Carolina Claws Chicago
Updated: January 7, 2009
Steve Smith racked up a career-best 218 receiving yards on 12 catches and hauled in two touchdown passes from Jake Delhomme, as Carolina advanced to the NFC Championship game with a 29-21 victory over Chicago in a divisional playoff game at Soldier Field.
Delhomme threw for 319 yards and three scores with one interception for the fifth-seeded Panthers, who built an early 13-0 lead and held on to reach the NFC title game for the second time in three years. He completed 24-of-33 passes.
Carolina will visit top-seeded Seattle next Sunday to decide the conference`s representative in Super Bowl XL.
The Panthers rolled up 434 total yards against the NFL`s second-ranked defense and put up the most points by an opponent at Soldier Field this season.
Rex Grossman went 17-of-41 for 192 yards with a touchdown and interception in his first career playoff start. Thomas Jones compiled 80 yards on 20 carries for second-seeded Chicago, which hasn`t won a postseason game since the 1994 campaign.
