A Mismatch: Panthers waste no time burying Chiefs

CHARLOTTE -- The NFL peddles the premise that every team stands a chance.

If you buy the theory, the Kansas City Chiefs rolled up to Bank of Solvency Stadium yesterday with a chance.

They employed three quarterbacks, each of whom had started -- and lost -- an earlier game. The Chiefs crawled out of that 0-3 pit and looked spunky while upsetting Denver. Some people called them resilient. Of course, most of those people are on the payroll or on the watch list for delusional tendencies.

So what if 60 percent of the Chiefs have played no more than three years, the peak of NFL inexperience.

So what if their rookie-tinted defense couldn't stop the Davidson running game.

This is what: Carolina 34, Kansas City 0.

Defensive end Julius Peppers, remote and nearly silent last season, smiled endlessly as he celebrated the fourth regular-season shutout and largest victory margin in the franchise's 14-year history.

"That's really the goal every week, a shutout," Peppers said. "Of course, it doesn't happen but once every couple of years -- unless you're the '85 Bears."

The Panthers aren't the '85 Bears, who won it all, nor are they the '07 Panthers, who won seven of 16.

Call it what you will. Cable gas bags will call it further evidence that Carolina should sweep the NFC South and possibly catch all those early risers in the NFC East. Radio gas bags will call it further evidence that Kansas City should apply to the Canadian Football League or dump Coach Herman Edwards or bundle all those quarterbacks in a deal for Kerry Collins, now on the third of heaven knows how many pro football lives. The Chiefs gained 127 yards, their lowest total since 1986, but Edwards called out no one, with the possible exception of Sherlock Holmes.

"We played well last week, and then this week we played like this," Edwards said. "Same players. Same coaches making the calls on the offenses and defenses. I don't know. It's puzzling, and we've got to figure it out."

Division rivals up next

In the grand scheme of playoff positioning, Carolina's interpretation matters infinitely more. The Panthers slogged through the muck of mediocrity the past two seasons, missing the show. Already 4-1, they could go a long way toward sewing up a spot the next two weeks against division rivals Tampa Bay on the road and New Orleans at home. The schedule softens right after that: Arizona, at Oakland (where owner Al Davis might qualify for several watch lists) and Detroit.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme refuses to leap forward. "One thing that I'm really proud of about this team is that it's a one-week deal," he said. "You don't look ahead. That's what I enjoy most about this team. There's a focus on the task, and that's what you have to do…. In this game, if you don't come ready to play every week, you are going to get embarrassed."

Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez, who broke the NFL career record for reception yardage by a tight end, delivered the same lecture from a different point of view. "That was the worst I have been involved with in my professional career," he said.

Fleeting opportunity

Kansas City had only one real chance, a modified chance for a sliver of redemption. Shortly after halftime, trailing 21-0, the Chiefs intercepted a Delhomme pass in the end zone. The relevant ref judged the defensive back out of bounds, but Edwards successfully challenged the decision, his finest moment.

Damon Huard, a brother of former North Carolina quarterback Luke Huard, immediately whipped a pass straight into the left ventricle of the Panthers' defense, where linebacker Jon Beason lurked. Interception.

Kansas City's last chance lasted 10 seconds, which brought on mop-up time. Edwards eventually inserted second-season quarterback Tyler Thigpen, but the Coastal Carolina alumnus couldn't dent those Inland Carolina defenders.

Every Panthers facet worked, particularly an offensive line with replacements for injured tackles Jordan Gross and Jeff Otah. Jeremy Bridges and Frank Omiyale performed so well that DeAngelo Williams rushed for 123 yards and scored his first three touchdowns this season.

Not missing a beat

As reporters gathered around Omiyale, until now the practice foil for Peppers, Gross took photos with his cell-phone camera.

"They didn't miss a beat," Gross said. "They didn't even need us. They made me feel better. I was really never worried this week. I knew we had depth. We had our best week offensively with supposed backups in there. In-house, we thought we were going to have a good team this year, so this isn't a shocker to us. But, man, 4-1 you're definitely going to take."

Where will the Panthers take it? To the roulette wheel of chance, where every team has at least one and certain teams have a lot more.

■ Lenox Rawlings can be reached at lrawlings@wsjournal.com.