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It was flashback Sunday at Bank of America Stadium. For the first time since the Carolina Panthers’ 2003 Super Bowl season, quarterback Jake Delhomme threw touchdown passes to Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad in the same game.
“It’s nice having those two,” Delhomme said after the trio led the Panthers over Atlanta 24-9. “They work well together.”
The win raised Carolina’s record to 3-1 at the quarter point of the season, good enough for a tie for first place in the NFC South with Tampa Bay.
Though memories of Delhomme connecting with Smith and Muhammad remain fresh in the minds of Panthers’ fans, considerable time has passed since they were together like they were Sunday.
Delhomme had Smith and Muhammad as a receiving combination for only one game in 2004 before Smith suffered a season-ending injury. By the next year, Muhammad was off for a three-year stay with the Chicago Bears.
Playing in the Windy City, where quarterbacks are traditionally in short supply, was nothing like being in Carolina for Muhammad.
His 147 yards receiving Sunday were his most since before the move and the fifth-best day of his career.
“I’m glad to be back,” said Muhammad, who returned to Carolina in the offseason after Chicago released him for salary cap reasons. “This is home to me.” Delhomme had his biggest statistical day since before his season-ending elbow injury early last year. He completed 20 of 29 passes for 294 yards and a 124.8 passer efficiency rating, his fourth best in six seasons with the Panthers.
Smith made his first explosive play of the season after missing the first two games due to a suspension, catching a 56-yard touchdown pass from Delhomme in the second quarter.
Smith caught the ball at the Atlanta 40, broke two tackles, spun and then outraced Falcons’ defenders for the score.
He spiked the ball in the end zone, causing it to bounce high and into the hands of a fan in the stands.
In an unusual move, Smith asked for the ball back. Delhomme, unaware of Smith’s intent, tried to convince him to let the fan keep the ball. But Smith insisted and got his wish.
He then ran to the sidelines and gave his first touchdown ball of the season to cornerback Ken Lucas, the man he punched during training camp.
The gesture epitomized how far the two of them, and the team, have come since the incident that could’ve threatened team chemistry but instead has become a galvanizing influence.
Smith, despite catching six passes for 96 yards, left the locker room without speaking to reporters.
Lucas, who started the healing process by forgiving Smith, was touched.
“I really can’t say enough about him as a person,” Lucas said of Smith. “My hat’s off to him. A lesser man would not have done that.
“He has been the most high character person since the incident. He has done everything in his power to try to mend fences and become my friend. I have accepted that offer.”
Delhomme, Smith and Muhammad accepted the challenge to get the passing game going when the Falcons stuffed Carolina’s early attempts to run the ball. The Panthers gained only 38 yards rushing on 14 attempts in the first half – 8 on a touchdown run by rookie Jonathan Stewart -- but Smith’s long TD helped them take a 14-9 halftime lead.
Then, when Carolina was holding onto a 17-9 lead early in the fourth quarter, Muhammad blew by Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes to catch a 36-yard TD pass.
The yardage was greater than all but three receptions Muhammad had in 51 games with the Bears, counting playoffs.
It was no accident that Grimes was the victim. The Panthers targeted him for much of the game. He was undrafted in 2007 and is in his first year as a starter, taking the place vacated by former Carolina nemesis DeAngelo Hall, who was traded to Oakland.
Grimes said of Muhammad’s touchdown: “That was a double move. I was just trying to make a play. Stuff like that is going to happen. I’ll just watch the film and learn from it.”
The Panthers’ defense kept the Falcons’ offense out of the end zone and held NFL rushing leader Michael Turner to 56 yards on 18 carries. Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, completed 21 of 41 passes for 158 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He was hotly pursued for most of the game by Panthers’ defensive end Julius Peppers, who had a fourth quarter sack and narrowly missed decking Ryan several other times.
“I don’t think I’ve played against anybody quite like Julius,” said Ryan.
The Panthers’ offensive line held Atlanta’s star defensive end, John Abraham, without a sack and did so despite injuries to both starting tackles.
Left tackle Jordan Gross suffered a first-period concussion. He was unconscious for several minutes, laying motionless face-down on the field.
“It was really scary,” said Fox. “Typically, players and coaches think the worst. We were all scared for Jordan. We’re happy it ended out the way it did.” Gross regained consciousness and was taken to the locker room, but was unable to return to the game.
Right tackle Jeff Otah suffered a sprained right ankle, but said he doesn’t believe it’s serious.
Carolina plays at home again next week against 1-3 Kansas City, which upset previously undefeated Denver Sunday.
As excited as the Panthers were to beat Atlanta, Lucas said they must not let down.
“I always tell some of my teammates (that) the enemy of excellence is satisfaction,” he said. “You should never be satisfied with what you have done on any given Sunday.
“We’ve got to always continue to try to get better every week. If we keep that attitude, then I think we have a lot of promise ahead of us.”
