EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -DeAngelo Williams ran for three touchdowns and the Carolina Panthers led the New York Giants 21-13 at halftime Sunday night.
ecord of 16 that he shared with Muhsin Muhammad.
Carolina scored on its first three possessions in the battle for the top seed in the NFC and homefield advantage through the conference championship.
After Brandon Jacobs gave the Gaints a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter on a 2-yard run, the Panthers had it 14-10 lead with 8:12 remaining. Williams scored again, this time from 5 yards out.
Williams also made one of the key plays on the drive, picking up 16 yards on a reverse to take the Panthers down the 14.
The Panthers wasted no time moving into scoring position on their third possession, with Jake Delhomme connecting with Muhammad for 60 yard on the first play, setting up Carolina on the 5. Muhammad caught a 2-yard-pass on the next play. Delhomme then hit Smith with a short pass that was initially ruled a touchdown. Giants coach Tom Coughlin challenged the call and the video review confirmed that Smith’s knee touched the ground before the ball broke the plane of the goal line. The points were taken off the scoreboard with the ball placed on the half-yard line.
The successful challenge only delayed the inevitable as Williams scored on the next play to put Carolina up 21-10 with 4:45 remaining.
lead to eight at 21-13.
In the first quarter, Carney gave the Giants a 3-0 lead with a 32-yard field goal on the opening drive. New York had a nine-play, 61-yard drive, highlighted by Domenik Hixon’s 40-yard reception. On third-and-6 from the Giants 42, Eli Manning eluded pressure in the pocket before rolling right to find Hixon downfield.
The Panthers answered right back, scoring with 6:16 remaining.
Steve Smith figured in the two key plays setting up the score on the seven-play, 77-yard drive. Smith took a pitch from Delhomme and scampered 23 yards down the right sideline. Two plays later, a wide-open Smith caught a 35-yard pass that moved the Panthers to the 11.
Jacobs, back in the lineup after missing the previous six quarters with a knee injury, put the Giants back in front with 13:38 left in the second quarter. His score capped a 13-play, 74-yard drive. Jacobs, showing little rust from the layoff, picked up 40 yards on his first 11 carries.
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