The Last Roundup : Carolina Takes Lap, Dallas Takes Lump

CHARLOTTE — Good triumphed over evil, unabashed enthusiasm over tiresome arrogance and, armed with teal prowl towels, paw-painted faces and a rich history of 33 games, the Carolina Panthers are one improbable victory from the Super Bowl.

The Dallas dynasty was rocked, if not dealt a death blow, 26-17, and there will be no replay of the Ice Bowl on Sunday in Lambeau Field between the Cowboys and the Packers.

Carolina, 9-0 in the only nine games in Ericsson Stadium, is going to the NFC championship game after punishing America’s Team for its sinful year, before 72,808.

The Cowboys, winners of three of the last four Super Bowls, finished the year as they began, unable to overcome the adversity, the injuries and the controversy that took their toll on the NFL’s most-talented roster.

The Panthers ran 37 times for 127 yards through the hole vacated when Leon Lett was suspended because of league drug-policy violations; and then hammered quarterback Troy Aikman, left ineffective because of the broken collarbone suffered by wide receiver Michael Irvin on the second play of the game.

“We couldn’t get a break all year,” whined Dallas guard Nate Newton. “No team in our shoes could overcome what we did to even get in this position; the police, the judge, the media, the NFL, suspensions, allegations, every step of the way we didn’t get a good deal. There was never a week where the media asked us football questions; bigger men would have broken.”

The Panthers, a collection of rejects and new kids learning on the job, took a victory lap around Ericsson Stadium while the Cowboys groused about their misfortune.

“I could taste victory from the very first drive of the game,” said Sam Mills, Carolina’s emotional defensive leader, who failed to win a playoff game in four tries while with New Orleans. “It’s just a great feeling, one that I wanted to share with every person in that stadium.”

The Panthers, winners of seven of their last 11 games a year ago, opened this season with three consecutive victories, lost at Jacksonville and Minnesota and were 5-4 after nine games.

They haven’t lost since.

“Coach [Dom] Capers is talking about it all the time,” said Kerry Collins, Carolina’s quarterback. “There aren’t too many people in this world who think we should be doing what we’re doing. We couldn’t beat the 49ers twice, couldn’t be the division champions and couldn’t beat the defending world champions.

“That’s what we want to hear; that’s what we feed off.”

They can’t beat the Packers in Green Bay.

“We had good players, great players on the Super Bowl team I played for in San Francisco in 1989,” said Wesley Walls, Carolina’s tight end, who made a diving one-yard catch for the Panthers’ first touchdown of the game. “This team is different; this is a miracle team, and that means anything is possible.”

Even the most ridiculous scenario imaginable by any football fan remains: An all-expansion team Super Bowl between Carolina and Jacksonville.

“I don’t think the NFL and the networks will allow it to happen,” said Toi Cook, Carolina cornerback. “It’s like making a movie: You want Arnold and Sylvester; not Kurt Russell and Gabriel Byrne.”

How about Matt Elliott, Tyrone Poole, Pat Terrell and Norberto Garrido? Who are these guys?

“If you look at the teams in the playoffs and the players who are doing well, like [Jacksonville’s] Natrone Means, Mark Brunell, Andre Rison and Desmond Howard, they are all castoffs who are doing well for the teams that wanted them,” Cook said. “That’s what drives this team. Kevin Greene wants to prove to Pittsburgh they made a mistake in not keeping him. Greg Kragen wants to prove to Denver they made a mistake. Carlton Bailey wants to prove that everybody made a mistake.

“When you get that collectively it can be quite powerful.”

The Panthers had every opportunity to wilt under the pressure of the franchise’s first big-time game against a team with 51 playoff games in its history. They lost two points because center Mark Rodenhauser fired the ball over punter Rohn Stark’s head, with Stark making sure the ball went out of the end zone for a safety.

Punt returner Winslow Oliver fumbled at the Carolina 16-yard line in the early stages of the third quarter, but Dallas had to settle for a field goal. And they opened the game with Collins’ second pass being intercepted by Darren Woodson and returned to the Cowboy 47-yard line.

And still, they hung together, and with the game on the line in the closing moments, they grew stronger. The Cowboys, trailing by only six points with 5:33 to play, kicked off and needed a defensive stop before positioning themselves for the final game-wining rally.

But Michael Bates, a Seahawk reject, returned the kickoff 51 yards to the Dallas 49-yard line. And after the Panthers punted, still giving the Cowboys their chance for a comeback, Ram and Jet reject Pat Terrell intercepted an Aikman pass and returned it 49 yards to the Cowboys’ 19-yard line.

A John Kasay field goal with 1:48 to play secured the victory, and the celebration began.

“What you saw out there in this game is the essence of what our football team is all about,” said Capers, who has driven his team to win 20 of its last 28 games. “We have some talented football players on this team, but more importantly we have a group of players that believe in themselves. They trust in each other.

“This team has made an investment all year in trying to do the little things that give you a chance for success. And it showed in this game. And you know what? Nothing this team does surprises me.”