The 2003 Carolina Panthers season was the franchise's 9th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the second season under head coach John Fox. They improved on their 7–9 record from 2002, and made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1996 and only the second time in franchise history.
The season would be a huge success. Just two years after going 1–15, the Panthers would go a surprising 11–5 to earn the #3 seed in the NFC Playoffs. They would defeat the Dallas Cowboys 29–10 in the Wild Card playoffs. The next week in St. Louis, the game would go to double overtime and on the first play of the second overtime, Steve Smith caught a pass by Jake Delhomme and took it 69 yards into the endzone to put an end to the game.
In the Conference Championship game, the Panthers traveled to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to play the Eagles who were in their 3rd straight conference championship game, but had yet to win one. The Panthers would continue the story with a 14–3 victory, which was dominated by Ricky Manning’s three interceptions that kept the Eagles at bay. With winning the NFC as the #3 seed, the Panthers were the first NFC champion seeded neither first nor second since the playoff field expanded in 1990.
The Panthers advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history, but lost 32–29 to the New England Patriots on a last-second field goal by kicker Adam Vinatieri.
Offseason Additions Subtractions QB Jake Delhomme (Saints) TE Wesley Walls (Packers) WR Ricky Proehl (Rams) DT Sean Gilbert (Raiders) WR Kevin Dyson (Titans) LB Hannibal Navies (Packers) RB Stephen Davis (Redskins) RB Lamar Smith (Packers) G Doug Brzezinski (Eagles)
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 2003 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeTony BrownDefensive endMemphisZach ButlerCenterIowa StateTrohn GarswellTackleRutgersVinny CiurciuLinebackerBoston CollegeLawrence FlugenceLinebackerTexas Tech
Personnel
Roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Washington Redskins W 20–0 1–0 Ericsson Stadium Recap 2 at New York Giants W 20–10 2–0 Giants Stadium Recap 3 at Green Bay Packers W 20–7 3–0 Lambeau Field Recap 3 Pittsburgh Steelers W 21–14 4–0 Ericsson Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 7 Jacksonville Jaguars W 24–23 1–0 Ericsson Stadium Recap 2 September 14 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 12–9 2–0 Raymond James Stadium Recap 3 Bye 4 September 28 Atlanta Falcons W 23–3 3–0 Ericsson Stadium Recap 5 October 5 New Orleans Saints W 19–13 4–0 Ericsson Stadium Recap 6 October 12 at Indianapolis Colts W 23–20 5–0 RCA Dome Recap 7 October 19 Tennessee Titans L 17–37 5–1 Ericsson Stadium Recap 8 October 26 at New Orleans Saints W 23–20 6–1 Louisiana Superdome Recap 9 November 2 at Houston Texans L 10–14 6–2 Reliant Stadium Recap 10 November 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 27–24 7–2 Ericsson Stadium Recap 11 November 16 Washington Redskins W 20–17 8–2 Ericsson Stadium Recap 12 November 23 at Dallas Cowboys L 20–24 8–3 Texas Stadium Recap 13 November 30 Philadelphia Eagles L 16–25 8–4 Ericsson StadiumRecap 14 December 7 at Atlanta Falcons L 14–20 8–5 Georgia Dome Recap 15 December 14 at Arizona Cardinals W 20–17 9–5 Sun Devil Stadium Recap 16 December 21 Detroit Lions W 20–14 10–5 Ericsson Stadium Recap 17 December 28 at New York Giants W 37–24 11–5 Giants Stadium Recap
Standings
Postseason
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap Wild Card Dallas Cowboys W 29–10 1–0 Ericsson Stadium Recap Divisional at St. Louis Rams W 29–23 2–0 Edward Jones DomeRecap Conference January 18, 2004 at Philadelphia Eagles W 14–3 3–0 Lincoln Financial Field Recap Super Bowl XXXVIII February 1, 2004 at New England Patriots L 29–32 3–1 Reliant Stadium Recap
NFC Wild Card playoff
The Cowboys' turnaround season under coach Bill Parcells came to a crashing halt. The Panthers outgained the Cowboys in total yards 380–204 and held the ball for 34:23. Dallas Quarterback Quincy Carter threw for only 154 yards and an interception, while being sacked 3 times. Meanwhile, Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme threw for 273 yards and a touchdown to Steve Smith, who had five receptions for 135 yards and added 22 return yards on special teams. Stephen Davis ran for 104 yards and another touchdown, while Muhsin Muhammad caught four passes for 103 yards. John Kasay kicked five field goals for Carolina.
On the Panther third play of the game, Delhomme completed a 70-yard pass to Smith on the Cowboys 1-yard line, setting up Kasay's first field goal. Later in the first quarter, Toby Gowin's 31-yard punt gave the Panthers the ball at the Cowboys 41-yard line, and they scored another field goal to take a 6–0 lead. On the Cowboys ensuing drive, Carter completed a 28-yard pass to Joey Galloway and Troy Hambrick ran for 16 yards, giving Dallas a first down at the Panthers 20-yard line. But two plays later, fullback Richie Anderson fumbled the ball and Carolina safety Mike Minter recovered it.
Later in the second quarter, Gowin once again gave the Panthers great field position with a 17-yard punt to the Carolina 49-yard line, and this time they managed to get the ball into the end zone with a 23-yard touchdown run by Davis, giving them a 13–0 lead. Carter managed to respond on the Cowboys ensuing drive, completing an 18-yard pass to Galloway, a 21-yard pass to Terry Glenn, and a 12-yard pass to Anderson. Billy Cundiff finished the drive with a 37-yard field goal to cut the score to 13–3 with 1:03 left in the second quarter. But after the ensuing kickoff, Delhomme's 57-yard completion to Muhammad set up Kasay's third field goal on the last play of the half.
The Panthers continued to dominate the game in the second half. Smith returned a Gowin punt 7 yards to the Panthers 37-yard line. Then after a 24-yard reception by Muhammad, he caught a 7-yard pass and capped the drive with a 32-yard touchdown catch. Later on, he returned a punt to his own 40-yard line, setting up a 38-yard drive that ended with Kasay's fourth field goal, increasing the Panthers lead to 26–3.
Dallas receiver Michael Bates returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to the Panthers 47-yard line, sparking a desperate rally. Carter then completed six consecutive passes and finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run, cutting the score to 26–10. Dallas' defense managed to force a punt on Carolina's next drive, but two plays later, Panthers lineman Julius Peppers intercepted a screen pass from Carter and returned it 34 yards to the Cowboys 11-yard. Four plays later, Kasay kicked his 5th field goal with 3:04 left in the game to close out the scoring.
Scoring CAR – field goal Kasay 18 CAR 3–0 CAR – field goal Kasay 38 CAR 6–0 CAR – Davis 23 run (Kasay kick) CAR 13–0 DAL – field goal Cundiff 37 CAR 13–3 CAR – field goal Kasay 19 CAR 16–3 CAR – Smith 32 pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick) CAR 23–3 CAR – field goal Kasay 32 CAR 26–3 DAL – Carter 9 run (Cundif kick) CAR 26–10 CAR – field goal Kasay 34 CAR 29–10
NFC Divisional playoff
In their first trip to St. Louis since their disastrous final season in the NFC West, the Panthers stunned the favored Rams in double-overtime, the fifth longest game in NFL history, in a thrilling finish to a game that featured big swings in momentum. St. Louis built up a 6–0 lead early in the second quarter, but wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad's touchdown on a fumble recovery gave Carolina a 7–6 advantage. Kickers John Kasay and Jeff Wilkins spent the rest of the second and the third quarter trading field goals. But in the fourth quarter, Brad Hoover's 7-yard rushing touchdown gave the Panthers a 23–12 lead.
However, St. Louis rallied back. After Kasay missed a 54-yard field goal attempt with 6:26 left in regulation, the Rams drove 57 yards in 15 plays and scored with Marshall Faulk's 1-yard touchdown run. Marc Bulger's subsequent 2-point conversion pass to Dane Looker cut the score to 23–20 with 2:39 to go. Then Wilkins recovered his own onside kick, setting up a 43-yard drive that ended with his 33-yard field goal. The field goal would cause some controversy, as the Rams held the ball inside the Carolina 20-yard line with less than a minute remaining, and one time out. But Rams coach Mike Martz elected to play for the tie, allowing the clock to run down and kicked the tying field goal, rather than let his quick-scoring offense try for the winning touchdown. Wilkins' 5th field goal of the game as time expired in the 4th Quarter tied the score at 23 and sent it into overtime.
Both teams missed field goals in the first overtime period. The Panthers would march down to the Rams 22-yard line on their first drive in Overtime, and Carolina kicker John Kasay in fact made a 40-yard field goal that would have won the game. But the Panthers were flagged for a delay of game, and Kasay's attempt from 45 yards was wide right. On the Rams ensuing possession, Wilkins would attempt a 53-yard field goal, but it fell short.
The Rams held the ball late in the first overtime, and were driving into Carolina territory, however an initial completion from Bulger to Torry Holt was intercepted by Carolina cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr when he wrenched the ball away from Holt. On the first play of the second overtime period, Jake Delhomme threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith to win the game. It marked the first double-overtime game and longest NFL game since 1987.
Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme completed 16 of 26 passes for 290 yards and a touchdown, with 1 interception. Smith caught 6 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. Bulger threw for 332 yards, but was intercepted three times. Rams receiver Isaac Bruce caught 7 passes for 116 yards
Scoring STL – field goal Wilkins 20 STL 3–0 STL – field goal Wilkins 26 STL 6–0 CAR – Muhammad fumble recovery in end zone (J.Kasay kick) CAR 7–6 STL – field goal Wilkins 24 STL 9–7 CAR – field goal Kasay 45 CAR 10–9 STL – field goal Wilkins 51 STL 12–10 CAR – field goal Kasay 52 CAR 13–12 CAR – field goal Kasay 34 CAR 16–12 CAR – Hoover 7 run (Kasay kick) CAR 23–12 STL – Faulk 1 run (Looker pass from Bulger) CAR 23–20 STL – field goal Wilkins 33 Tie 23–23 CAR – Smith 69 pass from Delhomme CAR 29–23
NFC Championship
Carolina's defense shut down the Eagles offense, only allowing a field goal and holding Donovan McNabb to just 10 of 22 completions for 100 yards. Rookie cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr. intercepted McNabb 3 times, while the Panthers defense recorded a total of five sacks. McNabb also sustained a lower-rib injury early in the game but stayed in until the second half. Although Carolina's offense only scored 14 points, it was more than enough for the team to earn their first trip to the Super Bowl with a 14–3 win. For the Eagles, it was the third straight NFC Championship Game loss.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Panthers mounted the only long scoring drive of the game, advancing the ball 79 yards and scoring with Jake Delhomme's 24-yard touchdown pass to Muhsin Muhammad. The Eagles responded by driving 44 yards and scoring with a 41-yard field goal from David Akers. Philadelphia then forced a punt and drove to their own 44-yard line, but McNabb was intercepted by Manning and the score remained 7–3 at halftime.
The Eagles took the second half kickoff and drove to the Panthers 18-yard line before Manning ended the drive with his second interception. Then after a punt, Manning recorded his third interception and returned it 13 yards to the Eagles 37-yard line. Four plays later, DeShaun Foster's 1-yard touchdown run increased Carolina's lead to 14–3.