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Receiver Smith leads Carolina over Bears 29-21

Posted on: Sunday, 15 January 2006, 20:37 CST

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.

Source: REUTERS

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