have him back instead of Carr.

Tampa Bay is a relatively balanced team, with a solid offense run by newcomer and “where else can I resurrect my career?” quarterback Jeff Garcia.  The defense is of course staunch with Pro Bowl-caliber players at every position.  What should Carolina test? Let’s break it down by position.

Quarterback
Bleh.  What a mess.  Start Matt Moore and play him for the entire game.  This guy looks like he will be the No. 2 quarterback next year unless Carolina decides to get a veteran for the No. 2 job.  Jake Delhomme will be back next year, and there’s even a chance that there could be a good quarterback to snag in the draft.

Runningback
Give Alex Haynes some carries.  Between injuries and releases, DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams have been the only people worth even trying all season.  Haynes is a guy who has been off-and-on with the Panthers for a few years now, spending time on the roster, the practice squad and NFL Europe.

We know what Foster and Williams can do, although some of the more intricate run options might be interesting to try, especially with Williams.  This was the year when the offensive line became comfortable with Davidson’s zone blocking scheme.  Expect the run to be a lot more efficient next year.

Offensive Line
With the running game should be mentioned the offensive line.  It has been relatively in tact for a couple years now.  Rookie Ryan Kalil is looking like a great, versatile grab from the draft.  He will fill in at center against Tampa Bay, although it would be nice to see him get some time at guard, since that’s where he will likely be playing on a regular basis.

Carolina probably ought to invest a draft pick in a good offensive tackle in the first four rounds of the draft, as well as get a good tackle in free agency.  This game will be a real test for left tackle Travelle Wharton, who has been inconsistent this season.  Tampa Bay is right at the middle of the league in sacks (ranked 16th with 32 sacks), so it will be interesting to really scrutinize this performance.

Wide Receivers and Tight End
As messed up as the quarterback position has been, trying to figure out who can catch the ball has just as much (if not more) of a problem. These are the positions people should watch most closely.

Steve Smith — duh.  But with all the coverage and attention he now receives, there must be other threatening options.  Keary Colbert made us believe at the beginning of this season that he would step up and be a decent No. 2 receiver.  Then he reverted back to old-Keary, and it’s virtually guaranteed he will be with another team next year since he is a free agent after this season.

I like Drew Carter.  A lot.  When he reaches his full potential, the guy is nearly impossible to stop with his speed and size.  If he could develop some consistency (granted, the quarterback situation this year has not helped), he would be my nomination for the guy to stick with as the No. 2 receiver.  Fox should have at least 10 passes thrown his way.  The Bucs are the second-best pass defense (170.6 ypg allowed) in the NFL.  If Carter can prove himself here, it will be comforting to know he is continuing to develop and can step up, especially for next season.

It seems like rookie Dwayne Jarrett never really got a solid shot, having been inactive for a lot of the season.  The guy is so physically gifted (big, tall guy with big hands), it’s hard to believe he really couldn’t come along enough in practice to prove good enough to get more playing time.  Then again, this guy could follow in the USC footsteps of Keyshawn Johnson and Keary Colbert and bust with the Panthers, in which case, you can bet we stop drafting USC wide receivers… unless in an act of suicide we hire Detroit’s wide receiver-fetished Matt Millen.  Get at least five passes his way.

Finally, there’s the tight end position.  For a long time, I was upset Carolina didn’t make a better effort to get a better tight end in the draft or free agency.  However, Jeff King began to blossom this season, showing good consistency and capability for being the lead receiver in a game.  He should get a lot of passes, but the guy people should really want to see tested is rookie Dante Rosario.  This guy has really shown some athletic potential, and he should have at least five passes thrown his way, too.

Defense
For the first half of the season, the defense underperformed to is fullest (or would it be least?) potential.  Carolina — with Julius Peppers, Kris Jenkins, Mike Rucker and plenty of blitz-capable linebackers — sits dead last in the league with only 19 sacks.  There have been injury problems, of course.  After all, Dan Morgan is still on the roster.  But someone needs to light a fire under the defense’s ass.  Still, somehow, Carolina ranked 16th in the league in overall defense.
There’s not a whole lot to test out here.  The only thing I can really think of is letting cornerback Richard Marshall start in place of Chris Gamble.  I don’t know why he hasn’t already been starting, since Gamble’s hand is wrapped up in a mile of cloth.  There are also a lot of guys at safety to consider.  Most likely, not all will be back, so everyone should be tested to see who is worth keeping.  This is a key position for Carolina, and it shouldn’t be ignored.  Letting Marlon McCree go a couple years ago has proven a big mistake.

Also, maybe test some more of the versatility of Jon Beason.  Obviously, the guy has a lot of it.

OVERALL…
The receivers, as they have always been since Muhsin Muhammad left, are the big question mark.  They’re the guys to test out.  Tampa Bay isn’t really playing for much other than keeping momentum going into the playoffs, so it’s a bit difficult to gauge how they will come out.  Bucs head coach John Gruden never lets on to anything.

Again, the players to watch are:
-Drew Carter
-Dante Rosario
-Ryan Kalil
-Travelle Wharton
-Jon Beason
-Safeties

A more detailed recap will be on the way, but for now, here are some observations…

-First and foremost, the missed pass-interference call that should have netted Carolina a big gain (the one against Drew Carter; if you watched you know what I’m talking about; if not, thinking of just about the most blatant way to interfere with a pass)

-Rookie quarterback Matt Moore reminded us plenty of times — particularly via inaccurate passes — that he is young and inexperienced; nonetheless, he did fairly well; whether or not he’s worth a more longterm investment will be a major decision this offseason (looking good for him, though)

-Coverage was inconsistent, but really good when it was good; this was only the second time this season the Cowboys were held to fewer than 24 points (the other being last week against the Eagles with six points)

-Running between the tackles just isn’t working for the Panthers; after tonight, it clearly isn’t even DeShaun Foster — it’s poor blocking and poor play-calling

-DeAngelo Williams’ 39-yard run success demonstrated a need for a more spread offense, especially when he is on the field; use Williams a lot more for a check down option

-Steve Smith reminded us he is a beast; Carolina put him out there to be abused as he nabbed nine catches for 137 yards and a touchdown, even coming back into the game when it looked like he’d be out for the rest, although he probably had so much adrenaline running that he felt very little

-Going back to the offensive line having issues run blocking, things weren’t better pass blocking; Moore looked like he had been receiving quarterbacking advice from David Carr with all the sacks he took, but a lot had to do with poor blocking (meaning, it could have been double-digit sacks had Carr been in the game) as Dallas managed five sacks

-There were some great hits in the game, including a nasty stiff arm from Williams on that long run; oh, and who else thinks Marion Barber looked like a real-life bobblehead on that one hit?

-There were a lot of other calls (i.e., the holding-but-not-holding call on Ken Lucas, especially when there was a more callable block in the back right there, too; Jeff King’s no-call pass interference) that had to make fans wonder if there was a ref conspiracy against the Panthers

-At last, you can let go of your hope: Carolina is out of the playoffs; the Panthers would have had to win out, and other teams in contention would have had to achieve 8-8 records (definitely not likely for the 8-6 Vikings, either), but with the NFC record, Carolina would have earned a wild card spot

First, some reasoning for why you should feel so comforted. Tampa Bay is old. Really old. I can’t find stats on it, but the Bucs must have one of the oldest average roster ages. The big problem for them is that they ride the vets. Jeff Garcia is 37. Joey Galloway is 36. Derrick Brooks is 34. Ronde Barber is 32. Ike Hilliard is 31. All are stars leading but Bucs this season, and they won’t be able to endure this season after season, and there will a transition period for the youth.

The Atlanta Falcons are a mess. Bobby Petrino leaving didn’t help, but he’s a college coach, so what did you expect? It’s obvious this team will be a wreck for at least one more year — longer if they don’t get a serious coach (i.e. Marty Schottenheimer or Bill Cowher) and some good draft picks to turn things around quickly.

New Orleans is the one team bound to bounce back and make noise in the NFC South. They have far too much talent to be as bad as this season for too long. Once they develop some chemistry, they’ll be set.

Then there’s Carolina.  So much potential.  Carolina is just a game out of being in the playoff hunt, and that’s AFTER:

-4 different starting quarterbacks, from a solid starter looking to have his best season, to a wash-up former first pick, to by far the oldest quarterback in the league (oldest EVER to win a game), to a young rookie quarterback
-an unusually down year Julius Peppers
-yet another season with an early exit by Dan Morgan
-still no clear #2 receiver
-a season in which Steve Smith barely (relative to usual production) touched the ball
-little nagging injuries galore, like a team-wide plague

These are all such easy fixes.  The Panthers will be fired up next year and ready to snag the division, which it is due to do, based on the NFC South division winner rotation (2002 - Tampa Bay; 2003 - Carolina; 2004 - Atlanta; 2005 - Tampa Bay; 2006 - New Orleans; 2007 - Tampa Bay).

Conditions in the stadium were funky for football.  Besides being numbingly cold with the wind, the wind was swirling all sorts of different directions.  The American and North Carolina flags above the scoreboard on the top of the rim of the stadium blew one way, but flags on the goal posts blew another.   It wasn’t the best of conditions for a rookie quarterback’s — a guy who puts the ball into that blustery, chaotic air — first start.  But that didn’t matter.

Moore put up a solid 19-of-27 for 208 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.  Just as important were two other stats — no sacks and no fumbles.  He got rid of the ball when he needed to.  He played an excellent game.  Had DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams been able to start a steady running game, Moore probably would have had a passing touchdown or two in his stats.

With the exception of Williams’ 35-yard touchdown run to quasi-seal the game, the running game was flat.  He ran 15 times for 61 yards and Foster 18 times for 47 yards.  A lot of it looked like line issues, not to mention the fact that Seattle has excellent linebackers and defensive linemen.  But with perfect timing, the offensive line managed to open up a gaping hole for Williams to (almost) seal Carolina’s victory.

Overall, nothing was as important as Carolina’s defensive play.  Na’il Diggs, Thomas Davis and Kris Jenkins all nabbed sacks, and when Davis got to Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck late in the fourth quarter, it force a critical fumble, which was recovered by cornerback Richard Marshall.

Hasselbeck still had a decent game, completing 27 of 41 passes for 274 yards, a touchdown (and a lucky one at that) and no interceptions.  Yet, Carolina never let him get into rhythm, forcing Seattle to punt eight times.

Now, while they’re at the bottom, the Panthers still have a shot at the playoffs.  It definitely takes some losing on the part of other teams, but should the Panthers win against Dallas and Tampa Bay, ending 8-8, a wild card spot could be in site –  and setting them up for a rematch with Seattle.

If Carolina keeps playing like this, they’ll have a shot against both Dallas and Tampa Bay and at the very least create some momentum for next year.

The first half looked promising. Carolina kept up and was so close so many times to a potentially game-changing interception. But in the second half, Jacksonville poured it on, outscoring Carolina 27-0 to ultimately win 37-6.

Vinny Testaverde had previously looked good when given time. And today, the offensive line did a good job giving him time, but Testaverde was off — way off. Just about every incompletion he threw was an overthrown pass. He put too much zip on passes then, but on other passes, he was far too soft, such as the interception that was returned for a touchdown. He went 13-of-28 for 84 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

It’s no wonder Matt Moore came in during the fourth quarter, and he once again looked decent. Some first-string practice time would do him well.  DeShaun Foster didn’t look bad, rushing 11 times for 46 yards, but the run game was never given a chance.  That didn’t make sense given the struggling passing game.

The defense was a great surprise in the first half, holding the Jaguars to only 10 points. The secondary looked like it would force David Garrard into only his second (or even third, too) interception of the season. But missed opportunities passed, and the overwhelming time of possession for the Jaguars eventually wore down the Panthers defense.

By the second half, the defense couldn’t even catch up to Jacksonville’s 10-year veteran runningback Fred Taylor, who ran for a franchise-record 80 yards for a touchdown. Granted, Taylor ran harder on that play than most people have seen anyone run in a long time, but it was hard to believe no Panthers could catch up.

The playoffs are now practically out of reach, with the exception of a select few, specific scenarios that require a lot of losing on behalf of NFC teams. Tampa Bay has practically locked up the NFC South (New Orleans technically still has a shot if they win all the rest of their games and Tampa Bay loses all the rest of their games). The New York Giants will have one wild card spot, leaving only one other. Minnesota took a step forward to nab it, while Arizona and Detroit took steps back.

The current playoff picture will likely not change. So that leaves Carolina thinking about the draft and quarterbacks. Assuming Jake Delhomme is back next season and in the form he displayed for the first few games this season, he will be quarterback for at least the 2008 season, but with his age, the 2008 draft will be the time to grab Brian Brohm, Matt Ryan, Andre Woodson (my personal favorite) or Colt Brennan (or any number of other quarterbacks in the second round).  That’s getting into a whole other article, though…

The offense put up its best performance of the season by scoring three touchdowns. DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams provided a nice, steady run game in which the two runners complimented one another like a two-back system should — Foster pounding straight up and Williams juking and cutting.   The two backs combined for 38 carries for 140 yards.  It’s only a 3.7 yard/carry average — brought up by Williams and down by Foster — but it was solid production nonetheless.

The running game opened things up for Vinny Testaverde, starting in confidence that should he go down, there was still hope since the second-string quarterback for the game was Matt Moore, not I’m-trying-to-set-a-sack-and-longest-held-ball-record David Carr, who was demoted to third string.  Testaverde went 17-for-26 with 153 yards, two touchdowns and two picks.  He spread the ball nicely, finding Steve Smith eight times.  It’s the second-most receptions Smith has had all season, the most (10) being the first time Testaverde stepped on the field (@ Arizona in week six).

As great as the offense was, the highlight of the day was definitely the defense.

6 sacks

4 interceptions (one by Chris Gamble, who had one hand as nothing but a club since it was wrapped up so think in a cast)

1 forced fumble

These are the turnovers this defense is supposed to make.  Granted, this was against a San Francisco offense led by Trent Dilfer, the man who humbled the Baltimore Ravens on the way to their Super Bowl victory in 2001.   But the 49ers’ offensive line isn’t bad, so the penetration managed by the blitz was a very positive sign.

The day just flowed so well, even down through the depth chart as non-starters cornerback Richard Marshall, safety Marquand Manuel and rookie tight end Dante Rosario all made big plays.  And even with San Francisco came back from being down 17-0 to added two touchdowns and coming within a field goal of tying it, Carolina didn’t regress like everyone had to at least somewhat expect them to do.  The Panthers punched it out and played tough — both mentally and physically.

Now that Carolina has the renewed confidence that they can play like a dominant, playoff-worthy team, the key will be to play like this consistently down the stretch.  The schedule does not let up in the least.  None of the upcoming four opponents (@ Jacksonville, Seattle, Dallas, @ Tampa Bay) has a losing record, and all are probably playoff-bound.  The Dallas game might not be too bad if they have locked up home field advantage by then and don’t play the starters all game.  The other three will be playing at full intensity, however, in hopes of keeping their current playoff-bound status.

If the Panthers remain healthy, they have a great shot at a wild card.  Tampa Bay has an easy upcoming schedule, including two games against Atlanta and San Francisco.  Thus, pending a major choke job, the Bucs have the NFC South bid for the playoffs.  Ultimately, the key is keeping Vinny in — pain-free, I might add — as quarterback for the next four weeks.  Next week must be a rinse and repeat.

Here’s a look at the playoff picture for the Panthers with regard to what else is happening in the NFL.

-The current division leaders (Dallas, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Seattle) will almost certainly hold on to their divisions

-The New York Giants (8-4) will almost certainly retain a wild card spot

- Detroit, Minnesota and Arizona, all 6-6, stand ahead of Carolina for the other wild card, with Arizona currently getting it

-Carolina, New Orleans, Washington, Philadelphia and Chicago are all 5-7; Carolina currently sits at the top of the list (also ahead of the three 6-6 teams in this facet) for having the only winning NFC record (5-4), which breaks ties for wild cards

Detroit has a remaining schedule (Dallas, @ San Diego, Kansas City, @ Green Bay) that would make Bill Belichick gag. Things do not look good at all for them, and that’s good news.  The challenges, assuming Carolina can win the rest of their games except MAYBE one, will be Minnesota and Arizona, which have slightly easier remaining schedule than does Carolina.

On a positive note, were the Panthers to make the playoffs, they would almost surely play either Seattle or Tampa Bay — two of the final three teams on Carolina’s schedule.  The recent play and it probably having been a win would be great positives.  Plus, Carolina has plenty of experience against both teams.

I know better than anyone that pleasant surprises are better than sad letdowns, but don’t be afraid to keep a little hope alive…

Alex Smith is out as quarterback, but Trent Dilfer didn’t look too shabby last week in the surprise win over Arizona.   For all the criticism the 49ers have received, they only have one less win than the Panthers.   The defense isn’t terrible, either.  It’s just forced onto the field far too much.  Rookie linebacker Patrick Willis is beastly, currently leading the NFL with 110 tackles.  He had 18 tackles (17 solo) against the Cardinals last week.  John Fox shouldn’t run guys anywhere near his way.

The good news for Carolina is that San Francisco is thoroughly lacking in its receiving corps.  That should help comfort Carolina’s secondary, which took a ravaging last week against New Orleans.  Cornerbacks Nate Clements and Walt Harris have at least made it somewhat difficult for opposing receivers.  Harris managed two interceptions last week.  Safety Michael Lewis will also be a force in coverage, blitzes and tackling.  This will definitely be a difficult team to pass against.

@ Jacksonville (8-3), 12/9

The Jags perpetually surprise me.  It seems like they shouldn’t be that good, especially given the increasing difficulty of their division.   Still, they sit only a game behind Indy, whom they play this week, for the division lead.  Thankfully, their defense is weaker this year (28th in the league at 246.5 yards/game allowed), particularly due to injuries.

The offense is dynamic and explosive, however.  It turns out releasing Byron Leftwich really was the right move.  David Garrard has nine TDs and zero interceptions on the season (and only one lost fumble).  He knows how to play mistake-free football.  At running back, Jacksonville has a nasty 1-2-3 combo with Maurice Jones-Drew, Fred Taylor and Greg Jones.  The only problem is that by the time the Panthers play the Jags, this team will be fired up either way.  They could lose to Indy and looking to avenge the loss, or they could beat Indy and, being tied by record, be striving for another win and an AFC South lead.

Seattle (7-4), 12/16

Once again, even with Shaun Alexander down and fading out of running back-supremacy, the Seahawks sit atop the NFC West.  They narrowly beat St. Louis last week, and the Rams still should have won (botched snap lost a TD shot to win the game).  The Seahawks are definitely vulnerable.  Their upcoming games against Philadelphia and Arizona should be good indicators for what kind of team they will be when they travel to Carolina.

Still, this 2005 NFC Championship rematch will be the second biggest obstacle for Carolina if they are to make a push for the playoffs.  It could even be the biggest obstacle, assuming Dallas gets enough of a lead in their division to not need to worry by the next-to-last game of the season and thus not play their starters all game.
Finally, how about some humor?  I got an email today with some good Panthers jokes. Maybe it will help lighten the mood of this increasingly dreary season or at the very least give you some good ammo for making jabs at the team with friends.

Q:  What do you call 53 people sitting around a TV watching the Super Bowl?
A:  The Carolina Panthers.

Q:  What do the Carolina Panthers and Billy Graham have in common?
A:  They both can make a whole stadium stand up and yell, “Jesus Christ!”