On Sunday, February 7th, the Carolina Panthers will be taking on the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. This will be the Panthers second ever appearance in the “Big Game” while it will be the Broncos eighth. The Panthers lost Super Bowl XXXVIII 32-29 to the New England Patriots at the end of the 2003 NFL season. Let’s take a look at what happen in that game.
THE ROAD TO SUPER BOWL XXXVIII
In just their ninth year of existence, the Panthers made their first ever trip to the Super Bowl. Just two years prior, they were 1-15 and looked to be nowhere near a Super Bowl caliber team. That’s the funny thing about the NFL, any team has a realistic chance of making it to the “Big Game”.
In 2002, they were a 7-9 team that finished at the bottom of the newly created NFC South division. That year, they won their first three games of the season. They proceeded to lose their next eight before finishing out the season on a 4-1 run to get them to 7-9.
The 2003 season was even better for the Panthers as they won their first five games of the season before finishing out the rest of the season with a 6-5 mark. That 5-0 start was enough for them to gain control of the NFC South and win the division by three games over the New Orleans Saints.
In his first year as the starting quarterback for the Panthers, Jake Delhomme completed 59.2% (266 of 449) of his passes for 3,219 yards with 19 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Their ground attack was led by Stephen Davis who had 1,444 yards on 318 carries and eight rushing touchdowns. Steve Smith led Carolina in receiving with 1,110 yards on 88 receptions. He also had seven receiving touchdowns.
WILD CARD ROUND
The Panthers hosted the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round of the 2003-2004 NFL Playoffs. The Panthers jumped out to a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter before Dallas finally responded with a 37 yard field goal by Billy Cundiff with 1:03 to play before halftime. After the ensuing kickoff, Delhomme complete a 57-yard pass to Muhsin Muhammad to set up John Kasay’s third field goal of the first half. The Panthers dominated the second half, adding 13 more points. Dallas was able to bring the scored to within 16 points with a nine yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, but at that point it was all over but the crying. Carolina would advance to the Divisional Round to take on the St. Louis Rams.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
In what was could be considered one of the best playoff games in NFL history, the Panthers stunned the St. Louis Rams in double overtime 29-26. It was the fifth longest game in NFL history. The Panthers had a slim 10-9 halftime lead after a touchdown and a field goal by Kasay. All of the Rams points came off the foot off Jeff Wilkins.
After a field goal to start the second half by the Rams, Carolina answered with three scoring drives to extend their lead to 23-12 in the fourth quarter. With 6:26 left in regulation, Kasay missed a 53-yard field goal that would have sealed the win for the Panthers. After a 15 play, 57-yard drive and a two point conversion, the Rams cut the lead to 23-20 with 2:39 to go. On the ensuing kickoff, Wilkins recovered his onside kick that would lead to a 43-yard drive and a game-tying field goal. The Rams decided to run the clock down and send the game to overtime as Wilkins booted his fifth field goal of the game as time expired.
In the first overtime, the Panthers made a 40-yard field goal that would have won the game but Carolina was flagged for a delay of game. Kasay’s attempt from 45 yards was wide right. The Rams ensuing drive resulted in Wilkins missing a 53-yard field goal.
Late in the first overtime, Marc Bulger was intercepted by Ricky Manning, Jr. On the first play off the second overtime, Delhomme threw a 69-yard touchdown to Smith to win the game and send the Panthers to their second NFC Championship game in history.
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
In a far different game than the week before, the Panthers traveled to Lincoln Financial Field to face the Philadelphia Eagles. The Panther defense shut down the Eagles offense by allowing only a 41-yard field goal and holding Donovan McNabb to 100 yards on 45.4% completion (10-22). Carolina got on the board first with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Muhammad. Philadelphia countered with the aforementioned 41-yard field goal from David Akers. The Eagles drove to their own 44-yard line, but McNabb was picked off by Manning.
The Eagles took the second half kickoff and drove all the way to Carolina’s 18-yard line before McNabb was picked off for the second time in the game. On the next drive, Carolina punted and Manning intercepted McNabb for the third time in the game. After four plays, DeShaun Foster increased the lead to 14-3 on his one-yard touchdown run.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Eagles drove deep into Carolina’s territory. They got all the way to the Panthers 11-yard line after going 74 yards in 11 plays, but backup quarterback Koy Detmer was picked off by Dan Morgan. Philadelphia would get the ball back, but they turned it over on downs. The win sent the Panthers to their first ever Super Bowl.
SUPER BOWL XXXVIII
The Panthers would square off against the New England Patriots. The Patriots were trying to win their second Super Bowl in three years while the Panthers were trying to win their first.
The first quarter ended up scoreless and well as much of the second quarter. New England got on the board first with 3:05 remaining in the first half. Tom Brady found Deion Branch on a five yard touchdown pass. Just 1:58 later, Carolina tied the score at 7-7 after Delhomme completed a 39-yard touchdown pass to Smith.
The ensuing drive saw the Patriots go 78 yards in just six plays and only used 49 seconds off the clock. Brady found David Givens for a five yard touchdown to give the Patriots a 14-7 lead with 18 seconds left to go in the half. After the kickoff, Davis rumbled for 21 yards to set up Kasay’s 50-yard field goal with no time left in the half. The Patriots headed to the locker room with a 14-10 lead.
The third quarter was scoreless, but the Patriots began an eight play, 71-yard drive that was capped off by Antowain Smith scoring from two yards out on the second play of the fourth quarter. What was about to happen next became the biggest explosion in points in Super Bowl history.
Delhomme completed passes of 13, 18 and 22 yards to get to the Patriots 33-yard line. Foster would then scamper for a 33-yard touchdown, cutting the lead to 21-16 after Carolina failed on their two point conversion. The Patriots responded by driving all the way to the Panther 9-yard line, but Brady was intercepted by Reggie Howard on third down. Three plays later, Delhomme completed the longest play from scrimmage in Super Bowl history when he connected with Muhammad for an 85-yard touchdown pass. Carolina once again went for two and failed, but had a 22-21 lead with 6:53 to go.
Brady and company would march right down the field with completions off 18 and 25 yards to Givens. Brady found linebacker Mike Vrabel for a one-yard touchdown pass. Kevin Faulk took a direct snap on the two point conversion and the Patriots led 29-22 with 2:51 remaining in the game.
Foster started the next Carolina drive with a nine yard run and a seven yard reception. Delhomme then completed a 19-yard pass to Muhammed that was then followed by a 31-yard completion to Ricky Proehl. Proehl capped the drive with a 12-yard receiving touchdown. With 1:08 remaining, it was all tied up at 29.
New England got the ensuing kickoff at their 40-yard line after Kasay’s kick went out of bounds. At Carolina’s 40-yard line, the Patriots faced a 3rd and 3. Brady completed a 17-yard pass to Branch to put New England in field goal range. On the next play, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal with just four seconds remaining in the game. Carolina was unable to do anything on the ensuing kickoff and New England won their second Super Bowl in three years and the Panthers were sent home licking their wounds.
Super Bowl 50 will be hard pressed to recreate such drama as Super Bowl XXXVIII did, but with Cam Newton and Peyton Manning, you never know what might happen.