Cat Stats: Regular Season

Wide receiver Steve Smith won the NFL's receiving triple crown with 103 receptions (tied with Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald), 1,563 receiving yards, and 12 receiving touchdowns (tied with Indianapolis' Marvin Harrison). Smith became the first player to lead all three categories since Green Bay's Sterling Sharpe in 1992.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme led the NFL with 13 completions of 40 yards or more. Seven of them were completions to Steve Smith, three to Ricky Proehl, and one each to DeShaun Foster, Keary Colbert and Drew Carter.

* The Panthers finished third in total defense, their second highest ranking ever and highest since 2002 when they were second. Ironically, division rival Tampa Bay was ranked first both seasons.




* Carolina was flagged for the fewest penalties in the League with 91. They gave up the second fewest yards to yellow flags with 732, behind only Indianapolis (690).

* Punter Jason Baker set a team record with a 38.9-yard net average. Baker also established career highs with a gross average of 43.3 yards and 23 punts inside the 20 yard line.

* Carolina's 6-2 road record was the best in the NFC as well as the best in team history, bettering the 5-3 marks posted in 1997 and 2003.

* Running back Stephen Davis shattered the team mark for rushing touchdowns with 12, breaking the previous standard of eight, which he set in 2003.

* Smith and Davis were the highest scoring tandem in team history with a combined 25 touchdowns. Smith accounted for 12 of those scores receiving and one rushing. All of Davis' touchdowns were rushing.

* For the first time ever, the Panthers started the same five players in the same positions on the offensive line for all 16 games.

* The Panthers were second in the NFL with 42 take-aways and third in turnover margin at plus 16.

* Defensive end Mike Rucker became the team's all-time leader in sacks this season. By posting 7.5 sacks in 2005, Rucker now has 47.5 career quarterback takedowns. Right behind him, however, is teammate Julius Peppers. Peppers posted a team-leading 10.5 sacks this season and has 40.5 in his four-year career.

* The Panthers have the third-best regular season record in the NFC over the last three years and the eighth-best in the NFL. Carolina is 29-19 in that span.