CHARLOTTE, N.C. - With their backfield decimated by injuries, the Panthers turned to Nick Goings on Sunday. The reserve runner sure rewarded them.
Goings ran for a career-high 121 yards and three first-half scores and the Panthers took a 28-point halftime lead.
Muhsin Muhammad added two TD catches for the Panthers, who needed little more than a dominant first half to win their first home game of the season.
It was the kind of performance that was a Carolina trademark last year in its run to the Super Bowl. The defense shut out the Cardinals in the opening half, and the Panthers kept the chains moving on the ground and with a handful of big plays through the air.
And Goings, who hadn't run for a score in the past three seasons, nearly matched his season rushing total of 130 yards.
"I'm a role player for this team," he said. "It feels good to get carries and catch passes like that."
The Panthers had few other options. Stephen Davis, who ran for more than 1,400 yards last year, is on the injured reserve list. So are running backs DeShaun Foster, Rod Smart and Joey Harris.
"Whenever we've needed him, he's stepped up," Carolina coach John Fox said. "He did in a big way today. We've had a lot of backs rotated in there throughout the season."
Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme, who broke his right thumb in the Nov. 14 win against San Francisco, seemed comfortable in the pocket. He threw for 157 yards and found Muhammad over the middle for a 28-yard touchdown and a 28-0 lead just before halftime.
The Cardinals also did plenty to hurt themselves. They had 11 penalties for 100 yards in the first half, including three on one play that nullified a 44-yard touchdown pass from former Buc Shaun King to Anquan Boldin.
King finished with 343 yards passing, most of it coming with the Panthers leading comfortably in the second half.
