Falcons look to play spoiler role against Panthers

ATLANTA - Four weeks ago, everybody wanted to know why Carolina couldn't beat Michael Vick.

The Panthers passed their first test easily. They sacked Atlanta's three-time Pro Bowl quarterback five times, held him to a 39.1 passer rating and intercepted him twice.

Beating the Falcons 24-6 restored some confidence, but Carolina has more than ego at stake Sunday as it tries to win at the Georgia Dome for the first time since 1997.

"There for a while we had a problem beating them here," defensive end Mike Rucker said this week at Panthers headquarters. "It's funny how everybody has found another thing to talk about."

Rucker was a junior at Nebraska when Carolina won its last game in Atlanta. John Kasay kicked three field goals to Morten Andersen's two as the Panthers took a 9-6 victory in Week 2 against first-year Falcons coach Dan Reeves.

Only Kasay, safety Mike Minter and tight end Kris Mangum remain from the 1997 Carolina team. The longest-tenured Falcon is Keith Brooking, a first-round draft pick in '98 and a five-time Pro Bowl linebacker whose team fell out of playoff contention last week.

Atlanta, which advanced to the NFC title game in 2004, was eliminated in an overtime loss at Tampa Bay. The Falcons (8-7) must win or tie if they are to avoid continuing a franchise-long streak of futility: Since it joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1966, Atlanta has never managed consecutive winning seasons.

"I'll be dead honest with you," Brooking said. "I've been asked that question a lot this season, even when we were 6-2 and playing really well. You know, 'What about the opportunity to have back-to-back winning seasons?' That didn't mean anything to me at the time because that wasn't my goal or the team's goal. But right now, I have a different perspective."

Carolina (10-5) has dropped two of three since releasing its frustration against Vick, whose career record fell to 5-1 in the series. Both losses were at home, including last week's 24-20 setback to Dallas.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme nearly led the Panthers to a victory in Atlanta during December 2003 and '04. But he had a combined six turnovers in the two losses.

Delhomme isn't too worried about the past. Last year, Carolina was the defending NFC champion and riddled with injuries when it recovered from a 1-7 start to enter the regular-season finale at 7-8. A home loss to New Orleans ruined what could have been a great finish.

"We don't have to worry about this happening or that happening," Delhomme said. "We just have to go and get a win some kind of way. If we get a win, our foot's in the door, and once your foot's in the door, it's a whole new ballgame. We just have to worry about us."

If Carolina beats the Falcons and Tampa Bay loses to or ties New Orleans, the Panthers will be NFC South champions. Carolina also can clinch the division if it ties the Falcons and the Buccaneers lose.

The Panthers can clinch a wild-card spot with a victory or a tie. An eighth straight loss in Atlanta would still put them in the NFC field if either Dallas or Washington loses or ties.

"I think what you have to do is turn it up in preparation," said Rucker, who had two tackles and one sack of Vick for minus-9 yards earlier this month. "You have to do the little things, like watch more film, and fine-tune everything, because there's no tomorrow. You win, you're in, and if you don't, you're getting ready for vacation. That's something that you don't want to be preparing for right now. We're focused on the Falcons and we're working hard."