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Yet again, the Carolina Panthers couldn't capitalize on a chance to square their record, but this might have been the defeat that finally extinguished their playoff hopes.
Just as they'd done in prior losses to Buffalo, New Orleans and Atlanta in Week 2, the Panthers dropped two games under .500 Thursday night with a 24-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Bank of America Stadium.
For a moment - just a moment - there was hope that Jake Delhomme's desperate high lob into the end zone as time expired might somehow be caught by a teammate in the end zone. However, Dolphins' safety Tyrone Culver batted away the 26-yard pass and the game was over.
The Panthers fell to 4-6 and face a difficult closing schedule that includes games against headliner teams like the Saints, Vikings and Patriots.
Miami improves to 5-5.
Carolina's playoff hopes - realistically speaking, at least - appear to be down to a dim flicker, but coach John Fox refused to let go of hope that his team could still get back in the postseason race.
"I think there's a lot of fight in that room," he said, speaking of his players in the locker room. "There's still a lot of football left to be played and we're in no way or stretch out of it."
But there's no doubt this one hurt the Panthers deeply.
"Those guys fought hard," said Fox. "I'm disappointed for them."
Delhomme put a halt to any discussion about the team's postseason chances.
"Our backs are against the wall, there's no doubt," he said. "Playoff talk, that's something that's not even brought up. It's one-game talk. That's how this team is looking at it."
It was a frustrating night for Delhomme and the offense, who finished seven possessions on Miami's side of midfield, but scored only one touchdown.
"We couldn't get much going," said Delhomme. "We'd kind of move a little bit and stall. There wasn't a whole lot there. We battled. It just wasn't good enough."
The Dolphins led 14-3 at halftime, but their margin was cut to 17-14 late in the fourth quarter.
Just when it appeared Carolina had a chance for a comeback, Miami running back Ricky Williams broke free for a 46-yard touchdown run with 3 minutes, 55 seconds remaining that turned out to be the game-clincher.
After playing efficiently for three consecutive games without a turnover, Delhomme's early season struggles resurfaced, though to a lesser degree.
He overthrew receivers at key times and underthrew Steve Smith midway through the third quarter when Miami cornerback Nathan Jones picked him off at the Dolphins' 4.
Time and again, Delhomme tried to connect with Smith on medium-length or deep passes only to fail. He targeted Smith 15 times and completed seven.
Despite its difficulties, the Panthers' offense fought back late in the game. Trailing 17-6, Delhomme led an eight-play, 68-yard drive that culminated in him finally connecting with Smith on a big play.
Smith got open in the right corner of the end zone and caught a 27-yarder for a touchdown with 5:18 remaining to cut Miami's lead to 17-12.
Carolina went for a two-point conversion and got it on a run up the middle to narrow the Dolphins' lead to 17-14.
The fired-up Panthers defense looked set to stop the Dolphins and give the ball back to Delhomme until Miami converted a third-and-11 play when quarterback Chad Henne completed a 15-yard pass to receiver Davone Bess to set up Williams' long TD run.
Williams' other TDs came in the final four minutes of the first half when he scored on a 14-yard pass and a 1-yard run. That marked the first time he's had running and receiving TDs in the same game in his nine-year career.
After Williams final score gave Miami a 24-14 lead, Carolina cut the margin to 24-17 on a 48-yard field goal by John Kasay with 1:41 remaining.
Carolina got the ball back again with 39 seconds left. Passes of 29 and 17 yards to tight end Gary Barnidge moved the ball to the 26 with six seconds remaining. On the final play, Delhomme tried to get the ball to Dwayne Jarrett, but couldn't do so.
The Panthers clearly missed all-pro left tackle Jordan Gross, who suffered a season-ending broken ankle in last Sunday's win against Atlanta. His replacement, Travelle Wharton, gave up three first-half sacks.
The defense also wasn't the same again for the second consecutive game after the loss of outside linebacker Thomas Davis to a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago against New Orleans.
Smith's fourth-quarter touchdown also capped off a bizarre day for him. He was involved in a minor auto accident in uptown Charlotte on his way to the game. He said another driver sideswiped the side of his car and that no one was hurt seriously.
"I feel bad for his insurance," said Smith.
After playing twice in a span of five days, the Panthers now have a long weekend to rest before getting ready for their Nov.29 game at the New York Jets.
