The Panthers have gone to Detroit and won a game just once in franchise history.
And it took a gutsy effort from an unlikely hero to do it.
Carolina leads the all-time series against Detroit 5-2. The team's most recent trip to Detroit in 2011 ended in a 49-35 loss.
The first and only time the Panthers won at Detroit was on Oct. 16, 2005.
At the end of a defense-heavy opening quarter at Ford Field, it was the visiting Panthers who drew first blood in 2005. Quarterback Jake Delhomme found receiver Rod Gardner for a 4-yard score in the final minute of the first to give the Panthers a 7-0 lead.
Less than a minute into the second quarter, however, the Lions scored the equalizer after Boss Bailey intercepted a Delhomme pass and returned it 34 yards for a score.
Delhomme continued an up-and-down second quarter by tossing an 80-yard touchdown to Steve Smith before throwing another pick-6, this time to Kenoy Kennedy (more on him later).
The Panthers and Lions were tied at 14 at halftime.
A pair of Jason Hanson field goals in the second half gave the Lions a 20-14 lead.
With a 6-point lead and five minutes left in the game, the Lions had an 85-percent win probability.
The tides were about to change.
The Panthers got the ball back on their own 21 yard line with 3:13 left in the fourth, trailing by six.
Delhomme completed a pass to running back Nick Goings for an 11-yard gain and a first down and uncharacteristically used his legs on the ensuing play.
Delhomme ran up the middle for a 5-yard gain but took a punishing hit from Kennedy, who flew into the Panthers quarterback headfirst.
Delhomme was helped off the field and did not return and the Kennedy was flagged for a personal foul, marching the Panthers into Detroit territory.
Carolina turned to former Heisman Winner Chris Weinke, who hadn't appeared in a regular season game since 2002.
Weinke, a Florida State product, started 15 games in 2001 when the Panthers hemorrhaged and finished 1-15. He appeared in six games and started one the following season but did not play in 2003 or 2004.
Weinke's first pass in relief of Delhomme was complete for a 6-yard gain to Gardner.
Weinke completed three passes to receiver Ricky Proehl to move the Panthers inside the Lions 5-yard line with 1:05 left.
A Jamal Robinson run for no gain and a Weinke incompletion led to a third and goal from the Lions 3-yard line.
With 36 seconds left in the game, Weinke played hero and found Proehl for a 3-yard touchdown. After a John Kasay kick, the Panthers led 21-20.
Weinke was 5-for-7 for 47 yards with a scorching 129.2 passer rating on the final drive.
Lions special-teamer R.W. McQuarters returned the ensuing kickoff for 43 yards, setting the Lions up with prime field position at their own 49-yard line.
But Lions quarterback Joey Harrington tossed four straight incompletions and Weinke was summoned to take a knee in victory formation with four seconds left.
Delhomme's final line before exiting in the fourth included 15 completions on 25 attempts, 236 passing yards and two touchdowns compared to three interceptions. His quarterback rating was 78.5 for the game.
Carolina's work-horse power runner Stephen Davis was held to 27 yards on 13 carries.
Carolina improved to 4-2 under John Fox. The team finished that season 11-5 and won a pair of playoff games before falling in the NFC Championship to Seattle.
With the bye week following the game at Detroit, Delhomme was healthy and back at the helm at home in Week 8 against the Vikings.
The Steve Mariucci-led Lions dropped to 2-3 and went on to finish the season 5-11.
Had it not been for Weinke's heroics, the franchise would be searching for its first win in Detroit Sunday.
Instead, the Panthers seek a second straight win over the Lions. Cam Newton and company beat Detroit 24-7 in Charlotte during the 2014 season.
And it took a gutsy effort from an unlikely hero to do it.
Carolina leads the all-time series against Detroit 5-2. The team's most recent trip to Detroit in 2011 ended in a 49-35 loss.
The first and only time the Panthers won at Detroit was on Oct. 16, 2005.
At the end of a defense-heavy opening quarter at Ford Field, it was the visiting Panthers who drew first blood in 2005. Quarterback Jake Delhomme found receiver Rod Gardner for a 4-yard score in the final minute of the first to give the Panthers a 7-0 lead.
Less than a minute into the second quarter, however, the Lions scored the equalizer after Boss Bailey intercepted a Delhomme pass and returned it 34 yards for a score.
Delhomme continued an up-and-down second quarter by tossing an 80-yard touchdown to Steve Smith before throwing another pick-6, this time to Kenoy Kennedy (more on him later).
The Panthers and Lions were tied at 14 at halftime.
A pair of Jason Hanson field goals in the second half gave the Lions a 20-14 lead.
With a 6-point lead and five minutes left in the game, the Lions had an 85-percent win probability.
The tides were about to change.
The Panthers got the ball back on their own 21 yard line with 3:13 left in the fourth, trailing by six.
Delhomme completed a pass to running back Nick Goings for an 11-yard gain and a first down and uncharacteristically used his legs on the ensuing play.
Delhomme ran up the middle for a 5-yard gain but took a punishing hit from Kennedy, who flew into the Panthers quarterback headfirst.
Delhomme was helped off the field and did not return and the Kennedy was flagged for a personal foul, marching the Panthers into Detroit territory.
Carolina turned to former Heisman Winner Chris Weinke, who hadn't appeared in a regular season game since 2002.
Weinke, a Florida State product, started 15 games in 2001 when the Panthers hemorrhaged and finished 1-15. He appeared in six games and started one the following season but did not play in 2003 or 2004.
Weinke's first pass in relief of Delhomme was complete for a 6-yard gain to Gardner.
Weinke completed three passes to receiver Ricky Proehl to move the Panthers inside the Lions 5-yard line with 1:05 left.
A Jamal Robinson run for no gain and a Weinke incompletion led to a third and goal from the Lions 3-yard line.
With 36 seconds left in the game, Weinke played hero and found Proehl for a 3-yard touchdown. After a John Kasay kick, the Panthers led 21-20.
Weinke was 5-for-7 for 47 yards with a scorching 129.2 passer rating on the final drive.
Lions special-teamer R.W. McQuarters returned the ensuing kickoff for 43 yards, setting the Lions up with prime field position at their own 49-yard line.
But Lions quarterback Joey Harrington tossed four straight incompletions and Weinke was summoned to take a knee in victory formation with four seconds left.
Delhomme's final line before exiting in the fourth included 15 completions on 25 attempts, 236 passing yards and two touchdowns compared to three interceptions. His quarterback rating was 78.5 for the game.
Carolina's work-horse power runner Stephen Davis was held to 27 yards on 13 carries.
Carolina improved to 4-2 under John Fox. The team finished that season 11-5 and won a pair of playoff games before falling in the NFC Championship to Seattle.
With the bye week following the game at Detroit, Delhomme was healthy and back at the helm at home in Week 8 against the Vikings.
The Steve Mariucci-led Lions dropped to 2-3 and went on to finish the season 5-11.
Had it not been for Weinke's heroics, the franchise would be searching for its first win in Detroit Sunday.
Instead, the Panthers seek a second straight win over the Lions. Cam Newton and company beat Detroit 24-7 in Charlotte during the 2014 season.
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