Pro. Jake Delhomme

[NewsCopy]

The last time Carolina faced a must-win finale versus Saints, Delhomme was on other side

CHARLOTTE — The last time Jake Delhomme played in a season finale with as much at stake for the Carolina Panthers as Sunday’s showdown against the New Orleans Saints was 1999 in Charlotte.

Only Delhomme started for the Saints, not the Panthers.

“I got the dog beat out of me by Kevin Greene,” Delhomme recalled Wednesday of the former Carolina outside linebacker.

Delhomme was making his second career start in the final game for then-Saints coach Mike Ditka. New Orleans, at 3-12, had nothing to play for but pride.

Carolina had a chance to make the playoffs if it defeated the Saints; the New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys; and Green Bay beat the Arizona Cardinals.

And, oh, by the way, the Panthers had to beat New Orleans by 18 more points than the Packers beat the Cardinals.

It turned into a wild day in which the Panthers spent a lot of time watching the scoreboard to see what Green Bay was doing several thousand miles away.

Former Carolina fullback William Floyd said it was the first time he had played a game against a team that wasn’t in the same stadium. Carolina tight end Kris Mangum said he had never been in a game “when you’re up 30 or 40 points and doing the onside kick.”

“I was more disappointed Green Bay kept scoring so (Carolina quarterback Steve) Beuerlein had to keep throwing touchdown passes,” recalled Delhomme, who gave the Panthers a few extra scoring opportunities with four interceptions.

The Panthers did their part by beating the Saints 45-13, running up the score at every opportunity.

But it wasn’t good enough because Green Bay defeated Arizona 49-24 — leaving Carolina 11 points short — and Dallas defeated the Giants later that day.

Sunday’s season finale against the Saints will not be quite as complicated. The winner between these 7-8 teams will win the NFC’s final wild-card spot if Seattle defeats Arizona or St. Louis loses to the New York Jets.

The Panthers also can get in if they beat the Saints and Minnesota (8-7) loses at Washington.

Delhomme hopes to be more effective Sunday than he was five years ago.

“He played terrible,” Carolina safety Mike Minter said. “That’s not to be talking bad about the guy. It was great for us. That’s all that matters. He was young. They threw him up in there, and we reaped some benefits from that.”

Delhomme completed 26-of-43 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for a team-high 78 yards and a touchdown.

“It seems not long ago, but it seems like ages ago,” he said.

Delhomme refused to call that the worst game of his pro career despite the interceptions. If anything, he was thankful he got a chance to showcase his talents.

The rest of the story

Reach Newton at (803) 802-2091 or sportsscribe01@aol.com

[NewsCopy]

METAIRIE -- Aaron Brooks or Jake Delhomme? The great debate resurfaces as those quarterbacks lead their teams' fight for a playoff berth in the New Orleans Saints-Carolina Panthers game on Sunday in Charlotte.

Two years and three days ago, the Panthers beat the Saints, 10-6, in the regular-season finale in the Superdome, denying New Orleans a playoff spot as the Saints offense struggled behind an injured Brooks amid fans chants of "We want Jake" that fell on deaf ears.

Saints coach Jim Haslett was faced with a decision: Brooks or Delhomme? He chose Brooks and a few months later, Delhomme, a native of Breaux Bridge who played at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, signed with the Panthers as a free agent.

A year later, Delhomme and Carolina were in the Super Bowl, and now 11 months after that, Brooks and the Saints meet Delhomme and the Panthers with both having designs on one playoff spot.

"You can find irony in just about anything in life. It's just a matter of circumstance," Saints wide receiver Jerome Pathon said. "I don't think by any means it's a way of determining who's the better quarterback."

While the Panthers are seeking a chance to defend their NFC Championship, the Saints are seeking to end a three-year playoff drought that began when Brooks won the starter's job over Delhomme and Jeff Blake during the 2001 training camp. However, Brooks did lead New Orleans to its only playoff victory in 2000 after Blake was injured late in the season. Brooks dismissed the premise of the debate.

"There is no comparison to Jake and I," he said. "Jake had his opportunity for numerous years here in New Orleans and couldn't capitalize on it. I came and got the job, and he had to move on. He's done a great job where he's at. I don't buy into that because there is no comparison."

Delhomme took exception to Saints fans chanting for him while Brooks was trying to get New Orleans past Carolina and into the playoffs.

"I don't necessarily agree with that; when you're trying to win and you're playing in front of your home crowd, it seems like you'd have the fans on your side," he said.

"Coming over here to Carolina the following year and talking to those guys about that game, that got them pumped up when things like that happened."

The rest of the story


By LES EAST
Special to The Advocate

[NewsCopy]

Saints, Panthers head into finale needing win, help for postseason

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - It's not exactly a repeat performance for Jake Delhomme, but it's about as close as he can get.

In the 1999 regular-season finale, Delhomme was a wide-eyed quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, trying to keep the Carolina Panthers out of the playoffs.

On the fifth anniversary of his second career start, Delhomme will be on the field Sunday when the Saints play at the Panthers. He's practically a veteran now, and in this meeting, Delhomme will be trying to get Carolina into the playoffs - and keep the Saints out.

New Orleans (7-8) and Carolina (7-8) head into the finale both trying to earn the NFC's final wild-card berth.

For Delhomme, it is pretty close to how he pictured the final game unfolding.

"When I saw Jan. 2 and the Saints and Panthers, the first thing that went through my mind is that both of us will be playing for the division crown," Delhomme said. "I fully anticipated them having a real good season, and I anticipated us having a real good season. I thought you'd have two teams with 10, 11, 12 wins fighting it out for the division crown."

Atlanta already has the NFC South title wrapped up, but the Saints and Panthers both have a legitimate shot at the postseason.

For the Panthers to get in, they must win and have one of three things happen: A Minnesota loss, a Seattle win or tie, or a St. Louis loss or tie.

The Saints have to win to get in, and have either St. Louis loss or tie, or Seattle and Minnesota win or tie.

"We don't know what's going to happen with these other games," Delhomme said. "We could still possibly win and the Saints could possibly win, and neither one of us would get in.

"It is a big game, but it's big because it's the next one and it could be the last one. That's why it's such a big game. We won't know until 3:15 or so Sunday whether this game means anything or not."

That either team can get into the playoffs is impressive considering where they've come from this season.

Carolina, the defending NFC champions, started the season 1-7 and riddled with injuries to key players. But a five-game winning streak got the Panthers back in the hunt.

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[PantherCanada]

Some more comparisons I figured out for my webpage...




Jake finished 7th in the NFL for passing yards and 4th in the NFC - behind Culpepper (4717), Green (4591), Manning (4557), Plummer (4089), Favre (4088) and Bulger (3964).

Jake finished 4th in the NFL for TDs and 3rd in the NFC - behind Manning (49), Culpepper (39), McNabb (31) and Favre (30).

He was 12th in passer rating NFL-wide and 6th in the NFC.

[PantherCanada]

Originally posted by Turbine
8th:
Passing Yards 3579 (Arron Brooks 7th 15 yards apart)

5th: Touchdowns 27
(Tied for 5th)

I think you missed a game?

He actually ended with 3886 yards and 29 TDs.
nfl.com

Don't mean to be a nit-picker but he did even better - and also beat Aaron Brooks (3810 yards/21 TDs/79.5 PR)

[PantherCanada]

I really wish I taped that T-Bay game... he was the man for that one - I was so proud after that game!

[studentfan]

Can you expect anything less from the Saints? They have always traded off the better players and kept the worse ones, then wonder why they can't make the playoffs or constantly play great. When the Saints let Jake go I knew they made the wrong decision, but I've seen it before and wasn't really that shocked b/c I expect it to happen again. That's why I quit cheering for the Saints and started to cheer for Carolina and Houston.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by PantherCanada
I think you missed a game?

I was sitting here brain rattled thinking, how could I make such a mistake?

Then it hit me, I crunched these numbers prior to the last game of the season which was Jan. 2

Thanks for doing the wrap up.

[CajunNation]

He fails in the most important and easiest way to promote Louisiana-using Louisiana when talking about his alma mater.

[NewsCopy]

Like the rest of his teammates, Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme is back in Charlotte after a couple of months at home putting the rollercoaster ride that was the 2004 season behind him. The offseason strength and conditioning program is in full swing at Bank of America Stadium, and Delhomme is glad to be hitting restart again.

"It's been good," he said of his time in his hometown of Breaux Bridge, LA. "Can't say we ended last season on too good of a note, but we expect some big things this season. It's always hard to come back when you have been home for so long, but it was exciting to see everyone's face (Monday) and I'm ready to work."

The main storylines this offseason will be re-establishing chemistry with players who missed most of 2004 with injuries, as well as welcoming aboard some key free agents and the influx of draft choices next month.

For Delhomme, that primarily means re-learning where Steve Smith will be on the field. Smith and Delhomme clicked to the tune of 88 connections for 1,110 yards and seven touchdowns in 2003. It's time for Delhomme and Smith to find that rapport again.

"I can't say that we'll walk on the field and it will be there from the start, but I'm pretty confident that it won't take too long," said Delhomme. "I've talked to him numerous times during the offseason and he's ready to go. I kind of have an idea of what he does well, and that's just about everything. My job is the easy part. Just get him the ball and he does the rest. I anticipate a big year for him, but also for Keary Colbert."

Yes, Keary Colbert. While all eyes will be on Smith this offseason, Colbert will be going into his second season with a much better knowledge of what to expect after setting Panthers rookie records in 2004 with 47 receptions, 754 receiving yards and five touchdowns..

The rest of the story

By Brett Borden
Panthers.com

[CajunFan64]

One thing I think would be neat for Jake, and brandon, and Ike, and Peanut, and all those guys in the league is on like Monday night football when it comes up and they say who they are and what college they are from. I think it would be cool if they would say like Jake Delhomme THE University of Louisiana, kinda stealing a page from Ohio St. I know but not only would it promote the UL symbol for us, but it sure would ____ the Tiggers off something good, and I just love to ruffle their feathers whenever I can.

Geaux Cajuns

[shof]

Originally posted by CajunFan64
One thing I think would be neat for Jake, and brandon, and Ike, and Peanut, and all those guys in the league is on like Monday night football when it comes up and they say who they are and what college they are from. I think it would be cool if they would say like Jake Delhomme THE University of Louisiana, kinda stealing a page from Ohio St. I know but not only would it promote the UL symbol for us, but it sure would tick the Tiggers off something good, and I just love to ruffle their feathers whenever I can.

Geaux Cajuns

I like it! Are you listening guys