Receiver Smith leads Carolina over Bears 29-21

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Carolina’s Steve Smith had more than
200 yards receiving and burned the Chicago secondary for two
long touchdowns to help lead the Panthers to a 29-21 victory
over the Bears.

The win gives Carolina a berth in the NFC championship game
against the Seattle Seahawks.

Smith scored on only the second play of the game, a 58-yard
touchdown reception after cornerback Charles Tillman fell down
trying to cover him.

He added a 39-yard scoring reception late in the third
quarter, torching reserve defensive back Chris Thompson.

Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme also had a 1-yard
touchdown pass to tight end Kris Mangum in the fourth quarter
for a 29-21 lead with 8:04 left. But kicker John Kasay missed
the extra point, hitting the right upright and leaving the door
open for the Bears to tie.

But Chicago failed to score on their last two drives, one
ending on an interception by Panthers cornerback Ken Lucas and
the last on Grossman’s incompletion over falling receiver
Muhsin Muhammad.

Carolina dominated much of the first half, while Grossman,
starting only his eighth game in a three-year injury-plagued
career, connected on only three of his first 15 pass attempts.

But late in the second quarter he hit Bernard Berrian on
passes of 17 and 13 yards and Muhammad for 24 yards, setting up
Adrian Peterson’s 1-yard touchdown on fourth and goal from
inside the 1-yard line.

Trailing 16-7, Grossman hit tight end Desmond Clark with a
1-yard touchdown pass on the first drive of the third quarter,
and the Bears closed within two before Smith’s second touchdown
pass widened the margin.

Fullback Jason McKie’s 3-yard touchdown let the Bears close
to 23-21 in the fourth quarter before Mangum’s touchdown.

Kasay had field goals of 20, 38 and 37 yards in the second
quarter.