2003 Carolina Panthers: Super Bowl Run

June 27th, 2016
By Marneen Zahavi
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2003 Carolina Panthers: Dramatic Endings

Entering the 2003 NFL season, the Carolina Panthers were in the middle of a playoff drought. They made their first trip to the postseason in just their second year of existence in 1996 and had been waiting for another invitation ever since. The Panthers finished the 2002 season with a 7-9 record in coach John Fox’s first year with the team. What followed with the 2003 Carolina Panthers wasn’t just a dramatic improvement; it was a season filled with close games and dramatic finishes.

The Panthers improved to 11-5 in 2003, winning the NFC South Division and earning the #3 seed in the playoffs.

Delhomme, Smith, and Davis Power a Balanced Offense

Quarterback Jake Delhomme led an offense that ranked 15th in the NFL in points scored, throwing for 3219 yards and 19 touchdowns. Steve Smith caught 88 of his 142 targets for 1110 yards and 7 touchdowns. The passing game was good enough, but it mainly served to keep defenses honest while they focused on stopping the Carolina running game. Stephen Davis earned a trip to the Pro Bowl thanks to his superb 2003 campaign, carrying the ball 318 times for 1444 yards and 8 touchdowns.

A Defensive Line Anchored by Rucker and Peppers

The Panthers’ defense ranked 10th in the NFL in points allowed, anchored by an excellent defensive line that featured Mike Rucker. Rucker led the team in sacks with 12, while rookie Julius Peppers was second on the team with 7 sacks in what would be the first of many standout seasons on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

A Dramatic Path Through the Playoffs

The Panthers’ middle-of-the-road rankings on offense and defense allowed the 2003 Carolina Panthers to fly under the radar during the playoffs. They began by defeating the rejuvenated Dallas Cowboys 29-10 at home.

Doubling Overtime to Escape St. Louis

For the divisional round, the Panthers traveled to St. Louis to face the Rams, and the game stayed tight as the Rams’ Jeff Wilkins and the Panthers’ John Kasay traded field goals. Kasay and Wilkins combined for eight field goals in the game, and a late Wilkins kick at the end of regulation sent it into overtime. Neither team scored in the first overtime, so the game moved to a second period to decide who would advance to the NFC Championship game. On the first play of that second overtime, Jake Delhomme found Steve Smith for a 69-yard touchdown to win it.

Shutting Down the Eagles in the NFC Championship

The following week in the NFC Championship game, the Panthers defense went to work on Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles. McNabb was intercepted three times and limited to 10 completions and 100 yards passing. Jake Delhomme didn’t post better numbers, but he did throw one touchdown pass and zero interceptions. Muhsin Muhammad and DeShaun Foster scored the touchdowns as the Panthers won the game 14-3.

Super Bowl XXXVIII: A Heartbreaking Finish

For the first time in franchise history, the Panthers were going to the Super Bowl, where the New England Patriots awaited them in Super Bowl XXXVIII. After a scoreless 1st quarter, Deion Branch and Tom Brady opened the scoring late in the 2nd quarter. Steve Smith and Jake Delhomme connected for a 39-yard touchdown to even the score, until Tom Brady led the Patriots down the field for a touchdown with less than a minute remaining in the first half. John Kasay snuck in a last-second field goal to make the score 14-10 for the Patriots going into halftime.

The 3rd quarter was scoreless, but it was just the calm before the storm. The Patriots and the Panthers traded touchdowns in the 4th quarter. Muhsin Muhammad gave the Panthers a 22-21 lead before linebacker Mike Vrabel lined up on offense and caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to give the Patriots a 29-22 lead. Jake Delhomme then led the Panthers down the field and found Ricky Proehl for a 12-yard touchdown to tie the game with a little more than a minute remaining. For a moment, it looked like the Panthers would go to overtime for the second time in the postseason.

Tom Brady had other plans. He made a number of clutch throws to his receivers to set up a 41-yard field goal for the Patriots’ kicker, Adam Vinatieri. Vinatieri made the field goal, extinguishing the championship aspirations of the 2003 Carolina Panthers.