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Presented with an opportunity to get back
into the race for the best record in the NFC, Brett Favre and the
Minnesota Vikings fell flat with another Sunday night dud.


      Steve Smith caught the go-ahead touchdown pass and his long
catch and run set up the clinching score and the Carolina Panthers
used a ferocious defense to stifle Favre, Adrian Peterson and the
Vikings in a 26-7 victory.

      Hours after clinching the NFC North when Green Bay lost, the
Vikings (11-3) failed to move within a game of NFC-leading New
Orleans a night after the Saints' first loss of the season.

      Surprisingly, the best quarterback on the field wasn't the
40-year-old Favre, but Matt Moore. In his third start for the
injured Jake Delhomme, Moore threw three touchdown passes.

      A four-time Pro Bowl pick, Smith had been quiet most of the
season with Carolina's quarterback woes. But he caught nine passes
for 157 yards and keyed Carolina's 20-point fourth quarter.

      Jonathan Stewart had 109 yards rushing on 25 carries, snapping
Minnesota's NFL-long steak of 36 games without allowing a 100-yard
rusher.


      Moore threw for a career-high 299 yards and no interceptions for
the Panthers (6-8), who lost top rusher DeAngelo Williams to a
first-quarter ankle injury, then made numerous key errors that kept
them out of the end zone until an improbable touchdown early in the
fourth quarter.


      Facing third-and-26, Moore heaved a pass to the right side and
Smith beat Antoine Winfield for a 42-yard touchdown and a 12-7
lead. Moore then missed an open Kenny Moore on a 2-point conversion
pass.


      It was the beginning of three touchdowns on consecutive
fourth-quarter drives. Smith's 45-yard, tackle-breaking
catch-and-run set up Stewart's 3-yard TD run.


      Moore, looking poised in the pocket and getting time to throw
despite an offensive line that lost both starting tackles, then
threw a 2-yard TD pass to Stewart to put it away.

      Favre's difficult night ended when he was picked off in the end
zone by Chris Harris in the closing minutes.


      Minnesota lost for the second time in three games - both road
routs on Sunday night - to drop to 4-3 away from home.


      It was about 35 minutes before kickoff when the video boards
showed Pittsburgh's winning touchdown on the final play over Green
Bay that clinched the NFC North title.


      The Vikings fans in the stands - and there were plenty of them -
cheered wildly. But there was little reaction from the players.
Favre did stop briefly to check the replay, which showed Mike
Wallace was inbounds on his diving catch as time expired for the
Steelers. Favre then took a snap and fired the ball downfield to
continue his warmups.

      The Vikings' chance to clinch a first-round bye Sunday was
dashed a few minutes earlier when Philadelphia beat San Francisco.
But with the Saints' first loss, the Vikings eyed home-field
advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.


      Instead, Minnesota looked flat. Julius Peppers led Carolina's
impressive pass rush and Favre was sacked on each of his first two
possessions, the second after slipping on the turf and leading to
him changing to longer cleats.


      The Panthers were officially eliminated from playoff contention
after Dallas' win Saturday night, but Moore was the more efficient
quarterback in the first half. He led Carolina on an 8-minute drive
that ended with his 1-yard touchdown pass to Brad Hoover, the
fullback's first receiving TD since 2004.


      Ray Edwards blocked the extra point, John Kasay's first missed
PAT since 2005 and ending his streak at 157.


      The Vikings took the lead late in the second quarter on
Peterson's spectacular 4-yard run. Seemingly stood up by Harris,
Peterson spun away and broke Richard Marshall's tackle late in the
second quarter to make it 7-6.


      But in a disappointing season full of injuries and lost
opportunities, the Panthers had a 47-yard field goal taken off the
board on the final play of the half after Garry Williams' false
start. Coach John Fox decided against letting Kasay try a
52-yarder, and Moore's desperation pass into the end zone was
knocked down.

      It was the kind of mistakes that would seemingly end the
Panthers' hopes against a high-powered offense. But Minnesota
didn't capitalize.


      Favre was just 17 of 27 for 224 yards and no touchdowns.
Peterson was held to 35 yards, a similar poor performance that he
had two weeks ago against Arizona.

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Minnesota Vikings

The Carolina Panthers used a ferocious defense to stifle Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre and running back Adrian Peterson in a 26-7 victory over the Vikings Sunday night.

Shaky Favre, Vikings stunned by Panthers 26-7

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