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CHARLOTTE -- The question isn't how good the Carolina Panthers are. It's if they're too good too soon.

Carolina's 30-10 victory Sunday against Denver continued the Panthers' late-season run against playoff-caliber teams. Next are the New York Giants in a game that will determine home-field advantage in the NFC for the postseason.

That's key for Carolina after it finished 8-0 at home for the first time since 1996.

Yet, are fans seeing too fast a buildup or is this a sneak peak for January?

Julius Peppers says he feels a "positive energy'' about this team. And why not?

The offense strikes in multiple ways. The defense grows stingier. Even the play-calling is precise.

There's also a toughness building with this group that is critical in the playoffs when the temperature drops and intensity rises. Steve Smith ran through defenders Sunday as if they were tackling dummies. Jonathan Stewart barreled over foes, and DeAngelo Williams bolted by them.

"There's a lot of fight in this team,'' said Williams, noting he hadn't seen this type of toughness during the past couple of seasons. "Whether we're up or we're down, we're going to keep clawing and we're going to keep fighting.''

Offensive lineman Jordan Gross showed that. Officials flagged him for unnecessary roughness with about five minutes left as some of the 73,690 fans trickled out of Bank of America Stadium.

Last week, the 11-3 Panthers relied on Stewart and Williams to beat Tampa Bay. Sunday, Denver moved its linebackers closer to the line of scrimmage to stop the run.

No problem. Jake Delhomme toyed with Denver's secondary. Smith caught nine passes for 165 yards. Muhsin Muhammad had four receptions for 70 yards.

"November and December are when you start to separate yourselves,'' Muhammad said. "I think that we're playing our best ball right now.''

That such performances have come against a Tampa team that could make the playoffs and a Denver team headed for an AFC West Division title is encouraging.

Just as important, Sunday's win came after a short week of preparation when the Panthers had played Monday night. This was the perfect excuse for a letdown. Instead the team showed no let up after ending the first quarter tied at 10. The performance surely pleased ailing team owner Jerry Richardson, who attended the game as he awaits a heart transplant. The circumstances and the schedule made this more than an ordinary victory.

Delhomme spoke, in a way, for the team. "The games do get bigger,'' he said. "That's what you want.''

Delhomme guided a Panthers offense that scored several ways. Two touchdown drives took less than three minutes. Two other scoring drives consumed more than five minutes. Smith scored on a 15-yard catch-and-run with Muhammad blocking two defenders. Williams later ran into a wall, reversed course and sprinted 56 yards past winded Denver defenders for another touchdown.

Denver scored on its first two possessions before Carolina's defense asserted itself. The Panthers put the game away in the second half when the defense prevented the Broncos from getting a first down on three of its five possessions.

That's what playoffs teams do. They stop foes either with turnovers or forcing punts. Carolina smothered Denver's run game until late and sacked quarterback Jay Cutler three times -- Cutler had been sacked only eight times all season. Tyler Brayton finished the game by sacking Cutler.

Then the Panthers could celebrate and look ahead to their game against the Giants. Some players planned to eschew their normal post-game habits to watch New York play Dallas later Sunday night.

"It gives us a day, if you will, of extra film,'' Williams said. "Seeing it live in living color.''

Live or on tape, Carolina is good. Now, they have to show they can carry this momentum through the end of the season and the playoffs.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com

Denver 10 0 0 0 -- 10

Carolina 10 10 7 3 -- 30

Den--Pope 7 pass from Cutler (Prater kick).

Car--Smith 15 pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick).

Den--FG Prater 43.

Car--FG Kasay 39.

Car--Stewart 2 run (Kasay kick).

Car--FG Kasay 44.

Car--Williams 56 run (Kasay kick).

Car--FG Kasay 42.

A--73,690.

Denver Carolina

First downs 15 18

Total Net Yards 279 400

Rushes-yards 23-121 30-147

Passing 158 253

Punt Returns 1-(-3) 2-22

Kickoff Returns 5-116 3-60

Interceptions Ret. 1-34 1-4

Comp-Att-Int 21-33-1 17-26-1

Sacked-Yards Lost 3-14 0-0

Punts 5-48.2 4-39.8

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0

Penalties-Yards 3-25 5-35

Time of Possession 29:10 30:50

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Denver, Pope 7-51, T.Bell 7-43, Young 6-19, Cutler 2-9, Scheffler 1-(minus 1). Carolina, Williams 12-88, Stewart 16-52, Smith 1-9, Delhomme 1-(minus 2).

PASSING--Denver, Cutler 21-33-1-172. Carolina, Delhomme 17-26-1-253.

RECEIVING--Denver, Royal 6-48, Marshall 5-48, Graham 3-25, Pope 3-24, Stokley 2-20, T.Bell 2-7. Carolina, Smith 9-165, Muhammad 4-70, Williams 3-3, King 1-15.

MISSED FIELD GOALS--Denver, Prater 47 (WR).