The Carolina Panthers came out of the gate with playoff aspirations in just their second season. The team used free agency to build a tough defense and a surprisingly talented offense starring Kerry Collins, Muhsin Muhammad, and Wesley Walls. The Panthers won the NFC West with a 12-4 record. The first trip to the postseason had playoff tickets for the divisional round against the Dallas Cowboys. The Panther first playoff game 26-17 and began the tradition of making to the NFC Championship game each year they made it to the playoffs.
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Carolina would not be selling Panthers playoff tickets again until 2003. That season the team kicked off the playoffs with a 29-10 win over the Cowboys in the wild card round. A wild double overtime game in the divisional round ended with the Panthers advancing to the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. This time the Panthers won 14-3 and advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time. Jake Delhoume was the quarterback for the underdog and the supporting cast included Stephen Davis as the running back and Steve Smith at wide receiver. The game scheduled against the New England Patriots went to the final minute and ended with a 32-29 loss to the Patriots.
In 2008 at Bank of America Stadium the season is beginning with a great deal of excitement. The aging team knows that this is the last season they have to contend with this roster. Jake Delhoume is returning after injury ending his season and the hope for Panthers playoff tickets last season. DeAngelo Williams will not inspire much confidence anywhere else than in the Carolinas, but the combination of him and rookie Jonathan Stewart splitting time in the backfield fits perfectly with the trend to have a two-back approach.
The return of Mushin Muhammad will give the Panthers a third option downfield and a second option until Steve Smith returns. Without Smith Hackett is the only potential playmaker on the field. The defense took a downturn last season as well and the leader Julius Peppers, is hoping to bring the unit back to its former glory with a great season of his own. Whether the Panthers have playoff tickets at the end of the season is a difficult question with the Saints always bursting with potential and the Bucs coming off a surprising year last season.