Williams might miss first game since rookie season

By Darin Gantt - daringantt@carolina.rr.com

CHARLOTTE -- Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams was held out of practice Friday, and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Atlanta.

Williams, who also missed Wednesday's practice with what coach John Fox described as a “tweaked knee,” did some limited work Thursday.

However, that work came on the indoor field turf surface at Charlotte Sports Center, and the hard surface has been known to aggravate problems. The Panthers worked outside on a regulation-sized field for the first time Friday, but Williams was on the side.

Williams hasn't missed a game since 2006, when he was out three weeks with a high ankle sprain.

As for the rest of the injury report, fullback Brad Hoover and safety Charles Godfrey are listed as doubtful, even though neither has practiced this week.

Fullback Tony Fiammetta (concussion), wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad (knee), tight end Dante Rosario (knee) and running back Jonathan Stewart (Achilles) are all listed as questionable, though all four practiced fully both Thursday and Friday.

Defensive end Julius Peppers (hand) and kicker John Kasay (groin) are listed as probable.

For the Falcons, seven players are listed as questionable, including wide receivers Roddy White and Brian Finneran, left tackle Sam Baker, defensive linemen Thomas Johnson and Kroy Biermann and running backs Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood. Neither Norwood nor Finneran practiced this week, while Baker went for the first time Friday, on a limited basis with an ankle problem.

FRIDAY FINE TIME — Panthers defensive tackle Damione Lewis was fined $5,000 by the league for last week's hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Lewis was flagged for roughing the passer on the play, during which he fell into Brees' legs just as the pass was thrown.

Also, Saints safety Darren Sharper was fined $5,000 for his out-of-bounds and low hit on Panthers receiver Steve Smith.

Earlier this week, Falcons coach Mike Smith was docked $15,000 by the league for his role in last week's sideline scuffle with the Redskins and former Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall.

Smith has seemed embarrassed by the whole thing, saying on his conference call: “Guys, you know, we were just trying to restore order to our sidelines.”

The move has earned him some street cred in Atlanta, especially in the locker room.

“You love having a coach who has your back,” quarterback Matt Ryan said. “Coach Smith has had everybody's back since he has been here. He protects the players and does a great job. He will fight for you because it is his nature; he is a competitive guy.

“He knows how hard the players work and likes to have their back. He has been great and we all love playing for him. Continue to expect to see that from him.”

Fox grinned earlier in the week when asked, saying he hadn't seen it, but had heard about Smith bowing up.

“It gets a little feisty on the sideline,” Fox said. “But that's about as feisty as we get to get because they make us stay over there.”

HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE — The Panthers are encouraging donations of “one can per fan,” as part of this year's Salvation Army food drive. Fans are encouraged to bring any nonperishable food items to Sunday's game, and there will be 20 collection points around the stadium as fans enter.

“With the help of Panthers fans, our goal is to raise more than 10 tons of food to feed hungry families in our region,” Panthers director of community relations Riley Fields said. “It is no surprise that the need is greater than ever this year. Panthers fans have always been generous in answering the call to assist those in need in our community.”

EXTRA POINT — When Bears quarterback Jay Cutler threw five interceptions Thursday in Chicago's loss to San Francisco, it knocked Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme out of the league's interception lead.

Cutler now has 17, followed by Delhomme (13), Detroit's Matt Stafford (12), Arizona's Kurt Warner (11) and Atlanta's Matt Ryan and the New York Jets' Mark Sanchez (10 each).

Delhomme is still tied for 23rd in the league with five touchdown passes, and the only players behind him are Miami's Chad Henne and Tampa Bay's Josh Johnson (four each), St. Louis' Marc Bulger and Seattle's Seneca Wallace (three) and Cleveland's Derek Anderson and Oakland's JaMarcus Russell (two each).

Delhomme is 29th in the league in passer rating (61.7) among qualified quarterbacks, ahead of just Stafford, Johnson, Russell and Anderson.