The past two weeks have proved that the Carolina Panthers can stay competitive with the NFL's best teams when they get their running game going.
But if they need to pass, one of two things happen: The Panthers run the ball anyway, or pass the ball without success.
A day after Carolina let a 17-3 lead slip away in a road loss to unbeaten New Orleans, Coach John Fox on Monday defended a game plan he's used the past two weeks.
It involves running on almost every down, a way to limit quarterback Jake Delhomme's mistakes.
"That defense had caused a lot of turnovers, particularly in the passing game," Fox said of the Saints. "That was one of the reasons why we played the way we did. We didn't throw an interception."
Delhomme, who Fox contemplating benching after throwing 13 interceptions in six games, went a second straight game without a pick. But unlike a week earlier when the Panthers beat NFC West-leading Arizona without completing a pass in the second half, the Panthers couldn't sustain their run-first and run-last style against the Saints.
After building a 17-6 halftime lead by throwing five passes and running 22 times, the Panthers' ground game stalled. Carolina managed 52 yards on 17 carries in the second half, and Delhomme and the passing game couldn't make up the difference in a 30-20 loss that left the Panthers (3-5) with one more loss than all of 2008.
Consider that the Panthers ran the ball on third-and-21, third-and-12, third-and-12 again and third-and-6 in the first half. In the second half, the Panthers had to pass and they couldn't convert.
Delhomme had two passes of longer than 20 yards in the game, including a 46-yarder to Steve Smith after the game was decided. Dwayne Jarrett, filling in for Muhsin Muhammad (knee) failed to come up with a well-thrown deep ball early in the fourth quarter when it was 20-20.
"We need to get more dangerous on offense," left tackle Jordan Gross said. "It's kind of the same old song. We need to do better in the passing game."
Delhomme's numbers were helped from late yardage after the game was decided. He finished 17 of 30 for 201 yards and no touchdowns. It was the first time this season that the Saints failed to record an interception.
"I think we had a good formula and a good plan. At the end of the day we had three fumbles we lost, one in the passing game and two in the run game," Fox said. "I thought that was probably the difference in a close game. It really didn't have a whole lot to do with the passing game."
DeAngelo Williams rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns, but fumbled at the Carolina 1 to give the Saints a gift touchdown for a 30-20 lead. Jonathan Stewart lost a fumble, and Delhomme coughed it up when he was sacked on fourth down with Carolina trailing 23-20 earlier in the fourth quarter.
Fox said he's not hesitant in letting Delhomme pass the ball, but added that that the Panthers need to become more balanced.
"I'm confident," Fox said, "that we can get better."
Note: The Panthers signed linebacker Kelvin Smith off their practice squad yesterday and put linebacker Thomas Davis on season-ending injured reserve.
Smith's promotion comes two days after Davis tore the anterior-cruciate ligament in his right knee in a loss to New Orleans.
Smith was drafted by Miami in the seventh round in 2007. He played in four games as a rookie before spending last season on injured reserve with a knee injury. Smith was waived early in training camp by the New York Giants, then signed by Carolina when Davis was sidelined with a knee injury.
The Panthers waived Smith in final cuts before signing him to the practice squad. He'll provide depth behind Landon Johnson, who is expected to replace Davis in the starting lineup.
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