Page "Steve Beuerlein" Paragraph 26

In what was almost certainly the strangest game in franchise history, as the Panthers played the Saints, the Panthers ' coaches, players, and fans constantly monitored the stadium's NFL scoreboard and the Packers-Cardinals score.

Although the Panthers held a commanding 31-0 lead early in the 4th quarter after four touchdown passes by Beuerlein-tying his team record set only two weeks prior-they saw that the Packers ( who also knew they needed to score as many points as possible to stay ahead of the Panthers ) had pulled out to a 35-10 lead of their own.

Needing a lead of at least 12 more points, they found themselves in the awkward position of having to " run up the score " on the Saints, a move that would upset Saints head coach Mike Ditka and many Saints players.

All-Pro kick returner Michael Bates scored on a 95-yard return, and Beuerlein threw for a new team-record fifth touchdown, but Saints ( and future Panthers ) QB Jake Delhomme-in only his second career game-never gave up despite throwing four interceptions, and threw and ran for two 4th-quarter touchdowns.

The final score of 45-13 and 32-point margin of victory was seven points shy of overcoming the Packers ' 49-24 drubbing of the Cardinals, and the Panthers were assured of missing the playoffs.

After the game, Panthers linebacker Micheal Barrow said, " Even though we won the game, we came in the locker room and felt like we lost.

" Said receiver Patrick Jeffers, " It really was like we were playing the Packers more than we were the Saints.

" The whole ordeal was rendered irrelevant when the Cowboys beat the Giants later in the day, and neither the Panthers nor the Packers made the playoffs.