Welcome to Independent Tribune Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

independenttribune.com - Independent Tribune

HomeNewsEntertainmentSportsLifestylesOpinionCommunityWeather Online Tools Jobs | Real Estate | Shopping | Classified

Fox preaches perspective

By John Delong | Journal Reporter

Published: December 15, 2008

CHARLOTTE - John Fox has stressed the one-game-at-a-time approach to the Carolina Panthers throughout the season.
So with a showdown against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands next up for the Panthers on Sunday night, Fox isn't about to change his approach now.
He understands what is at stake — home-field advantage throughout the playoffs — but that didn't stop him from downplaying the situation yesterday at his weekly news conference.
The Giants, he pointed out, won the Super Bowl last season as a wild card, forced to win three road games to proceed through the NFC. And the Panthers made it to the Super Bowl in 2004 by winning twice on the road.
"The key is to keep it in perspective, much like two weeks ago against Tampa, last week against Denver," Fox said. "When you get to this point in the year, in December, they're all big games. And our new 'biggest game' is against New York. Like all of them, whether it's in the playoffs or trying to get into the playoffs, they're all very, very important."
The Panthers played their way into position to control their destiny with a 30-10 victory over Denver on Sunday. That was their third straight win and moved them to 11-3 overall, with a two-game lead over Atlanta and Tampa Bay in the NFC South with two to play.
They're tied with the Giants for the best record in the NFC.
If they beat the Giants, they will clinch the division and home-field advantage regardless of what they do in the regular-season finale at New Orleans. The Giants, similarly, would have the tie-breaker if they win Sunday night, and their finale at Minnesota would be insignificant.
Fox was clearly pleased with the Panthers' performance against Denver, and particularly with the fact that the Panthers responded after an emotional 38-23 victory over Tampa Bay the previous Monday night, with first place in the division on the line at the time.
It was the most complete performance, he said, since the Panthers' 30-7 win over New Orleans on Oct. 19, eight games ago.
The offense had its best balance of the season. Jake Delhomme was forced to pass early, against an eight-man Denver front, and he responded by going 17 of 26 for 258 yards and one touchdown. He hit Steve Smith nine times for 165 yards and one touchdown, six for 126 yards to Smith in the first half. Then the running game got going later, with DeAngelo Williams (88 yards including a 56-yard touchdown run) and Jonathan Stewart (52 yards and one touchdown) combining for 140 yards.
The defense gave up a touchdown and field goal on Denver's first two possessions, then played well the rest of the way.
Cornerback Chris Gamble intercepted a pass in the second quarter to set up one John Kasay field goal, and then Charles Godfrey's forced fumble and Tyler Brayton's recovery led to another Kasay field goal on the final play of the half.
"We haven't really operated on all three cylinders probably since the New Orleans game," Fox said. "I thought yesterday was probably the closest. We've played well enough to win. Some people call it ugly. Some people say we can't play defense if it's a high-scoring game. But we tend to look at it as just being a win. When we do have a lot and they have a little, then that's kind of a complete effort. So yesterday against a very, very good offensive football team, I thought defensively we stepped up. And we've played pretty well offensively the last month. And that needs to continue."
Panthers players understand that, and they are pleased with the way they have kept their focus and perspective so far. They didn't have a letdown after beating Tampa Bay; they followed it with another impressive performance.
"It's awesome to watch it all come together," wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad said. "We're making plays and playing with a lot of confidence. I just think everybody is buying into what we're preaching around here, and what the coach is preaching — just believing in the philosophy of running the football, playing good defense and taking shots down the field.
"I think that coming down the stretch here, you want to be playing your best ball in the months of November and December. We're putting it all together and we've just got to stay focused. Know what the big picture is, but stay focused for each game. And that's what we're doing."

• John Delong can be reached at jdelong@wsjournal.com.