N E W S R E L E A S E KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1-3) VS. CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-1) Panthers welcome Chiefs to Bank of America Stadium for the first time since 1997 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2008 BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM, 1:00 PM (EST) THIS WEEK S GAME Amid encouragement and concern, the Carolina Panthers make their second foray against an AFC West opponent Sunday when they host the Kansas City Chiefs at Bank of America Stadium. The encouragement comes from a 3-1 start that includes a most recent 24-9 victory over the Atlanta Falcons and a Week One victory over AFC We s t member San Diego. The concern is Kansas City s impressive 33-19 victory over previously undefeated Denver last week on the strength of Larry Johnson s 198 yards rushing. The performance left Johnson third in NFL rushing with 415 yards, seven behind League leader Michael Tu r n e r. Carolina faced Turner last week and has played against three of the top six rushers in the NFL during the first four weeks as well as last year s rushing champion LaDainian Tomlinson. Adrian Peterson of Minnesota is second to Turner and Chicago s Matt Forte is sixth in NFL rushing. It is another challenge for our defense, says head coach John Fox. Kansas City is coming here with confidence and Larry Johnson is well established as one of the elite runners in the League. Carolina met the challenge against the Falcons, limiting Turner to 56 yards on 18 carries and holding the Falcons to three field goals. Overall, the Panthers rank eighth in defense, and 19th against the run after facing the gauntlet of Tomlinson, Forte, Peterson, and Tu r n e r. For the first time this year, the Panthers failed to force a turnover against Atlanta, but held the Falcons to 266 total yards. Most instrumental in that performance was defensive end Julius Peppers, who had one sack, three quarterback pressures, and two batted passes. Peppers sack raised his club record career total to 58 and was one of two by the Panthers. Rookie Hilee Taylor recorded the other as the Panthers raised their season total to seven, including five in the last two games. Turnovers have been even harder to come by for the Panthers, who have posted one interception (Chris Gamble) and three fumble recoveries. Tw o forced fumbles have been caused by safety Chris Harris, who now has 10 forced fumbles over the last two seasons. One was recovered by linebacker Jon Beason, who surpassed the 200 career tackle mark in just his 20th NFL game, with 10 stops against the Falcons. While the Panthers did not record any take-aways against Atlanta, they also did not commit any turnovers. Quarterback Jake Delhomme led a mistakefree attack that surpassed 400 yards for the first time this season, passing for 294 yards and two touchdowns while completing 20-of-29 attempts. D e l h o m m e s touchdown passes to wide receivers Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad raised his Panthers career total to 100 and marked the first time since the 2003 season that he connected for scores to both Smith and Muhammad. Muhammad, who spent the last three seasons with the Bears after nine years with the Panthers, had eight catches for 147 yards while Smith added six receptions for 94 yards. M u h a m m a d s touchdown catch was his 600th reception as a Panther and broke a tie with Wesley Walls for club career touchdown receptions with 45. The all-time Panthers leader in touchdowns is Smith, who has a total of 46 that includes 38 receiving, six on kick returns, and two rushing. The Panthers are working to develop an effective combination in the running game, where DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have combined for 398 yards with Williams gaining 201 on 55 attempts while Stewart has 197 yards on 45 carries. Stewart has also scored four touchdowns, including one in three consecutive games to tie another team record. We are still looking for consistency on offense, says Fox, whose team ranks 25th in overall offense. We are making progress, but still have room for improvement in every phase. Part of the dilemma on offense has been establishing consistency on the line, where Carolina has not had its starting unit since the first half of the opening game. With Travelle Wharton returning to the lineup against Atlanta after missing two and a half games with a knee injury, the Panthers lost tackle Jordan Gross on the opening series with a concussion and later lost rookie tackle Jeffrey Otah with a sprained ankle. Field position has been critical and the Panthers have relied heavily on kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd, who leads the NFC in touchbacks with nine. He is joined by John Kasay, who moved into a ninth place tie for career field goals, with his conversion against Atlanta, and punter Jason Baker, who is averaging 46.3 yards per kick.
HEAD COA C H E S Panthers head coach JOHN FOX (54-46 regular season, 59-48 overall in Carolina) is in his seventh season with Carolina. Fox s 59 victories since 2002 rank as the ninth-most in the NFL during that span and make him the winningest coach in franchise history. His career in Carolina is highlighted by a Super Bowl appearance in 2003 and an NFC Championship appearance in 2005. The four consecutive playoff road victories he notched along the way tied the NFL record held by the Dallas Cowboys under Tom Landry. Fox may be at his best, h o w e v e r, when faced with adversity. In 2002, he took over a 1-15 squad and produced a 7-9 season, a six-game improvement in victories that marked the second-best improvement by a rookie head coach in the NFL since 1978. In 2007, Fox led Carolina to seven wins, the most by a team that started four different quarterbacks since 1988. Prior to coming to Carolina, Fox spent five years as the New York Giants defensive coordinator (1997-2001). Chiefs head coach HERM EDWA R D S (53-63 regular season, 55-67 overall) was named the 10th head coach in Chiefs franchise history on January 9, 2006. A veteran of 29 NFL seasons as either a player, scout or coach, Edwards enters his eighth season as a head coach and third with the Chiefs. His nine wins in 2006 were the most by a first-year head coach in franchise history as he became the first coach in Chiefs history to guide the team to the playoffs in his first season. Prior to arriving in Kansas City, Edwards spent five seasons (2001-2005) as the head coach of the New York Jets, leading the franchise to the playoffs three times. Edwards began his professional coaching career as a participant of the NFL s Minority Coaching Fellowship program with Kansas City in 1989 and is the first graduate of the program to go on to become the head coach of the franchise for which he served his fellowship. He spent five seasons (1996-2000) on Tony Dungy s staff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as assistant head coach/defensive backs, helping the team to its first NFC Championship game in 20 years in 1999. Edwards joined the coaching ranks after a 10-year career as a cornerback in the NFL. He spent the first nine seasons of his playing career with the Eagles, starting 135 games and collecting 33 i n t e r c e p t i o n s. 2008 NFC SOUTH STA N D I N G S Team W-L Carolina Panthers 3-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-1 Atlanta Falcons 2-2 New Orleans Saints 2-2 This Week Carolina vs. Kansas City, 1:00 p.m. ET Atlanta at Green Bay, 1:00 p.m. ET Tampa Bay at Denver, 4:05 p.m. ET New Orleans at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET (Mon) C O N N E C T I O N S Coaching Connections- Panthers linebackers coach Ken Flajole was an assistant coach at the University of Missouri from 1989-1993. Wide receivers coach Richard Williamson served in the same role for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1983-1986. Panthers head coach John Fox and Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards were teammates in college at San Diego State. Chiefs assistant offensive line coach Joe D Alessandris played guard at Western Carolina University (1972-1976) before beginning his coaching career at his alma mater as a graduate assistant from 1977-1978. He also served as the offensive line coach at Duke University from 1997-2001. Defensive backs coach David Gibbs is a native of Mt. Airy, NC. Former Chiefs- Panthers punter Jason Baker appeared in two games for Kansas City during the 2004 season and averaged 37.8 yards on nine punts. Carolina Ti e s - Chiefs defensve end Brian Johnston attended G a r d n e r- Webb University and quarterback Ingle Martin finished his college career at Furman University after transferring from the University of Florida. Safety DaJuan Morgan and linebacker Pat Thomas both played collegiately at North Carolina State University. Tackle Barry Richardson is a native of Mt. Pleasant, SC and attended Clemson University while quarterback Tyler Thigpen is from Winnsboro, SC and attended Coastal Carolina University. Defensive tackle Tank Tyler is originally from Fayetteville, NC and played collegiately at North Carolina State University. LAST MEETING Arrowhead Stadium, September 19, 2004 (78,136)- The Carolina Panthers earned their first-ever victory over the Kansas City Chiefs with a 28-17 triumph at Arrowhead Stadium. Running back DeShaun Foster led the Panthers attack with a career-high 174 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries, highlighted by a 71-yard scamper that set up his three-yard touchdown run to help seal the win in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Jake Delhomme completed 16-of-29 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions for a quarterback rating of 79.7. Delhomme completed passes to seven different receivers and produced his first three-touchdown performance since the 2003 season opener versus Jacksonville (9/07/03). Trailing 10-7 at halftime, Delhomme led Carolina on a 16-play drive that consumed 8:13 and was capped by a nine-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Keary Colbert. The drive was indicative of the afternoon as a whole as Carolina maintained possession of the ball for 35:15 compared to Kansas City s 24:45. Carolina s defense limited Chiefs running back Priest Holmes to 66 rushing yards on 16 attempts one week after allowing 152 rushing yards to the Green Bay Packers. The Panthers pass defense was just as stingy as Chiefs quarterback Trent Green completed 17-of-34 passes for 187 yards with one interception. Defensive end Julius Peppers corralled two sacks and helped the defense limit Kansas City to just a 25% third-down conversion rate. UP NEXT C a r o l i n a - at Tampa Bay, October 12, 1:00 pm EST Kansas City - BYE
GAME INFORMAT I O N D a t e : October 5, 2008 K i c k o f f : 1:00 p.m. ET S t a d i u m : Bank of America Stadium C a p a c i t y : 73, 778 Te l e v i s i o n : CBS Television Network P l a y - b y - P l a y : Kevin Harlan C o l o r : Rich Gannon P a n t h e r s Radio Flagship: WBT Radio P l a y - b y - P l a y : Mick Mixon C o l o r : Eugene Robinson C o l o r : Jim Szoke Sideline Reporter: Sharon Thorsland Playing Surface: G r a s s SCHEDULE AND RESULT S Preseason August 9 Saturday INDIANAPOLIS W 23-20 OT August 14 Thursday at Philadelphia L 24-13 August 23 Saturday WASHINGTON W 47-3 August 28 Thursday at Pittsburgh L 19-16 Regular Season September 7 Sunday at San Diego W 26-24 September 14 Sunday CHICAGO W 20-17 September 21 Sunday at Minnesota L 20-10 September 28 Sunday ATLANTA W 24-9 October 5 Sunday KANSAS CITY 1:00 P.M. October 12 Sunday at Tampa Bay 1:00 P.M. October 19 Sunday NEW ORLEANS 1:00 P.M. October 26 Sunday ARIZONA 1:00 P.M. November 2 BYE 1:00 P.M. November 9 Sunday at Oakland 1:05 P.M. November 16 Sunday DETROIT 1:00 P.M. November 23 Sunday at Atlanta 1:00 P.M. November 30 Sunday at Green Bay 1:00 P.M. December 8 Monday TAMPA BAY 8:30 P.M. December 14 Sunday DENVER 1:00 P.M. December 21 Sunday at New York Giants 1:00 P.M. December 28 Sunday at New Orleans 1:00 P.M. THE SERIES S u n d a y s matchup will be the fourth meeting between the Panthers and Chiefs during the regular season and the first at Bank of America Stadium since the 1997 season. Kansas City leads the all-time series 2-1, collecting a 35-14 victory at Carolina (9/21/97) and a 15-14 triumph at Kansas City (12/10/00). The Panthers were victorious in the last meeting, a 28-17 decision at Kansas City (9/19/04). Regular Season Series By The Numbers Record vs. Chiefs: 1-2 Last regular season game: Car 28, KC 17 (9/19/04) Panthers largest winning margin: 11 at Kansas City (9/19/04) Chiefs largest winning margin: 21 at Carolina (9/21/97) Current series streak: 1 game (Carolina) Panthers longest win streak: 1 game Chiefs longest win streak: 2 games Most Points, Panthers: 28 at Kansas City (9/19/04) Most Points, Chiefs: 35 at Carolina (9/21/97) Most Points, both teams: 49 at Carolina (9/21/97) Fewest Points, Panthers: S TATISTICAL SNAPSHOT Here s a look at where the Panthers and Chiefs rank in some key statistical through Week Four of the 2008 season: Carolina Kansas City OFFENSE Avg. Rnk Avg. Rnk Total Yards Per Game 302.3 24th 286.3 27th Rushing Yards Per Game 102.5 19th 138.5 7th Rushing Yards Per Attempt 3.6 24th 4.9 4th Passing Net Yards Per Game 199.8 18th 147.8 30th Sacks Per Pass Play 7.0% 17th 8.3% 24th Sacks Allowed 9 n/a 12 n/a Third Down Efficiency 25.5% 30th 40.3 12th Points Per Game 20.0 20th 16.3 29th DEFENSE Total Yards Per Game 286.3 8th 379.3 29th Rushing Yards Per Game 114.3 19th 176.5 30th Rushing Yards Per Attempt 4.1 16th 5.3 31st Passing Net Yards Per Game 172.0 7th 202.8 14th Sacks Per Pass Play 5.2% T22nd 2.6% 31st Sacks 7 n/a 3 n/a Third Down Efficiency 30.8% 6th 46.3% 28th Points Per Game 17.5 6th 24.3 T20th 14, twice, most recently at Kansas City (12/10/00) Fewest Points, Chiefs: 15 at Kansas City (12/10/00) Fewest Points, both teams: 29 at Kansas City (12/10/00) Panthers Regular Season Bests vs. Chiefs Most rushing yards: 174, DeShaun Foster (9/19/04) Most passing yards: 328, Kerry Collins (9/21/97) Most touchdowns: One, eight players tied
2008 PANTHERS AND CHIEFS TEAM LEADERS P a s s i n g A t t C m p Y d s P c t Y / A t t T D I n t L g S a c k / L o s t R t g C a r- D e l h o m m e 120 72 860 60. 0 7. 17 3 1 56 t 9 / 61 86. 8 K C - T h i g p e n 69 28 279 40. 6 4. 04 2 4 30 5 / 40 38. 3 K C - H u a r d 44 31 295 70. 5 6. 70 2 2 68 5 / 25 84. 9 R u s h i n g N o. Y d s Av g L o n g T D C a r- W i l l i a m s 55 201 3. 7 21 0 C a r- S t e w a r t 45 197 4. 4 24 4 KC-L. Johnson 86 415 4. 8 65 3 R e c e i v i n g N o. Y d s Av g L o n g T D C a r- M u h a m m a d 2 2 2 8 7 1 3. 0 3 6 t 1 K C - B o w e 2 2 2 6 7 1 2. 1 3 0 2 I n t e r c e p t i o n s N o. Y d s Av g L o n g T D C a r- G a m b l e 1 19 19. 0 19 0 K C - C a r r 1 32 32. 0 32 0 KC-D. Johnson 1 7 7. 0 7 0 S a c k s To t a l C a r- P e p p e r s 2. 0 KC-three tied 1. 0 N OTES FROM LAST WEEK S GAME VS AT L A N TA The Series: With the 24-9 victory, Carolina won for the fifth time in the last seven games against Atlanta, who leads the alltime series (16-11). The Panthers win ended a five-game winning streak by the road team in the series. Carolina and Atlanta will meet again at the Georgia Dome on November 23. No-No: Carolina allowed no sacks and committed no turnovers. It marked the first time that the Panthers did not allow a sack or turn the ball over since a 13-10 victory last year versus Seattle (12/16/07). Sacked Out: The Panthers corralled two quarterback sacks against the Falcons and have gathered seven this season. Defensive ends Julius Peppers and Hilee Taylor each notched one sack. Peppers leads the team with two sacks this season and ranks as the Panthers all-time leader with 58.0. After being inactive the first three regular season games, Taylor, one of three 2008 seventh round (221st overall) by Carolina, played in his first NFL game and registered his first career sack. Smith Catches Milestone: Wide receiver Steve Smith posted six catches for 96 yards and one touchdown, scoring on a 56-yard reception in the second quarter, to surpass 6,000 career receiving yards. He ranks first in team history with 46 total touchdowns, second with 441 catches, 6,093 receiving yards and 22 games with 100 or more receiving yards and third with 38 receiving touchdowns. In The Zone: The Panthers scored on their only red-zone trip, producing a touchdown. Through four games, Carolina has been successful on eight-of-nine red zone opportunities, scoring five touchdowns and three field goals for an 88.9 percent conversion rate and 55.6 percent touchdown conversion rate. The only time the Panthers failed to score inside an opponent s 20-yard line occured when they turned the ball over on downs at San Diego (9/07/08). Carolines: The win marked the 100th regular season victory in franchise history for Carolina. Including the playoffs, the Panthers have won 106 games since beginning play in 1995...Quarterback Josh McCown appeared in his first game for the Panthers since being acquired in a trade with Miami (8/30/08). He relieved quarterback Jake Delhomme for the final seried and kneeled on all three plays.
W H AT TO LOOK FOR IN 2008 WR Steve Smith: WR Muhsin Muhammad: RB Jonathan Stewart: LB Na il Diggs: CB Chris Gamble: PK John Kasay: Most 100-Yard Or More Receiving Games -- Smith needs four 100-yards or more receiving games to tie Muhsin Muhammad for the most in team history with 26. He holds the record for most 100-yards or more receiving games in a season with nine in 2005. Smith also needs just six receiving yards to surpass 6,000 for his career. Touchdown receptions -- Smith needs six touchdown receptions to tie former tight end Wesley Walls for second all-time in team history with 44, one behind Muhsin Muhammad s club record 45. He is the club s all-time leader with 46 career touchdowns scored (38-P, 6-RET, 2-R). Touchdown scored-- Muhammad needs one touchdown to tie fellow wide receiver Steve Smith for the club record with 46. He is currently the franchise leader with 45 career touchdown receptions. Rushing Touchdowns -- Stewart needs three rushing touchdowns to tie Fred Lane for most in team history by a rookie with seven. Consecutive Games With a Rushing Touchdown -- A rushing touchdown Sunday versus Kansas City would make Stewart the first player in team history to score a rushing touchdown in four consecutive games. Tackles -- Linebacker Na il Diggs enters Week Five action needing 23 tackles to surpass 700 for his career. Interception Return Yards -- Gamble needs four interception return yards to tie Eric Davis for second-most in team history with 228. Career Field Goals Made -- Kasay needs one made field goal to move into sole posession of ninth place in NFL history with 367. He is currently tied with Norm Johnson with 366. ROSTER RUNDOW N H e r e s a look at Carolina s Opening Day 53-man roster: Rookies and first-year players 7 Players with three years or less NFL e x p e r i e n c e 23 Players age 30 or older 12 Players drafted by Carolina Average years of NFL experience of roster 28 4. 9 Other roster notables. Original Draftees 27 - Anderson, Barnidge, Beason, Bernadeau, Davis, Gamble, Godfrey, Gross, Hangartner, Jarrett, C. Johnson, Kalil, King, Marshall, Muhammad, Otah, Peppers, Robinson, Rosario, Salley Seward, Smith, Stewart, Ta y l o r, We s l e y, Wharton, Williams, Wilson. 2008 Draftees S i x - Stewart, Otah, Godfrey, Barnidge, Ta y l o r, B e r n a r d e a u. Oldest Player on roster John Kasay - 39 years old (10/27/69) Youngest Player on roster Jonathan Stewart - 21 years old (03/21/87) Most experience 18 seasons - John Kasay Tallest player(s) on roster Julius Peppers - 6 7 Shortest player(s) on roster Mark Jones, Ryne Robinson, Steve Smith, DeAngelo Williams - 5 9 Players not from Division I-A schools F o u r - Mackenzy Bernadeau (Bentley), Donte Curry (Morris Brown), Brad Hoover (Western Carolina), Quinton Teal (Coastal Carolina) Furthest away from home Maake Kemoeatu - Kahuku, Hawaii - 4,671 miles Closest to home Brad Hoover - Thomasville, NC - 70 miles States represented on roster 25 State with the most players on roster T e x a s- Six Players from North Carolina on roster Players from South Carolina on roster T h r e e- Brad Hoover, Julius Peppers, Hilee Ta y l o r. T h r e e - Quinton Teal, Darwin Wa l k e r, Travelle Wharton *As of Monday, September 29
THE FOX REPORT During John Fox s tenure as Carolina s head coach from 2002-2007, the Panthers 59 overall victories stand as the fourth-highest total in the NFC and ninth most in the NFL. Below is a chart listing the teams with the most overall wins since 2002. MOST OVERALL WINS/BEGINNING WITH 2002 RE G U L A R SE A S O N PO S T S E A S O N OV E R A L L TE A M W L T W L W L T New England 77 22 0 10 2 87 24 0 I n d i a n a p o l i s 74 25 0 7 5 81 30 0 P i t t s b u r g h 63 36 1 6 3 69 39 1 P h i l a d e l p h i a 63 37 0 5 4 68 41 0 S e a t t l e 59 40 0 4 5 63 45 0 D e n v e r 61 39 0 1 3 62 42 0 San Diego 60 40 0 2 2 62 42 0 Green Bay 59 41 0 2 3 61 44 0 C a r o l i n a 54 46 0 5 2 59 48 0 D a l l a s 55 45 0 0 3 55 48 0 In addition to his 59 victories, Fox has brought longevity to the head coaching position. With six seasons under his belt in Carolina, Fox is the longest tenured coach in franchise history, surpassing Dom Capers (1995-1998) and George Seifert (1999-2001). He is tied with Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden for the third-longest tenure (six complete seasons) in the NFC, trailing only Philadelphia s Andy Reid and Seattle s Mike Holmgren (10 complete seasons). His 59 career victories are more than Capers (31) and Seifert (16) combined. TA K E - AWAYS A T R E N D U N D E R F OX The tenure of head coach John Fox has been marked by the team s good fortune of generating more turnovers than they give. Since Fox was named head coach in 2002, Carolina ranks second in the NFL with 195 take-aways and ninth with 111 interceptions. Here s a look at the Panthers success generating turnovers compared to the rest of the NFL since 2002. MO S T TA K E-AWAY S N F L LEADERS, BEGINNING WITH 2002 MO S T IN T E R C E P T I O N S TE A M NO TE A M NO B a l t i m o r e 201 B a l t i m o r e 131 Carolina 195 New England 120 New England 193 Tampa Bay 119 M i n n e s o t a 117 San Diego 114 C i n c i n n a t i 113 Te n n e s s e e 113 Green Bay 113 C a r o l i n a 111 Beginning with their inaugural season in 1995, no NFL team has produced more take-aways than the Carolina Panthers. Over that span, the team has accumulated 428 turnovers, a result of 240 interceptions and 188 fumble recoveries. Below is a chart listing teams with the most take-aways since 1995. N F L LEADERS, MOST TA K E - AWAYS/BEGINNING WITH 1995 Te a m I n t F u m To t a l C a r o l i n a 240 188 428 Tampa Bay 249 155 414 P i t t s b u r g h 232 180 412 New England 249 158 407 Indicative of the emphasis Fox places on defense and generating turnovers, Chris Gamble s 31-yard fumble return for a touchdown at San Diego (9/7) marked the 16th time Carolina has scored a defensive touchdown since 2002. The Panthers 16 defensive touchdowns under Fox are tied for 11th most in the NFL since 2002 and tied for seventh most in the NFC. Carolina is 14-2 in games in which they score a defensive touchdown since 2002.
S TA RTERS AT A GLANCE O F F E N S E W R ST E V E SM I T H: Has 10 receptions for 166 yards and one touchdown in two games. Franchise leader with 46 career touchdowns scored. LT L G C JO R D A N GR O S S: Starter in all 84 regular season contests and each of the team s seven postseason games since being drafted in the first round (8th overall) by Carolina in 2003. Moves back to left tackle after playing right tackle in 2007. TR AV E L L E WH A R T O N: Moves to left guard after starting every game at left tackle in 2007. Returned to the starting lineup versus Atlanta after missing previous two games with a knee injury and played left tackle due to Jordan Gross injury. RYA N KA L I L: 2007 second-round choice from Southern Cal moves into the starting lineup after starting two games at right guard and one contest at center during his rookie year. R G KE Y D R I C K VI N C E N T: Eight-year veteran signed as an unrestricted free agent by Carolina during the offseason after appearing in 49 games with 39 starts for Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Arizona since 2001. R T JE F F OTA H: Selected by Carolina in the first round (19th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft after a standout career at the University of Pittsburgh. W R MU H S I N MU H A M M A D: The club s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions surpassed 10,000 career receiving yards versus Chicago (9/14). TE R B F B JE F F KI N G: 2006 fifth-round selection ranked second on the team with 46 receptions for 406 yards and two touchdowns in his first year as a starter in 2007. DEAN G E L O WI L L I A M S: Third-year player is the team s topreturning rusher after producing 717 yards and four touchdowns on 144 attempts in 2007. Generated 201 yards on 55 attempts through the first four games. BR A D HO O V E R: Ranks in team s top 10 all-time in rushing, receiving, games played and starts. Q B JA K E DE L H O M M E: Has completed 72-of-120 passes for 860 yards and three touchdowns with one interception for a quarterback rating of 86.8 in his first four games of 2008. Tossed his 99th and 100th touchdown passes as a Panther versus Atlanta (9/28). K S P E C I A L I S T S JO H N KA S AY: 25th player in NFL history to record 1,000 points with the same team. Ranks 13th in NFL history for points scored with 1,530, including 1,189 for Carolina. Tied for ninth in League history with 366 made field goals. D E F E N S E L D E TY L E R BR AY T O N: Unrestricted free agent tallied 173 tackles, six sacks and one interception in 79 games for Oakland after being selected in the first round (32nd overall) of the 2003 NFL D r a f t L D T MA A K E KE M O E AT U: 2006 unrestricted free agent from Baltimore. Appeared in all 16 games with 13 starts last year and totalled 56 tackles, three quarterback hurries and one pass defenced R D T DA M I O N E LE W I S: Tied for the team lead with 3.5 sacks in 15 games with two starts for Carolina in 2007. R D E JU L I U S PE P P E R S: Pro Bowl starter in three of the last four years is the franchise leader with 58 sacks. Moves to right defensive end after 90 games over the past six seasons at left defensive end. S L B NA I L DI G G S: Has appeared in 33 games with 22 starts since being signed as a free agent from Green Bay in 2006. Moves to strongside linebacker after tying for the team lead with 3.5 sacks last year in 10 starts at weakside linebacker. M L BJO N BE A S O N: Produced a club-record 160 tackles as a rookie in 2007. Leads the club with 44 stops through four games. W L BTH O M A S DAV I S: Moves to weakside linebacker after starting 31 games on the strongside over the past three years. Ta l l i e d 85 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles in 2007. L C B CH R I S GA M B L E: 2004 first round (28th overall) selection ranks second in team history with 18 career interceptions and third with 224 interception return yards. Returned a fumble 31 yards for a touchdown in the opener at San Diego (9/7). F S S S CH A R L E S GO D F R E Y: Third-round (67th overall) selection in the 2008 NFL Draft recorded 193 tackles, three fumble recoveries and seven interceptions during his collegiate career at Iowa. CH R I S HA R R I S: Started 15 games at strong safety and led the N F L with a club-record eight forced fumbles. Has added two in the first four games in 2008. R C B KE N LU C A S: Started every game at cornerback in 2007 and notched 69 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, one he returned 27 yards for a touchdown. P S P E C I A L I S T S JA S O N BA K E R: A first alternate to the Pro Bowl in two of the past three seasons. Averaging 46.3 yards-per-punt with a 37.2 net average through four games. K O RH Y S LL O Y D: Leads the NFL with nine touchbacks through four games and has reached the endzone with 16-of-19 kickoffs.
WELCHOMME BACK Quarterback Jake Delhomme enjoyed his most productive game under center Sunday versus Atlanta (9/28) since returning to the starting lineup following Tommy John surgery on his right elbow during the offseason. Delhomme was injured in Week Three of the 2007 season at Atlanta (9/23) and missed the final 13 games of the campaign. Sunday versus the Falcons, Delhomme completed 20- of-29 attempts for 294 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions for a quarterback rating of 124.8. The touchdown passes, a 56- yard strike to wide receiver Steve Smith in the first quarter and a 36-yard toss to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad in the fourth quarter, were the 99th and 100th of Delhomme s career with Carolina. The victory improved Delhomme s record to 6-2 in his last eight starts, dating back to the final game of the 2006 season at New Orleans (12/31/06). In those eight games, Delhomme has tossed 13 touchdowns to just two interceptions and produced a passer rating over 100.0 five times. Here is a look at Delhomme s numbers in those seven starts: Ye a r O p p. W / L A t t C m p P c t Y d s T D I n t Rtg 2006 at New Orleans W 27 23 85. 2 207 2 0 123.3 2007 at St. Louis W 27 18 66. 7 199 3 0 125. 4 2007 vs Houston L 41 27 65. 9 316 3 1 103. 3 2007 at Atlanta W 18 10 55. 6 109 2 0 110. 7 2008 at San Diego W 41 23 56. 1 247 1 0 82. 1 2008 vs Chicago W 21 12 57. 1 128 0 1 55. 3 2008 at Minnesota L 29 17 58. 6 191 0 0 78. 4 2008 vs Atlanta W 29 20 69. 0 294 2 0 124. 8 The Panthers have averaged 23.3 points-per-game in the last eight games started by Delhomme compared to just 13.6 points-per-game in the last 16 games in which he was not the starter. With the victory, Carolina improved to 17-5 in games in which Delhomme tosses at least one touchdown pass and no interceptions, including a 13-0 mark since the start of the 2005 season. Delhomme has been perhaps most impressive in the fourth quarter with the game on the line, completing 345-of-572 attempts for 4,067 yards and 32 touchdowns with 16 interceptions for a passer rating of 89.0. His 35 pass plays of 25 yards or more in the fourth quarter since 2003 are tops in the NFL and his 32 fourth quarter touchdown passes are third in the League during that span. Indicative of his high level of play late in the game, Delhomme has directed 15 career game-winning drives (including the playoffs) that put Carolina ahead for good in the fourth quarter or overtime, including 10 game-winning drives in the final two minutes or overtime. DELHOMME REACHES CENTURY MARK With two touchdown passes in Sunday s 24-9 victory versus Atlanta (9/28), quarterback Jake Delhomme reached 100 with the Carolina Panthers. Delhomme stands as Carolina s franchise leader in attempts (2,054), completions (1,228), passing yards (14,815), passing touchdowns (100) and 300-yard passing games (nine). D e l h o m m e s 100 touchdown passes since 2003 rank eighth in the NFL and fourth among quarterbacks currently in the NFC. Here is a look at where Delhomme s 100 touchdown passes since 2003 rank compared to other current NFC q u a r t e r b a c k s. P l a y e r Team Touchdown Passes Drew Brees New Orleans 122 Matt Hasselbeck S e a t t l e 120 Donovan McNabb Philadelphia 106 Jake Delhomme Carolina 100 Marc Bulger St. Louis 94
W I L L I A M S - S T E WA RT PROVIDE 1-2 PUNCH With the departure of running back DeShaun Foster, the club s all-time leading rusher with 3,336 yards on 851 attempts, Carolina has looked to two young running backs to carry the ground attack in 2008. Third-year performer DeAngelo Williams is the team s top returning rusher after producing a career-high 717 yards and four touchdowns on 144 carries a year ago. Williams has paced the Panthers ground attack through the first four games with 201 yards on 55 carries. His 86 yards on 18 attempts on Opening Day at San Diego (9/7) were the fourth-highest total of his career, behind 121 yards at Arizona (10/14/07) and at Tampa Bay (12/30/07), and 114 yards versus St. Louis (11/19/06). Here is a look at Williams top-five rushing games through the first 30 contests of his NFL c a r e e r : Date Opp. Att. Yards Avg 10/14/07 at Arizona 10 121 12.1 12/30/07 at Tampa Bay 20 121 6.1 11/19/06 vs. St. Louis 20 114 5.7 9/07/08 at San Diego 18 86 4.8 12/24/06 at Atlanta 21 82 3.9 With runs of 35, 29 and 32 yards versus Seattle (12/16/07), Dallas (12/22/07) and at Tampa Bay (12/30/07), respectively, Williams joined Steven Jackson (six), LaDainian Tomlinson (four) and Fred Taylor (three) as the only running backs to post a 30-yard run in at least three consecutive games during the 2007 season. Once the understudy to Foster, Williams will now serve as the mentor to rookie running back Jonathan Stewart, Carolina s first round (13th overall) selection in the 2008 NFL Draft. Through the first four games of his NFL career, Stewart has accumulated 197 yards and four touchdowns on 45 attempts for an average of 4.4 yards-per-carry. Stewart s 24 points are tied for fifth among NFC non-kickers and rank first in the NFL among rookies. His four rushing touchdowns are three off the franchise record for a rookie accomplished by Fred Lane in 1997. Stewart tied the club record for consecutive games with a touchdown run at three with a eight-yard scamper versus Atlanta (9/28). Williams and Stewart have combined for 398 yards and four touchdowns on 100 attempts for an average of 4.0 yards-per-attempt through the first four games. TIGHT ENDS CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE One year after tight end Jeff King ranked second on the team with a career-high 46 receptions, the most by a Panthers tight end since Wesley Wa l l s 63 in 1999, second-year tight end Dante Rosario took center stage on Opening Day at San Diego (9/7). Rosario led all Panthers receivers with a career-high seven receptions, none more important than the 14-yard strike he corralled in the back of the endzone from quarterback Jake Delhomme as time expired. His seven receptions were more than he totaled during his entire rookie campaign (six) and the 96 receiving yards were also a career high. Here is a look at the top six games by receptions for a Panthers tight end: Player No. Opponent Jeff King 10 vs. Indianapolis (10/28/07) Wesley Walls 10 at San Francisco (10/07/01 Wesley Walls 8 at St. Louis (11/23/97) Wesley Walls 8 vs. New Orleans (11/30/97) Wesley Walls 8 vs. Miami (11/15/98) Dante Rosario 7 at San Diego (9/07/08) Here is a look at the top five games by receiving yards for a Panthers tight end: Player No. Yards Opponent Wesley Walls 7 147 at Atlanta (9/07/97) Wesley Walls 8 106 at St. Louis (11/23/97) Wesley Walls 7 102 vs. Seattle (10/08/00) Wesley Walls 5 99 at San Francisco (9/10/00) Dante Rosario 7 96 at San Diego (9/07/08) Not to be outdone, King responded in Week Two versus Chicago, hauling in a 23-yard strike from Delhomme at the Bears one-yard line with 4:43 remaining to set up running back Jonathan Stewart s go ahead touchdown run. King and Rosario have combined for 18 receptions for 193 yards and one touchdown through the first four games.
SMITH AMONG LEAGUE S ELITE SINCE 2005 Despite playing with four different quarterbacks in 2007, wide receiver Steve Smith paced the Carolina receiving corps with 1,002 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 87 receptions. Smith led the team in receiving for the third-consecutive season and became the first player in club history to post three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons after accumulating 1,563 yards in 2005 and 1,166 yards in 2006. Since the start of the 2005 season, Smith ranks fourth in the NFL with 3,897 receiving yards and tied for sixth with 279 receptions and 28 receiving touchdowns. Here is a look at Smith s production over the last three seasons. Year No Yds Avg Lg TD 2007 87 1,002 11.5 74t 7 2006 83 1,166 14.0 72 8 2005 103 1,563 15.2 80 12 N F L LEADERS, RECEIVING YARDS SINCE 2005 Player Receiving Yards Chad Johnson 4,357 Larry Fitzgerald 4,179 Reggie Wayne 4,128 Steve Smith 3,897 Torry Holt 3,895 N F L LEADERS, RECEPTIONS SINCE 2005 Player Receptions T.J. Houshmandzadeh 304 Torry Holt 303 Larry Fitzgerald 296 Reggie Wayne 291 Chad Johnson 288 Steve Smith 283 Anquan Boldin 283 N F L LEADERS, RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS SINCE 2005 Player Receiving Touchdowns Terrell Owens 38 Randy Moss 34 Antonio Gates 31 Plaxico Burress 30 T.J. Houshmandzadeh 29 Steve Smith 28 Larry Fitzgerald 28 Torry Holt 27 Hines Ward 27 With six receptions for 96 yards and one touchdown versus Atlanta (9/28), Smith became the second player in team history to surpass 6,000 career receiving yards with 6,093. He ranks second in club annals to fellow wide receiver and teammate Muhsin Muhammad s 8,038. His 441 career recpetions are also second in franchise history to Muhammad s 600. Smith and Muhammad are the only players in Panthers history to eclipse 400 career receptions and 6,000 receiving yards. With his 56-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jake Delhomme in the second quarter versus Atlanta (9/28), Smith maintained his position as the club s all-time leader for touchdowns scored with 46, one head of Muhammad s 45. Of his 46 touchdowns, 38 have come through the air, two on the ground and six in the return game. Smith s 38 career touchdown receptions currently rank third in team history, six behind former tight end Wesley Walls 44 and seven behind Muhammad s 45.
MOOSE SIGHTING Carolina welcomed back a familiar face when former wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad was signed as a free agent on February 28 after three seasons with the Chicago Bears. Muhammad is Carolina s franchise leader with 600 catches, 8,038 receiving yards and 27 100- yard receiving games. He is second all-time with 45 touchdowns and stands third with 274 points scored. Muhammad surpassed 10,000 career receiving yards with 59 yards on five receptions in Week Two versus Chicago (9/14). He currently ranks seventh among active wide receivers with 10,074 receiving yards, sixth with 756 receptions and eighth with 56 touchdown receptions. Here is a look at where Muhammad ranks among active wide receivers in several key receiving categories: Active Wide Receivers Among All-Time NFL L e a d e r s R e c e p t i o n s Receiving Ya r d s Receiving Touchdowns P l a y e r N o P l a y e r Y d s P l a y e r T D Harrison, Ind. 1, 055 Bruce, S.F. 14, 335 Owens, Dal. 133 Bruce, S.F. 953 Harrison, Ind. 14, 076 Moss, N.E. 125 Owens, Dal 899 Owens, Dal. 13, 334 Harrison, Ind. 124 Holt, Stl. 820 Moss, N.E. 12, 356 Bruce, S.F. 86 Moss, N.E. 786 Holt, Stl. 12, 051 G a l l o w a y, T. B. 77 Muhammad, Car. 764 G a l l o w a y, T. B. 10, 646 Holt, Stl. 72 Muhammad, Car. 10, 221 Ward, Pit. 68 Muhammad, Car. 57 In three seasons with the Bears, Muhammad started 47 regular season games and all four of the club s postseason contests. He produced 2,183 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on 164 receptions during those three years and led Chicago with 64 receptions for 750 yards and four touchdowns in 2005. M I L E S TONE-SETTING PERFORMANCE FOR MUHAMMAD Two weeks after notching 10,000 career receiving yards with 59 yards on five receptions versus Chicago (9/14), wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad recorded another milestone-surpassing performance Sunday versus Atlanta (9/28). With eight receptions for 147 and a touchdown, Muhammad eclipsed 8,000 career receiving yards with Carolina and posted his 600th career reception in a Panthers uniform. The 147 receiving yards marked his most productive single-game performance since a 179-yard receiving day at New Orleans (12/05/04) in 2004 and was the fourth-highest regular season total of his career. Here are Muhammad s top-five regular season receiving yardage games: D a t e O p p o n e n t R e c e p t i o n s Receiving Ya r d s T D 9 / 13 / 98 at New Orleans 9 192 1 11 / 16 / 03 vs. Wa s h i n g t o n 9 189 0 10 / 03 / 99 at Wa s h i n g t o n 8 151 0 9 / 28 / 08 vs. Atlanta 8 147 1 9 / 23 / 01 at Atlanta 10 132 0 M u h a m m a d s 36-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jake Delhomme in the fourth quarter was his 45th with the Panthers, breaking a tie with former tight end Wesley Walls as the franchise s all-time touchdown receptions leader. His 45 career touchdowns are one behind teammate and fellow wide receiver Steve Smith s club-record 46.
REVAMPED DEFENSIVE LINE TESTED EARLY The Carolina Panthers defensive line entered the 2008 season with only one starter, left defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu, penciled in at the same position as the 2007 opener at St. Louis (9/09/07). Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers, the club s all-time leader with 58.0 sacks, moves to right defensive end after six seasons on the left side to fill the void left by the retirement of long-time starter Mike R u c k e r. Tyler Brayton, an unrestricted free agent acquisition from Oakland, is the starter at left defensive end and Damione Lewis, who served primarily as a reserve in 2007, moves into the starting lineup after Kris Jenkins was traded to the New York Jets during the o f f s e a s o n. Here is a look at Carolina s starting defensive line last week vs Atlanta (9/28) compared to the starting defensive line in the 2007 opener at St. Louis (9/09/07). Starters at St. Louis (9/09/07) Starters vs Atlanta (9/28/08) LDE Julius Peppers Tyler Brayton LDT Maake Kemoeatu Maake Kemoeatu RDT Kris Jenkins Damione Lewis RDE Mike Rucker Julius Peppers Carolina s revamped defensive line has been tested early, facing three of the NFL s top-six leading rushers in Atlanta s Michael Turner, Minnesota s Adrian Peterson and Chicago s Matt Forte, along with last year s leading rusher in San Diego s LaDainian Tomlinson, in the season s first four games. The Panthers held all four backs under 100 yards rushing, limiting Tomlinson to 97 yards on 22 attempts, Forte to 92 yards on 23 attempts, Peterson to 77 yards on 17 attempts and Turner to 56 yards on 18 carries. The task doesn t get any easier this week, as running back Larry Johnson and the Kansas City Chiefs visit Bank of America Stadium. Johnson ranks third in the League with 415 yards and three touchdowns on 86 attempts and is coming off a 198-yard performance last week versus Denver. BEASON BUILDING OFF BREAKOUT 2007 Middle linebacker Jon Beason, the club s first round (25th overall) selection in the 2007 NFL draft, led or tied for the team lead in tackles in 13-of-16 games as a rookie en route to notching a team-record 160 stops. He eclipsed the previous record of 158 established by Micheal Barrow in 1998 as well as Lester Towns club rookie record of 106 set in 2000. The former Miami Hurricane started the first four games of the season at weakside linebacker before moving to middle linebacker in Week Five after an injury to Dan Morgan. Beason added seven passes defensed, three quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one interception. Here is a look at the top four single-season tackle totals by Panthers rookies: P l a y e r Ye a r Ta c k l e S o l o A s s t. Jon Beason 2007 160 115 45 Lester To w n s 2000 106 71 35 Will Witherspoon 2002 88 49 39 Dan Morgan 2001 75 47 28 Here is a look at the top four single-season tackle totals in club history: P l a y e r Ye a r Ta c k l e S o l o A s s t. Jon Beason 2007 160 115 45 Micheal Barrow 1998 158 112 46 Chad Cota 1997 153 107 46 Mike Minter 2000 142 91 51 Beason leads the team with 44 tackles through four games in 2008 to go along with one fumble recovery and one pass defensed. He recovered a fumble by Bears tight end Greg Olsen that was forced by linebacker Thomas Davis in the first quarter of Carolina s comeback victory versus Chicago (9/14).
HARRIS FORCES THE ISSUE One year ago strong safety Chris Harris stepped into the vacancy left by the retirement of long-time starter Mike Minter. He responded with one of the finest seasons by a Panthers defensive back in franchise history, leading the NFL with a club-record eight forced fumbles and finishing second on the team with a career-high 102 tackles. Harris finished the season playing a role in eight of C a r o l i n a s 30 take-aways, the most of any player on the defense, and enters his second season in Carolina as one of the leaders of an experienced secondary. Harris has started the 2008 season much the way he did the 2007 campaign, forcing a fumble by Chargers tight end Antonio Gates at San Diego (9/7), that was returned 31 yards by cornerback Chris Gamble for a touchdown. He finished the game tied with linebacker Na il Diggs for the team lead with 10 tackles. He was at it again versus Chicago (9/14), forcing a fumble by Bears tight end Greg Olsen that was again recovered by Gamble. The take-away led directly to Carolina s first touchdown of the game, a four-yard run by running back Jonathan Stewart five plays later. H e r e s a look at players with the most forced fumbles (unofficial) since the start of the 2007 season: P l a y e r Te a m Forced Fumbles Chris Harris C a r o l i n a 10 James Harrison P i t t s b u r g h 8 Greg White Ta m p a B a y 7 Kyle Vanden Bosch Te n n e s s e e 7 Three players tied 6 GAMBLE A SAFE BET AT CORNERBACK Cornerback Chris Gamble, the Panthers first-round selection (28th overall) in the 2004 NFL Draft, has found himself in the middle of the action through the first four games of the season. He leads the secondary with 27 tackles and tied a career-high with 11 stops last week versus Atlanta (9/28). The former Ohio State Buckege has also been a catalyst for the Panthers defense with regard to turnovers, playing a role in three of the team s four takeaways. In the season-opening 26-24 victory at San Diego (9/7), Gamble recovered a fumble by Chargers tight end Antonio Gates that was forced by Harris, and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown. It was deja-vu in Week Two versus Chicago (9/14) as Gamble again recovered a fumble forced by Harris that led directly to Carolina s first touchdown of the game and helped ignite a come-from-behind victory. Last week at Minnesota (9/21), Gamble victimized Vikings quarterback Gus Frerotte in the first quarter for his first interception of the season. The theft was the 18th of his career and moved him into second place in franchise history ahead of former safety Mike Minter s 17, seven behind Eric Davis 25. Here s a look at where Gamble s 18 interceptions rank in the NFL since 2004. P l a y e r Team I n t e r c e p t i o n s Champ Bailey D e n v e r 25 Ed Reed B a l t i m o r e 23 Asante Samuel New England/Philadelphia 22 Darren Sharper Green Bay/Minnesota 21 Rashean Mathis J a c k s o n v i l l e 20 DeAngelo Hall A t l a n t a / O a k l a n d 19 Chris Gamble C a r o l i n a 18 Dre Bly D e t r o i t / D e n v e r 18 Nathan Va s h e r C h i c a g o 18 DID YOU KNOW? Defense Stingy In Red-zone -- Through the first quarter of the season, Carolina s defense has proved solid in several areas, including top-10 rankings in both passing yards per game and scoring defense. However, the unit has perhaps been most effective in the red-zone, allowing two touchdowns and five field goals on seven red-zone possessions for a 22.2 percent touchdown conversion rate and a 77.8 percent scoring conversion rate, tops in the League. Fox and the AFC -- Panthers head coach John Fox will look to even his career record versus the AFC as the Panthers face the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday. Since Fox s arrival in 2002, Carolina has compiled a 12-13 record versus the AFC, including a 2-3 mark versus the AFC West. Fox is 1-0 as a head coach versus Kansas City, registering a 28-17 victory at Arrowhead Stadium (9/19/04) during the 2004 season. Carolina is 1-0 versus the AFC in 2008, defeating the San Diego Chargers, 26-24, on Opening Day (9/07/08).
K A S AY CONTINUES RISE Kicker John Kasay converted all three of his extra point opportunities and his only field goal attempt, connecting from 44 yards, versus Atlanta for six points. He remains in 13th position all-time in NFL history for points scored with 1,536, 48 behind Al Del Greco in 12th position, including 1,195 for the Panthers. Indicative of his accuracy on field goals, his 438 extra points are the fewest among the top 20 all-time scorers. His 44-yard field goal versus Atlanta moved him into a tie with Norm Johnson for ninth place all-time with 366, and his 35 made field goals from 50 yards or longer are tied for third in League history. Among active kickers, the 18-year veteran ranks ranks fifth in both points and field goals made and tied for second in converted opportunities of 50 yards or longer. Here is a look at the players ranked 10-15 on the NFL s all-time points scored list. R a n k P l a y e r S e a s o n X P M X PA F G M P t s 10 Jason Hanson 1992-2007 503 510 383 1, 652 11 Eddie Murray 1980-2000 538 545 352 1, 594 12 Al Del Greco 1984-2000 543 551 347 1, 584 13 John Kasay 1991-2008 438 448 366 1, 536 14 Steve Christie 1990-2004 468 473 336 1, 476 15 Pat Leahy 1974-1991 558 584 304 1, 470 Here is a look at positions seven through 12 for most field goals made in NFL H i s t o r y. R a n k P l a y e r S e a s o n F G M 7 Jason Hanson 1992-2007 383 8 Jan Stenerud 1967-1985 373 9 Norm Johnson 1982-1999 366 10 John Kasay 1991-2008 366 11 Eddie Murray 1980-2000 352 12 Al Del Greco 1984-2000 347 K a s a y s 52-yard field goal as time expired at New Orleans (10/07) was the 11th game-winning kick of his career and ninth with the Panthers. The University of Georgia product is the club s all-time leader in games played (173) and points (1,163) and has led the team in scoring in every year except 2000, 2002 and 2004. L L OYD A SPECIAL W E A P O N Panthers kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd has proven to be a valuable addition through the season s first four games. On the year, Lloyd has reached the endzone on 16-of-19 kickoffs and leads the League with nine touchbacks. Here is a look at kickers with the most touchbacks through four games: P l a y e r Te a m To u c h b a c k s Rhys Lloyd C a r o l i n a 9 Nate Kaeding San Diego 7 Matt Prater D e n v e r 7 L l o y d s ability to kick the ball into the endzone has also helped Carolina s kickoff coverage units. The Panthers currently rank second in the NFC and third in the NFL in opponent s average starting position with an average of the 22.1-yard line.