2009 Carolina Panthers season
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Carolina Panthers
season was the 15th season for the team in the National Football League
. They failed to improve on their franchise-record 12–4 season in 2008
and also failed to make the playoffs.
. They were playing with Jake Delhomme, who had five interceptions, and one fumble in their postseason game, last year, vs. the Arizona Cardinals. In the first quarter, Carolina pounced first with running back DeAngelo Williams
getting an 11-yard touchdown run. The Eagles would respond with kicker David Akers
getting a 49-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Philadelphia took control as Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme
lost a fumble, which was recovered by defensive end Victor Abiamiri
and returned two yards for a touchdown. Also, wide receiver DeSean Jackson
returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, and quarterback Donovan McNabb
completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brent Celek
and a 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Brian Westbrook
. The Panthers would close out the period with kicker John Kasay
nailing a 22-yard field goal. Afterwards, in the third quarter, the Eagles closed out their domination as McNabb got a 3-yard touchdown run.
With the loss, Carolina began its season at 0–1.
Delhomme (7-of-17 for 73 yards) was benched after committing five turnovers (four interceptions and a fumble).
for a Week 2 NFC South duel with the Atlanta Falcons
. In the first quarter, Carolina delivered the first scratch as kicker John Kasay
got a 38-yard field goal. The Falcons would answer with quarerback Matt Ryan
completing a 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Gonzalez. The Panthers would retake the lead in the second quarter as running back DeAngelo Williams
getting a 3-yard touchdown run, but Atlanta would reply with Ryan completing a 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Jason Snelling
. Carolina would gain some ground as Kasay nailed a 50-yard field goal, but the Falcons would close out the half with Ryan completing a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Roddy White
. After a scoreless third quarter, Atlanta would pull away as running back Michael Turner getting a 1-yard touchdown. The Panthers would try to rally, but get only get an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jake Delhomme
to tight end Dante Rosario
.
With the loss, Carolina fell to 0–2.
. After a scoreless first quarter, Carolina would get the lead in the second quarter with quarterback Jake Delhomme
's 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dante Rosario
. The Cowboys would take the lead in the third quarter with kicker Nick Folk
's 24-yard field goal and running back Tashard Choice
's 5-yard touchdown run. Dallas would get a further grasp on the lead in the fourth quarter with Folk's 19-yard field goal and cornerback Terence Newman
returning Delhomme's 7th interception of the season 27 yards for a touchdown (with Choice getting the 2-point conversion run). The Panthers tried to rally, but the Cowboys' defense would prevent their comeback from happening.
With the loss, Carolina entered its bye week at 0–3.
. After a DeAngelo Williams fumble, the Redskins struck first blood with quarterback Jason Campbell
's 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Clinton Portis
. During the second quarter, linebacker Thomas Davis and defensive end Julius Peppers
tackled Portis in the endzone for a safety, making the score 7–2. The Redskins responded with a 39-yard field goal by kicker Shaun Suisham
. During the third quarter, cornerback DeAngelo Hall
intercepted quarterback Jake Delhomme
's pass and took it to the one, with Clinton Portis capping it off with a touchdown run, making it 17–2. The Panthers then scored on a 17-yard touchdown catch by tight end Jeff King
. In the fourth quarter, kicker John Kasay
booted a 43-yard field goal, decreasing the lead to 17–12. After a botched punt return by the Redskins, Carolina scored on an 8-yard run by running back Jonathan Stewart
. With the two point conversion pass to wide receiver Steve Smith, Carolina took a 20–17 lead. After a Washington punt, the Panthers ran out the clock with an 8-yard run by Jake Delhomme.
With the comeback win, the Panthers improved to 1–3.
for a Week 6 NFC South duel with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. Carolina would trail in the first quarter as Buccaneers running back Carnell Williams
got a 20-yard touchdown run, yet the Panthers would tie the game in the second quarter with a 20-yard touchdown from running back DeAngelo Williams
.
In the third quarter, Carolina took the lead with quarterback Jake Delhomme
's 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeff King
and running back Jonathan Stewart
's 26-yard touchdown run. Tampa Bay would immediately answer with wide receiver Sammie Stroughter
returning a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. The Buccaneers would tie the game in the fourth quarter as safety Tanard Jackson
returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown, but the Panthers got the last laugh as Williams got a 1-yard touchdown run.
With the win, Carolina improved to 2–3.
Cornerback Dante Wesley
was ejected from the game in the second quarter after ramming into Buccaneers kick returner Clifton Smith
. He would later get a one-game suspension.
. Carolina would find themselves trailing in the first quarter as Bills running back Marshawn Lynch
got a 7-yard touchdown run. The Panthers would respond in the second quarter as defensive tackle Hollis Thomas
tackled running back Fred Jackson in his endzone for a safety.
After a scoreless third quarter, Buffalo got a big play in the fourth quarter as quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick
completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Lee Evans
, followed by kicker Rian Lindell
nailing a 29-yard field goal. Carolina tried to recover as running back DeAngelo Williams
got a 15-yard touchdown run, but the Bills would seal the win with Lindell's 22-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Panthers fell to 2–4.
for a Week 8 duel with the Arizona Cardinals
in a rematch of last year's divisional game.
In the first quarter, Carolina would begin the game with a 6-yard touchdown run from running back Jonathan Stewart
. The Cardinals would answer with quarterback Kurt Warner
completing a 14-yard touchdown pass to running back LaRod Stephens-Howling
. The Panthers would take a commanding lead in the second quarter as Stewart got a 10-yard touchdown run, quarterback Jake Delhomme
hooked up with wide receiver Steve Smith on a 50-yard touchdown pass, and defensive end Julius Peppers
returned an interception 13 yards for a touchdown.
In the third quarter, Arizona began to rally as Warner connected with tight end Ben Patrick
on a 1-yard touchdown pass. Carolina would answer in the fourth quarter with a 35-yard field goal from kicker John Kasay
. The Cardinals tried to pull off a comeback as running back Tim Hightower
got a 1-yard touchdown run, yet the Panthers closed out the game with Kasay's 31-yard field goal.
With the amazing win, Carolina improved to 3–4.
The Panthers' defense had a field day on Warner, recording 5 interceptions and a fumble recovery.
for a Week 9 NFC South duel with the undefeated New Orleans Saints
. Carolina got off to a fast start in the first quarter as running back DeAngelo Williams
got a 66-yard and a 7-yard touchdown run. The Saints would get on the board in the second quarter as kicker John Carney made a 23-yard field goal. The Panthers came right back as kicker John Kasay
nailed a 32-yard field goal, but New Orleans would close out the half as Carney booted a 25-yard field goal.
In the third quarter, the Saints continued to hack away as running back Pierre Thomas
got a 10-yard touchdown run. Carolina answered with Kasay's 25-yard field goal, but New Orleans would tie the game to end the period as quarterback Drew Brees
completed a 54-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Robert Meachem
. Afterwards, the Saints would pull away in the fourth quarter with Carney's 40-yard field goal, followed by defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove
forcing a fumble from Williams and returning it 1 yard for a touchdown.
With the loss, the Panthers fell to 3–5.
. Carolina would trail early in the first quarter as Falcons kicker Jason Elam
booted a 35-yard field goal, yet the Panthers came right as running back Jonathan Stewart
got a 1-yard touchdown run. Carolina would add to their lead in the second with quarterback Jake Delhomme
hooking up with wide receiver Steve Smith on a 4-yard touchdown pass, yet Atlanta would answer with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Jason Snelling
. The Panthers would close out the half with Delhomme's 4-yard touchdown pass to Smith.
In the second half, the Falcons began to erase their deficit as Elam nailed a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter, followed by quarterback Matt Ryan
completing a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Justin Peelle
. Afterwards, Carolina would pull away as Stewart got a 45-yard touchdown run.
With the win, the Panthers would improve to 4–5.
hitting a 29-yard field goal. In the second quarter the Dolphins replied and took the lead with Chad Henne
getting a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Williams
, and a 1-yard touchdown run from Williams again. After a scoreless third quarter the Panthers slightly improved as John Kasay
nailed a 33-yard field goal, until Miami kept it a 2-possession game when Dan Carpenter
got a 37-yard field goal. The Panthers would keep hopes alive as Jake Delhomme
made a 27-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith (with a successful 2-point conversion made by DeAngelo Williams
). The Dolphins would pull away as Ricky Williams
made a 46-yard touchdown run. The 48-yard field goal made by John Kasay
near the end of the game wasn't enough for the Panthers and that resulted in a loss.
With the loss, the Panthers fell to 4–6.
, who returned it 67 yards for a TD. It was the first of Delhomme's 4 INTs of the day, two each by Revis and safety Kerry Rhodes
. Rhodes' first set the Jets up in good field position, which the Jets were able to capitalize on when Thomas Jones ran the ball in for a 4 yard TD. The Panthers soon after that struggled to do anything against the Jets defense and secured only two John Kasay field goals for a 17–6 defeat.
The Panthers fell to 4–7 and wound up losing Jake Delhomme to a broken finger on his throwing hand.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
season was the 15th season for the team in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. They failed to improve on their franchise-record 12–4 season in 2008
2008 Carolina Panthers season
-Preseason:-Regular season:-Postseason:-Week 1: at San Diego Chargers:The Carolina Panthers and San Diego Chargers were locked in a defensive battle in the first quarter. John Kasay made three field goals while Philip Rivers connected with Chris Chambers on a 44-yard pass to score. At halftime the...
and also failed to make the playoffs.
2009 NFL Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 43 | Everette Brown Everette Brown -Carolina Panthers:Originally projected a first-round draft pick, Brown saw his draft stock falling because of questions about his size. He was picked 43rd overall in the second round by the Panthers, who traded their 2010 NFL Draft first-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers to get that pick.With... |
DE | Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... |
| 2 | 59 | Sherrod Martin Sherrod Martin Jerald Sherrod Martin is an American football safety for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft... |
CB | Troy Troy University Troy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689... |
| 3 | 93 | Corvey Irvin Corvey Irvin Corvey Irvin is an American football defensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia.... |
DT | Georgia University of Georgia The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States... |
| 4 | 111 | Mike Goodson Mike Goodson Michael Darryl Goodson, Jr. is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers. He played college football for Texas A&M.-High school career:... |
RB | Texas A&M Texas A&M University Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school... |
| 4 | 128 | Tony Fiammetta Tony Fiammetta -Carolina Panthers:Many scouting experts were right in their prediction on Tony's draft poition, Fiammetta was drafted in the 4th round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. He is expected to come in and compete at the fullback position... |
FB | Syracuse Syracuse University Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College... |
| 5 | 163 | Duke Robinson Duke Robinson George "Duke" Robinson is a guard who is currently a free agent.-High school career:He played high school football at Washington High School in Atlanta.-College career:He played collegiately for the Oklahoma Sooners... |
G | Oklahoma University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its... |
| 7 | 216 | Captain Munnerlyn Captain Munnerlyn Captain Munnerlyn is a professional American football cornerback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Panthers in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft... |
CB | South Carolina University of South Carolina The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House... |
Trades
- The Panthers acquired a second round pick (43) and a fourth round pick (111) from the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in exchange for their first round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL DraftThe 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
.
Final roster
| 2009 Carolina Panthers roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Mackenzy Bernadeau Mackenzy Bernadeau is an American football guard for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted with the 250th pick by the Panthers in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft... G/C Ryan Kalil Ryan Kalil is an American football offensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Drafted by Carolina in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft, Kalil played college football at the University of Southern California... C Duke Robinson George "Duke" Robinson is a guard who is currently a free agent.-High school career:He played high school football at Washington High School in Atlanta.-College career:He played collegiately for the Oklahoma Sooners... G Geoff Schwartz Geoffrey Isaiah Schwartz is an American football offensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.-Early years:... T Keydrick Vincent Kendrick Trepell Vincent is an American football guard. He was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played college football at Mississippi. He last played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.... G Travelle Wharton Glenn Travelle Wharton is an American football player who currently plays offensive guard for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL... T/G Garry Williams Garry Williams is an American football offensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Kentucky.-External links:... T Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Jon Beason Jonathan Beason is an American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers 25th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:Beason attended Chaminade Madonna College... ILB Dan Connor (American football) Daniel Murphy Connor is an American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State.... ILB Quinton Culberson Quinton Culberson is an American football linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He has played for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League and was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Mississippi... OLB Na'il Diggs Na'il Diggs is an American football linebacker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State. Diggs has also played for the Carolina Panthers and St. Louis Rams... OLB Mortty Ivy Mortty Ivy is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at West Virginia.... OLB Jordan Senn Jordan Senn is an American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2008... OLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
 Jake Delhomme Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997... QB (IR) Jordan Gross Jordan Alan Gross is an American football offensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers eighth overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Utah.-Early years:... OT (IR) Corvey Irvin Corvey Irvin is an American football defensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia.... DT (IR) Landon Johnson Landon Tremone Johnson is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft... OLB (IR) Ma'ake Kemoeatu Ma'ake Tu'amelie Kemoeatu is Tongan professional American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football for the University of Utah Utes.... DT (IR) Louis Leonard Louis Leonard is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Fresno State.... DT (IR) Josh McCown Joshua Treadwell McCown is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Sam Houston State.McCown has played for the Detroit Lions, Oakland... QB (IR) Jeff Otah Jeffrey C. Otah is a Nigerian American football offensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers 19th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.... OT (IR) Tank Tyler DeMarcus Lamon "Tank" Tyler is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft... DT (IR) Practice Squad
53 Active, 12 Inactive, 7 PS |
|||
Preseason
| Week | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Game Site | TV | NFL Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | Monday, Aug. 17 | 8pm EDT | at New York Giants 2009 New York Giants season The 2009 New York Giants season was the 85th season for the team in the National Football League. It was the team's final season in Giants Stadium; In 2010, the Giants moved into New Meadowlands Stadium. The Giants hoped to improve upon their 12–4 record, avenge their divisional round loss to the... |
L 24–17 | 0–1 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
ESPN Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter?game_id=54738&season=2008&displayPage=tab_gamecenter |
| 2 | Saturday, Aug. 22 | 7:30 pm EDT | at Miami Dolphins 2009 Miami Dolphins season The 2009 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 40th season in the National Football League and 44th overall. The Dolphins entered the 2009 season as the reigning AFC East champions after posting an 11–5 record in 2008... |
L 27–17 | 0–2 | Landshark Stadium | Local | http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter?game_id=54745&season=2008&displayPage=tab_gamecenter |
| 3 | Saturday, Aug. 29 | 8pm EDT | Baltimore Ravens 2009 Baltimore Ravens season The 2009 Baltimore Ravens season is the franchise's 14th season as a team in the National Football League . The franchise entered the season off an 11–5 record in their previous season, a playoff berth, but a loss in the American Football Conference Championship game against the eventual Super... |
L 17–13 | 0–3 | Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2009082955/2009/PRE3/ravens@panthers |
| 4 | Thursday, Sept. 3 | 8pm EDT | Pittsburgh Steelers 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 77th season in the National Football League . They were coming off a season in which they compiled a 12–4 regular season record and capped the season by winning the franchise's record sixth Super Bowl... |
L 21–10 | 0–4 | Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2009090360/2009/PRE4/steelers@panthers |
Regular season
| Week | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Game Site | TV | NFL Recap | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | ||||||||
| 1 | September 13, 2009 | 1pm EDT | Philadelphia Eagles 2009 Philadelphia Eagles season The 2009 Philadelphia Eagles season was the 77th season for the team in the National Football League. After advancing to their fifth NFC Championship game in eight years, the Eagles improved upon their 9–6–1 record and second-place finish in the NFC East in their 2008 campaign... |
L 38–10 | 0–1 | Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East... |
Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... |
Recap | |
| 2 | September 20, 2009 | 1pm EDT | at Atlanta Falcons 2009 Atlanta Falcons season The 2009 Atlanta Falcons season was the 44th season for the team in the National Football League. The team looked to match or improve upon their 11–5 record from 2008 and return to the playoffs, however the Falcons were eliminated from contention in Week 15... |
L 28–20 | 0–2 | Georgia Dome Georgia Dome The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the... |
Fox | Recap | |
| 3 | Sept. 28 (Monday) | 8:30 pm EDT | at Dallas Cowboys 2009 Dallas Cowboys season The 2009 Dallas Cowboys season is the 50th season for the team in the National Football League. It is the team's first season playing at Cowboys Stadium. Their victory over the Oakland Raiders on November 26 extended their Thanksgiving winning streak to four in a row and also ended a three game... |
L 21–7 | 0–3 | Cowboys Stadium | ESPN Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
Recap | |
| 4 | Bye Week Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing... |
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| 5 | October 11, 2009 | 1pm EDT | Washington Redskins 2009 Washington Redskins season The 2009 Washington Redskins season is the 77th season for the team in the National Football League. They failed to improve upon their 8–8 record from 2008, which resulted in Jim Zorn being fired after two seasons.-Movement:... |
W 20–17 | 1–3 | Bank of America Stadium | Fox | Recap | |
| 6 | October 18, 2009 | 1pm EDT | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 34th season as a franchise in the NFL. The Buccaneers looked to improve on their 9–7 record from their 2008 season and 3rd place finish in the NFC South but failed to do so as they finished the season at 3–13, missing the playoffs for the... |
W 28–21 | 2–3 | Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events... |
Fox | Recap | |
| 7 | October 25, 2009 | 4:05 pm EDT | Buffalo Bills 2009 Buffalo Bills season The 2009 Buffalo Bills season was the 50th Professional Football season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL... |
L 20–9 | 2–4 | Bank of America Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Recap | |
| 8 | November 1, 2009 | 4:15 pm EST | at Arizona Cardinals 2009 Arizona Cardinals season The 2009 Arizona Cardinals season is the 90th season for the team in the National Football League and the 22nd season in Arizona. The Cardinals finished the season with a 10–6 record, an improvement from their 9–7 previous season record and the first time the team has won ten games since 1976 The... |
W 34–21 | 3–4 | University of Phoenix Stadium University of Phoenix Stadium University of Phoenix Stadium, opened August 1, 2006, is a multipurpose football stadium located in Glendale, Arizona. It is the home of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League and the annual Fiesta Bowl... |
Fox | Recap | |
| 9 | November 8, 2009 | 4:05 pm EST | at New Orleans Saints 2009 New Orleans Saints season The 2009 New Orleans Saints season is the franchise's 43rd season in the National Football League and the most successful in franchise history in which they won Super Bowl XLIV. The Saints recorded a franchise record 13 victories, an improvement on their 8–8 record and fourth place finish in the... |
L 30–20 | 3–5 | Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA... |
Fox | Recap | |
| 10 | November 15, 2009 | 1pm EST | Atlanta Falcons 2009 Atlanta Falcons season The 2009 Atlanta Falcons season was the 44th season for the team in the National Football League. The team looked to match or improve upon their 11–5 record from 2008 and return to the playoffs, however the Falcons were eliminated from contention in Week 15... |
W 28–19 | 4–5 | Bank of America Stadium | Fox | Recap | |
| 11 | Nov. 19 (Thursday) | 8:20 pm EST | Miami Dolphins 2009 Miami Dolphins season The 2009 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 40th season in the National Football League and 44th overall. The Dolphins entered the 2009 season as the reigning AFC East champions after posting an 11–5 record in 2008... |
L 24–17 | 4–6 | Bank of America Stadium | NFLN NFL Network NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation... |
Recap | |
| 12 | November 29, 2009 | 1pm EST | at New York Jets 2009 New York Jets season The 2009 New York Jets season was the 50th season for the club and the 40th season in the National Football League and the last season at Giants Stadium. While they did not improve their 9–7 record from 2008, this time the team headed to the playoffs. The Jets fired head coach Eric Mangini on... |
L 17–6 | 4–7 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
Fox | Recap | |
| 13 | December 6, 2009 | 1pm EST | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 34th season as a franchise in the NFL. The Buccaneers looked to improve on their 9–7 record from their 2008 season and 3rd place finish in the NFC South but failed to do so as they finished the season at 3–13, missing the playoffs for the... |
W 16–6 | 5–7 | Bank of America Stadium | Fox | Recap | |
| 14 | December 13, 2009 | 1pm EST | at New England Patriots 2009 New England Patriots season The 2009 New England Patriots season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and 50th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and a division title before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs.... |
L 20–10 | 5–8 | Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution... |
Fox | Recap | |
| 15 | December 20, 2009 | 8:20 pm EST | Minnesota Vikings 2009 Minnesota Vikings season The 2009 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchise's 49th season in the NFL. The Vikings improved upon their 10–6 record and defended their NFC North title from 2008; it was the first time that they had retained a divisional title since they won six NFC Central titles in a row between 1973 and 1978... |
W 26–7 | 6–8 | Bank of America Stadium | NBC NBC Sunday Night Football NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color... |
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| 16 | December 27, 2009 | 1pm EST | at New York Giants 2009 New York Giants season The 2009 New York Giants season was the 85th season for the team in the National Football League. It was the team's final season in Giants Stadium; In 2010, the Giants moved into New Meadowlands Stadium. The Giants hoped to improve upon their 12–4 record, avenge their divisional round loss to the... |
W 41–9 | 7–8 | Giants Stadium | Fox | Recap | |
| 17 | January 3, 2010 | 1pm EST | New Orleans Saints 2009 New Orleans Saints season The 2009 New Orleans Saints season is the franchise's 43rd season in the National Football League and the most successful in franchise history in which they won Super Bowl XLIV. The Saints recorded a franchise record 13 victories, an improvement on their 8–8 record and fourth place finish in the... |
W 23–10 | 8–8 | Bank of America Stadium | Fox | Recap | |
| NOTE: Division games are in bold text. | |||||||||
Week 1: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Panthers began their season with a Week 1 duel with the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. They were playing with Jake Delhomme, who had five interceptions, and one fumble in their postseason game, last year, vs. the Arizona Cardinals. In the first quarter, Carolina pounced first with running back DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
getting an 11-yard touchdown run. The Eagles would respond with kicker David Akers
David Akers
David Roy Akers is a left footed American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 1997. He played college football at Louisville....
getting a 49-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Philadelphia took control as Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
lost a fumble, which was recovered by defensive end Victor Abiamiri
Victor Abiamiri
Victor Ikechukwu Abiamiri is an American football defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
and returned two yards for a touchdown. Also, wide receiver DeSean Jackson
DeSean Jackson
Going to the 2008 NFL Draft Jackson was considered one of the top ten wide receivers available in a draft class littered with talented wide outs. The only knock on Jackson was his small frame, being measured at 5'9¾ " and just over 170 pounds. During the pre-draft period, Hall of Fame wide receiver...
returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, and quarterback Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brent Celek
Brent Celek
Brent Steven Celek is an American football tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Cincinnati.-Early years:...
and a 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Brian Westbrook
Brian Westbrook
Brian Collins Westbrook is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football at Villanova...
. The Panthers would close out the period with kicker John Kasay
John Kasay
John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
nailing a 22-yard field goal. Afterwards, in the third quarter, the Eagles closed out their domination as McNabb got a 3-yard touchdown run.
With the loss, Carolina began its season at 0–1.
Delhomme (7-of-17 for 73 yards) was benched after committing five turnovers (four interceptions and a fumble).
Week 2: at Atlanta Falcons
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Eagles, the Panthers flew to the Georgia DomeGeorgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
for a Week 2 NFC South duel with the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In the first quarter, Carolina delivered the first scratch as kicker John Kasay
John Kasay
John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
got a 38-yard field goal. The Falcons would answer with quarerback Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan (American football)
Matthew Thomas "Matt" Ryan , nicknamed "Matty Ice," is the starting American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round as the third overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft...
completing a 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Gonzalez. The Panthers would retake the lead in the second quarter as running back DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
getting a 3-yard touchdown run, but Atlanta would reply with Ryan completing a 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Jason Snelling
Jason Snelling
Jason Michael Snelling is an American football running back for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
. Carolina would gain some ground as Kasay nailed a 50-yard field goal, but the Falcons would close out the half with Ryan completing a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Roddy White
Roddy White
Sharod Lamor White is an American football wide receiver playing for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League...
. After a scoreless third quarter, Atlanta would pull away as running back Michael Turner getting a 1-yard touchdown. The Panthers would try to rally, but get only get an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
to tight end Dante Rosario
Dante Rosario
Dante Santiago Rosario is an American football tight end who is currently a member of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
.
With the loss, Carolina fell to 0–2.
Week 3: at Dallas Cowboys
Still looking for their first win of the season, the Panthers flew to Cowboys Stadium for a Week 3 Monday night duel with the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. After a scoreless first quarter, Carolina would get the lead in the second quarter with quarterback Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
's 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dante Rosario
Dante Rosario
Dante Santiago Rosario is an American football tight end who is currently a member of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
. The Cowboys would take the lead in the third quarter with kicker Nick Folk
Nick Folk
Nicholas "Nick" Alexander Folk is an American football kicker who currently plays for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
's 24-yard field goal and running back Tashard Choice
Tashard Choice
Tashard J. Choice , is an American football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He played collegiately at Georgia Tech. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.Choice began his collegiate career at The University of Oklahoma but...
's 5-yard touchdown run. Dallas would get a further grasp on the lead in the fourth quarter with Folk's 19-yard field goal and cornerback Terence Newman
Terence Newman
Terence Newman is a starting American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. He played in the 2008 pro-bowl and has 32 interceptions in his career....
returning Delhomme's 7th interception of the season 27 yards for a touchdown (with Choice getting the 2-point conversion run). The Panthers tried to rally, but the Cowboys' defense would prevent their comeback from happening.
With the loss, Carolina entered its bye week at 0–3.
Week 5: vs. Washington Redskins
Following their bye week, the Panthers returned to Charlotte to face the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. After a DeAngelo Williams fumble, the Redskins struck first blood with quarterback Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
's 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Clinton Portis
Clinton Portis
Clinton Earl Portis is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
. During the second quarter, linebacker Thomas Davis and defensive end Julius Peppers
Julius Peppers
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Nicknamed The Freak of Nature, he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
tackled Portis in the endzone for a safety, making the score 7–2. The Redskins responded with a 39-yard field goal by kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
. During the third quarter, cornerback DeAngelo Hall
DeAngelo Hall
DeAngelo Eugene Hall is an American football cornerback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons eighth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...
intercepted quarterback Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
's pass and took it to the one, with Clinton Portis capping it off with a touchdown run, making it 17–2. The Panthers then scored on a 17-yard touchdown catch by tight end Jeff King
Jeff King (American football)
Jeffery "Jeff" W. King is an American football tight end in the National Football League with the Arizona Cardinals. He played college football and basketball for Virginia Tech.-Football:...
. In the fourth quarter, kicker John Kasay
John Kasay
John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
booted a 43-yard field goal, decreasing the lead to 17–12. After a botched punt return by the Redskins, Carolina scored on an 8-yard run by running back Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Creon Stewart is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He was selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oregon.-High school career:Stewart is the career leading rusher in...
. With the two point conversion pass to wide receiver Steve Smith, Carolina took a 20–17 lead. After a Washington punt, the Panthers ran out the clock with an 8-yard run by Jake Delhomme.
With the comeback win, the Panthers improved to 1–3.
Week 6: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Coming off their win over the Redskins, the Panthers flew to Raymond James StadiumRaymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
for a Week 6 NFC South duel with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. Carolina would trail in the first quarter as Buccaneers running back Carnell Williams
Carnell Williams
Carnell Lamar "Cadillac" Williams is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
got a 20-yard touchdown run, yet the Panthers would tie the game in the second quarter with a 20-yard touchdown from running back DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
.
In the third quarter, Carolina took the lead with quarterback Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
's 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeff King
Jeff King (American football)
Jeffery "Jeff" W. King is an American football tight end in the National Football League with the Arizona Cardinals. He played college football and basketball for Virginia Tech.-Football:...
and running back Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Creon Stewart is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He was selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oregon.-High school career:Stewart is the career leading rusher in...
's 26-yard touchdown run. Tampa Bay would immediately answer with wide receiver Sammie Stroughter
Sammie Stroughter
Sammie Stroughter is an American football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State....
returning a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. The Buccaneers would tie the game in the fourth quarter as safety Tanard Jackson
Tanard Jackson
Tanard Ricardo Jackson is an American football safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown, but the Panthers got the last laugh as Williams got a 1-yard touchdown run.
With the win, Carolina improved to 2–3.
Cornerback Dante Wesley
Dante Wesley
Dante Julius Wesley is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
was ejected from the game in the second quarter after ramming into Buccaneers kick returner Clifton Smith
Clifton Smith (running back)
Clifton Smith, Jr. is an American football running back and return specialist for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
. He would later get a one-game suspension.
Week 7: vs. Buffalo Bills
Coming off their divisional road win over the Buccaneers, the Panthers went home for a Week 7 interconference duel with the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Carolina would find themselves trailing in the first quarter as Bills running back Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. In his rookie year, Lynch became the Bills' first 1,000-yard rookie rusher since Greg Bell in 1984...
got a 7-yard touchdown run. The Panthers would respond in the second quarter as defensive tackle Hollis Thomas
Hollis Thomas
Hollis Thomas, Jr. is a defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at Northern Illinois....
tackled running back Fred Jackson in his endzone for a safety.
After a scoreless third quarter, Buffalo got a big play in the fourth quarter as quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Harvard....
completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Lee Evans
Lee Evans (American football)
-Buffalo Bills:Evans was initially assigned the jersey number 84. Evans, as a reference to his full name, had always worn the number 3 in college, a number that was not allowed to be used in professional football for wide receivers...
, followed by kicker Rian Lindell
Rian Lindell
Rian Lindell is an American football placekicker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2000...
nailing a 29-yard field goal. Carolina tried to recover as running back DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
got a 15-yard touchdown run, but the Bills would seal the win with Lindell's 22-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Panthers fell to 2–4.
Week 8: at Arizona Cardinals
Hoping to rebound from their dismal home loss to the Bills, the Panthers flew to the University of Phoenix StadiumUniversity of Phoenix Stadium
University of Phoenix Stadium, opened August 1, 2006, is a multipurpose football stadium located in Glendale, Arizona. It is the home of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League and the annual Fiesta Bowl...
for a Week 8 duel with the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in a rematch of last year's divisional game.
In the first quarter, Carolina would begin the game with a 6-yard touchdown run from running back Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Creon Stewart is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He was selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oregon.-High school career:Stewart is the career leading rusher in...
. The Cardinals would answer with quarterback Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...
completing a 14-yard touchdown pass to running back LaRod Stephens-Howling
LaRod Stephens-Howling
LaRod Stephens-Howling is an American football running back and kickoff returner for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
. The Panthers would take a commanding lead in the second quarter as Stewart got a 10-yard touchdown run, quarterback Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
hooked up with wide receiver Steve Smith on a 50-yard touchdown pass, and defensive end Julius Peppers
Julius Peppers
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Nicknamed The Freak of Nature, he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
returned an interception 13 yards for a touchdown.
In the third quarter, Arizona began to rally as Warner connected with tight end Ben Patrick
Ben Patrick
Ben Patrick is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Duke and Delaware....
on a 1-yard touchdown pass. Carolina would answer in the fourth quarter with a 35-yard field goal from kicker John Kasay
John Kasay
John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
. The Cardinals tried to pull off a comeback as running back Tim Hightower
Tim Hightower
-Arizona Cardinals:Hightower scored 10 touchdowns during his rookie season, and another 3 in the post season while averaging a meager 2.8 yards per carry. He would rush for a total amount of 399 yards in 2008. Hightower would then become the only Cardinal rookie running back ever to have scored a...
got a 1-yard touchdown run, yet the Panthers closed out the game with Kasay's 31-yard field goal.
With the amazing win, Carolina improved to 3–4.
The Panthers' defense had a field day on Warner, recording 5 interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Week 9: at New Orleans Saints
Coming off a defensively-strong performance against the Cardinals, the Panthers flew to the Louisiana SuperdomeLouisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
for a Week 9 NFC South duel with the undefeated New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. Carolina got off to a fast start in the first quarter as running back DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
got a 66-yard and a 7-yard touchdown run. The Saints would get on the board in the second quarter as kicker John Carney made a 23-yard field goal. The Panthers came right back as kicker John Kasay
John Kasay
John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
nailed a 32-yard field goal, but New Orleans would close out the half as Carney booted a 25-yard field goal.
In the third quarter, the Saints continued to hack away as running back Pierre Thomas
Pierre Thomas (American football)
Charles Pierre Thomas Jr. is an American football running back for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League.- Early years :...
got a 10-yard touchdown run. Carolina answered with Kasay's 25-yard field goal, but New Orleans would tie the game to end the period as quarterback Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
completed a 54-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Robert Meachem
Robert Meachem
Robert Meachem is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Saints 27th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee....
. Afterwards, the Saints would pull away in the fourth quarter with Carney's 40-yard field goal, followed by defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove
Anthony Hargrove
Anthony La'Ron Hargrove is an American football defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech.Hargrove has also played for the Buffalo Bills as...
forcing a fumble from Williams and returning it 1 yard for a touchdown.
With the loss, the Panthers fell to 3–5.
Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Hoping to rebound from their tough divisional road loss to the Saints, the Panthers went home for a Week 10 NFC South rematch with the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Carolina would trail early in the first quarter as Falcons kicker Jason Elam
Jason Elam
Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
booted a 35-yard field goal, yet the Panthers came right as running back Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Creon Stewart is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He was selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oregon.-High school career:Stewart is the career leading rusher in...
got a 1-yard touchdown run. Carolina would add to their lead in the second with quarterback Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
hooking up with wide receiver Steve Smith on a 4-yard touchdown pass, yet Atlanta would answer with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Jason Snelling
Jason Snelling
Jason Michael Snelling is an American football running back for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
. The Panthers would close out the half with Delhomme's 4-yard touchdown pass to Smith.
In the second half, the Falcons began to erase their deficit as Elam nailed a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter, followed by quarterback Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for Villacher SV of the Austrian Hockey League .-Playing career:...
completing a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Justin Peelle
Justin Peelle
Justin Morris Peelle is an American football tight end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
. Afterwards, Carolina would pull away as Stewart got a 45-yard touchdown run.
With the win, the Panthers would improve to 4–5.
Week 11: vs. Miami Dolphins
Coming off their divisional home win to the Falcons, the Panthers went home for a Week 11 Interconference duel with the Miami Dolphins. In the first quarter, Carolina got on the board first with John KasayJohn Kasay
John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
hitting a 29-yard field goal. In the second quarter the Dolphins replied and took the lead with Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
getting a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams
Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
, and a 1-yard touchdown run from Williams again. After a scoreless third quarter the Panthers slightly improved as John Kasay
John Kasay
John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
nailed a 33-yard field goal, until Miami kept it a 2-possession game when Dan Carpenter
Dan Carpenter
Daniel Roy Carpenter is an American football placekicker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League...
got a 37-yard field goal. The Panthers would keep hopes alive as Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
made a 27-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith (with a successful 2-point conversion made by DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
). The Dolphins would pull away as Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams
Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
made a 46-yard touchdown run. The 48-yard field goal made by John Kasay
John Kasay
John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
near the end of the game wasn't enough for the Panthers and that resulted in a loss.
With the loss, the Panthers fell to 4–6.
Week 12: at New York Jets
With both teams coming off of tough losses, the Panthers went on the road to face the formidable defense of the New York Jets in what was on paper a close matchup. Both teams sported identical 4–6 records and were top 3 in rushing offense, while sporting similar numbers in pass defense game. Things started out well for Carolina, their first drive taking almost 6 minutes of clock to drive down into Jets territory when bad luck struck them. A miscommunication between Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith resulted in a pass being fired at Smith while he wasn't looking, and it caromed off of Smith's leg into the arms of Jets' CB Darrelle RevisDarrelle Revis
Though Revis was not the first defensive back drafted in the 2007 NFL Draft , he was the first cornerback taken that year...
, who returned it 67 yards for a TD. It was the first of Delhomme's 4 INTs of the day, two each by Revis and safety Kerry Rhodes
Kerry Rhodes
Kerry Rhodes is an American football safety for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
. Rhodes' first set the Jets up in good field position, which the Jets were able to capitalize on when Thomas Jones ran the ball in for a 4 yard TD. The Panthers soon after that struggled to do anything against the Jets defense and secured only two John Kasay field goals for a 17–6 defeat.
The Panthers fell to 4–7 and wound up losing Jake Delhomme to a broken finger on his throwing hand.