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Panthers taste revenge: Delhomme leads team to 34-21 win; Cardinals remain 1st in NFC West
AP Photo
Julius Peppers returns an interception for a touchdown in the second quarter.
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Published: November 2, 2009
Updated: 11/02/2009 12:05 am
GLENDALE, Ariz. - Jake Delhomme left Arizona a winner, even if he had to take a trip to the hospital before he left town.
The embattled Carolina quarterback, whose downward spiral began with a playoff loss at home against Arizona last season, threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith before leaving with a chest injury in the Panthers' 34-21 victory over the Cardinals yesterday.
The Panthers, in a turnover-free performance, rolled up 270 yards on the ground against what had been the No. 1 rushing defense in the NFL. It was a measure of revenge after Arizona beat the Panthers 33-13 at Carolina in last season's playoffs.
"There was a special interest on this game," Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams said.
Arizona's Kurt Warner was intercepted five times and fumbled the ball away once. Julius Peppers returned one of the picks 13 yards for a touchdown.
Coincidentally, Delhomme was intercepted five times and fumbled once in the Panthers' home playoff loss to the Cardinals. He had a league-worst 13 picks this season entering yesterday.
Delhomme played a series after he was hurt, then was taken to a hospital for tests. He said after returning that nothing serious was discovered. He described the injury as a "chest contusion."
After throwing three interceptions in last Sunday's home loss to Buffalo, Delhomme had to wait until Wednesday to find out if he still was the starter.
"To say it was the lowest point I ever had as a Panther, probably," he said.
His statistics weren't impressive, but he made no big mistakes and the Panthers' punishing ground game did the rest.
"That is the way we like to play," Delhomme said. "We have been turning it over and I have been the big culprit and we didn't do that today. That was the big thing, and the defense got a ton of turnovers."
Delhomme was 7 of 14 for 90 yards, including the first scoring pass to a wide receiver for the Panthers this season.
Williams rushed for 158 yards on 23 carries, including a 77-yarder to set up Stewart's 10-yard touchdown run that put Carolina (3-4) up for good 14-7 on the first play of the second quarter. Stewart gained 87 yards in 17 attempts.
Warner completed 27 of 46 for 242 yards and two touchdowns. Two of his interceptions were tipped.
"It just seemed like every time the ball was bouncing somewhere, it went into their hands," he said.
Delhomme was hurt on a hard hit by Arizona's Chike Okeafor and Darnell Dockett with 5:59 left in the third quarter. He got to his knees then slowly walked off the field, but was back for the next series before leaving for good.
The Cardinals (4-3) remained in first in the NFC West because San Francisco lost at Indianapolis, but the ugly performance often drew boos from the capacity crowd. Arizona has lost more home games than it did all of 2008.
Each team scored on its first possession. Stewart scored on a 6-yard run, then Warner threw 14 yards to rookie LaRod Stephens-Howling for his NFL touchdown.
Carolina 7 21 0 6 -- 34
Arizona 7 0 7 7 -- 21
First Quarter
Car--Stewart 6 run (Kasay kick), 7:22.
Ari--Stephens-Howling 14 pass from Warner (Rackers kick), :47.
Second Quarter
Car--Stewart 10 run (Kasay kick), 14:53.
Car--Smith 50 pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick), 7:33.
Car--Peppers 13 interception return (Kasay kick), 7:28.
Third Quarter
Ari--Patrick 1 pass from Warner (Rackers kick), 6:13.
Fourth Quarter
Car--FG Kasay 35, 11:40.
Ari--Hightower 1 run (Rackers kick), 9:44.
Car--FG Kasay 31, 2:40.
A--62,031.
TEAM STATISTICS
Car Ari
First downs 13 23
Total Net Yards 355 320
Rushes-yards 44-270 17-94
Passing 85 226
Punt Returns 3-45 4-27
Kickoff Returns 4-70 4-126
Interceptions Ret. 5-42 0-0
Comp-Att-Int 7-15-0 27-46-5
Sacked-Yards Lost 1-5 2-16
Punts 6-47.0 4-52.5
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-1
Penalties-Yards 7-72 5-35
Time of Possession 32:58 27:02
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Carolina, D.Williams 23-158, Stewart 17-87, Smith 1-17, Delhomme 1-7, Hoover 1-2, M.Moore 1-(minus 1). Arizona, B.Wells 8-47, Hightower 8-39, Warner 1-8.
PASSING--Carolina, Delhomme 7-14-0-90, M.Moore 0-1-0-0. Arizona, Warner 27-46-5-242.
RECEIVING--Carolina, Smith 3-56, Jarrett 2-22, Barnidge 1-7, King 1-5. Arizona, Hightower 8-57, Fitzgerald 6-66, Breaston 6-57, Boldin 3-23, Patrick 2-18, Stephens-Howling 1-14, Becht 1-7.
MISSED FIELD GOALS--None.
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