The Panthers logged a solid victory over the Falcons for their 100^th franchise victory on Sunday. The game featured WR's Musin Muhammad and Steve Smith getting their first TD's of the season as the Panthers shut down the Falcons NFL leading rushing attack. Panther QB Jake Delhomme easily had his best game of the young season completing 20 of 29 passes for 294 yards and 2 TD's (a 124 passer rating).

Game notes:

• After scoring his first TD of the season, Steve Smith was shown tracking down the ball after he spiked it. Turns out he wanted to give it to Ken Lucas:

Smith publicly apologized.  Lucas publicly forgave him and spoke in the weeks that followed about a newfound communication between the two intense players.  But no words said more about the healing between themselves and the team at large than Smith's simple gesture after his touchdown reception -- to place the football in Lucas' hands on the Carolina sideline.

"I was shocked at the time," Lucas admitted.

"I was going to congratulate him on the touchdown and he said, ‘This is for you.'  He took the high road and that shows a lot about him as a person.  No one is perfect.  I'm just surprised that he did that."

• The Panther run defense again proved to be one of the best in the league, holding Michael Turner to 56 yards and the Falcons to 118 as a team. Take away Jerious Norwood's 40 yard scamper and it's a dominate performance.
• Here's Julius Peppers line: 3 tackles, 1 for a loss, 1 sack, 1 hurry and 2 passes defensed. For about the sack total, this guy makes plays in so many ways.
• The only thing keeping me from complete jubilation is the injuries to tackles Jordan Gross and Jeff Otah. Here's a post game comment from Otah:

Right tackle Jeff Otah described the right ankle injury he incurred during the second half Sunday as "a little sprained ankle."  "It's getting better," he said in the locker room after the game. "I'll just ice it and get it ready for next Sunday."

That's a relief. No word yet on how bad Gross's concussion was. In spite of the offensive line shuffle the Panthers did not give up a sack or commit a turnover. Freakin' amazing!!

• Peppers got Hoculi'ed, as in screwed by referee Ed Hoculi. The ‘blow to the head' call was complete BS and took 6 points of the board. If the Bears Lance Briggs hit on Delhomme wasn't a blow to the head then neither was Peppers hit on Ryan. His facemask glanced off of it, but I'll take another look tonight.
• Smitty's 56 yard TD was a thing of beauty and something this team missed for two games. I have to loud him out though for show-boating before getting in the end zone. He almost got the ball knocked out of his hands. Otherwise he was awesome, breaking tackles, making the tough catches.
• This seemed to be Moose's day though. Eight catches, 147 yards and a scorching TD to break the game open. His best catch though was the sideline toe tapper for a first down in the 3^rd quarter.
• DE Hilee Taylor got his first NFL sacks as the Panthers recorded two for the day. Ryan was flushed from the pocket by Peppers and the secondary stuck to the receivers like glue. I found that particular line up interesting as Peppers moved to the left side, Brayton and Walker were at DT and Taylor on the right. It was effective.

I could keep on but I ‘ll cut it off here. More analysis will come tomorrow after I take a look at the game tape tonight.

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Monday Night Open Thread

I’ll have a Monday night football open thread up tonight for those of you who want to discuss that game or the Panthers 1-0 start to their NFC South title!