CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Stephen Davis was fighting cramps alone in the locker room, determined to get back on the field and finish the best start in Panthers history.
Davis returned after taking intravenous fluids to run for a final 10 yards that sealed a 19-13 victory over New Orleans on Sunday, moving Carolina to 4-0 for the first time.
"My goal was just to come back and finish," Davis said. "When I got out there, I didn't say anything in the huddle. They told me, "Let's get it.' "
Davis, who gained 159 yards and had a 1-yard touchdown run, headed to the locker room with the Panthers leading 19-10 late in the fourth quarter.
The Saints cut it to 19-13 on John Carney's 26-yard field goal with 1:43 left and Carolina needed one last first down to close the win.
The Panthers knew it was time for Davis.
"We needed a first down, so I looked at Stephen and told him to "Go get it, let's finish it here,' " quarterback Jake Delhomme said.
Davis gained the final 10 yards on three straight runs. When he gained the first down on his 30th carry, allowing Delhomme to take a knee on the final two plays, Delhomme excitedly pounded on his teammates' helmets to celebrate.
There's little flash or fanfare to this team, just a steady dose of Davis in every game.
Signed during the offseason, Davis set a league record as the first back to surpass 100 yards in his first four games with a new team. With 565 yards rushing this season, he also set a record for the most total yards with a new team, besting Ricky Williams' 460 yards in four games with Miami last season.
Rod Smart, noted for wearing "He Hate Me" on the back of his XFL jersey in 2001, had the flashiest play for the Panthers, returning a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. John Kasay added field goals of 49 and 23 yards.
It was a confidence-building game for the Panthers, who opened last season 3-0 then lost their next eight. It was a stat second-year coach John Fox reminded them of last week in emphasizing how important it was to beat New Orleans.
Fox still was cautious after the game.
"It is what it is," he said. "It's still the end of the first quarter ... and we are in a four-quarter race."
The injury-riddled Saints, down six starters on defense, lost their third consecutive game but showed marked improvement from last week's 55-21 loss to the Colts.
The Saints had 344 yards total offense and 155 on the ground against a team that prides itself in stopping the run.
Carney's second field goal pulled New Orleans within a touchdown late and the Saints tried to recover an onside kick. But Carney's kick went out of bounds and the Panthers let Davis run out the clock.
