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SPORTS

Panthers Report: Carolina vs. Miami

Thursday, November 19, 2009
(Updated 12:30 pm)

MIAMI DOLPHINS (4-5) at CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-5)
When: 8:20 p.m. today,
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
TV: NFL Network
Radio: WZTK-101.1
Weather: Partly cloudy, 58 degrees at kickoff

THE STORY LINE
Carolina, which has lost two Pro Bowl-caliber players to injuries in two weeks (T Jordan Gross, LB Thomas Davis), can reach .500 against Miami and former Panthers assistant coach Dan Henning, the Dolphins' offensive coordinator.

THREE TO WATCH
DOLPHINS
QB Chad Henne: Injured Chad Pennington's replacement won't have RB Ronnie Brown's support tonight. Henne was the hero late in a win vs. Tampa Bay last week, but three of his four interceptions have come in the past two weeks.
RB Ricky Williams: He rolled up 102 yards by ground after Brown's injury last week and is averaging a career-best 5.3 yards per carry for the season. He might even see some Wildcat action tonight.
C Jake Grove: Carolina has given up 13 rushing TDs, and Grove anchors a line that accounts for 156.2 yards per game, fourth best in the NFL.

PANTHERS
QB Jake Delhomme: After throwing 13 interceptions through six games, he's pick-free in his past three. That Cajun swagger appears to be back. Delhomme has been scrambling and even finding WR Steve Smith lately.
Coach John Fox: Carolina led with the run and won last week. Can Fox stick to it? When Delhomme throws more than 30 times, he's 9-31. When it's 30 or fewer? He's 50-7. Let the run create the pass.
WR Steve Smith: With three scores in three weeks, he doesn't have to hear much about the Giants' Steve Smith these days. Don't expect sore ribs to slow him.

BY THE NUMBERS

QBs
Miami

Chad Henne — 110 completions in 189 attempts, 1,165 yards, 5 TDs, 4 ints
Carolina
Jake Delhomme — 145 completions in 245 attempts, 1,658 yards, 7 TDs, 13 Ints

RBs
Miami

Ronnie Brown — 147 attempts, 648 yards, 4.4 avg., 8 TDs
R. Williams — 105 attempts, 558 yards, 5.3 avg., 6 TDs
TOTAL — 303 attempts, 1,406 yards, 4.6 avg., 14 TDs
Carolina
DeAngelo Williams — 168 attempts, 860 yards, 5.1 avg., 7 TDs
Stewart — 98 attempts, 466 yards, 4.8 avg., 6 TDs
TOTAL — 293 attempts, 1,409 yards, 4.8 avg., 13 TDs

Wide receivers
Miami

Davone Bess — 40 rec., 334 yards, 8.4 avg., 0 TDs
Greg Camarillo — 27 rec., 277 yards, 10.3 avg., 0 TDs
Ted Ginn Jr. — 19 rec., 218 yards, 11.5 avg., 1 TDs
TOTAL — 163 rec., 1,600 yards, 9.8 avg., 7 TDs
Carolina
Steve Smith — 38 rec., 512 yards, 13.5 avg., 3 TDs
Muhsin Muhammad — 30 rec., 310 yards, 10.3 avg., 0 TDs
DeAngelo. Williams— 21 rec., 215 yards, 10.2 avg., 0 TDs
TOTAL — 152 rec., 1,723 yards, 11.3 avg., 7TDs

THREE KEY INJURIES
DOLPHINS: RB Ronnie Brown (ankle, foot) is out. LG Justin Smiley (shoulder) should play, as should OLB Joey Porter, who was inactive vs. Tampa Bay.
PANTHERS: DE Julius Peppers slowed considerably after breaking a hand two weeks ago, but should play. FB Brad Hoover (ankle) is likely to miss his third consecutive game. WR Steve Smith (ribs) is a go.

THREE TRENDS
1. Miami has surrendered a league-worst 96 fourth-quarter points.
2. Carolina gave up 176 yards and 6.1 per carry in a win against Atlanta.
3. Carolina has never qualified for the postseason in consecutive seasons.

ANALYSIS
Dolphins win if ... they strike big with well-timed trick plays, Henne makes sound decisions (look to emerging rookie TE Kory Sperry) and coach Tony Sparano gambles a bit after taking a conservative approach Sunday vs. Tampa Bay.
Panthers win if ... they can operate smoothly offensively and with patient balance (and some two-minute material thrown in for Jake), avoid a game-changing special-teams foible and keep Ricky Williams between the tackles.
Outcome: Atlanta's fortunes turned with RB Michael Turner's ankle Sunday vs. Carolina, which is discovering the quality of its depth with every season-ending injury. Without Ronnie Brown, Miami lacks its main ingredient. Expect Carolina's shuffled line to effectively mow paths for DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart and give Delhomme time to add some spice of his own. Panthers 31, Dolphins 16

DOLPHINS (4-5)
Sept. 13 at Atlanta L, 19-7
Sept. 21 Indianapolis L, 27-23
Sept. 27 at San Diego L, 23-13
Oct. 4 Buffalo W, 38-10
Oct. 12 N.Y. Jets W, 31-27
Oct. 25 New Orleans L, 46-34
Nov. 1 at N.Y. Jets W, 30-25
Nov. 8 at New England L, 27-17
Nov. 15 Tampa Bay W, 25-23
Today at Carolina 8:20
Nov. 29 at Buffalo 1
Dec. 6 New England 8:20
Dec. 13 at Jacksonville 10
Dec. 20 at Tennessee 1
Dec. 27 Houston 1
Jan. 3 Pittsburgh 1

PANTHERS (4-5)
Sept. 13 Philadelphia L, 38-10
Sept. 20 at Atlanta L, 28-20
Sept. 28 at Dallas L, 21-7
Oct. 11 Washington W, 20-17
Oct. 18 at Tampa Bay W, 28-21
Oct. 25 Buffalo L, 20-9
Nov. 1 at Arizona W, 34-21
Nov. 8 at New Orleans L, 30-20
Nov. 15 Atlanta W, 28-19
Today Miami 8:20
Nov. 29 at N.Y. Jets 1
Dec. 6 Tampa Bay 1
Dec. 13 at New England 1
Dec. 20 Minnesota 8:20
Dec. 27 at N.Y. Giants 1
Jan. 3 New Orleans 1

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