No winning season: Odd streak rolls on

ATLANTA - Compared to the playoffs, pride wasn't much of a motivating factor for the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

The Carolina Panthers played for their playoff life inside the Georgia Dome, and they used that urgency to blow out Atlanta, 44-11.

The Falcons insisted pride - and the chance for the first back-to-back winning seasons in the club's 40-year history - would be enough to motivate them during the regular-season finale. What they delivered, however, was the same kind of performance that's led to six losses in eight games.

After starting the year 6-2, the Falcons finished 8-8.

"This makes me sick to my stomach," Atlanta linebacker Keith Brooking said. "This hurts."

Carolina started the season 2-2, but finished strong at 11-5 to get the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Panthers will travel to the New York Giants on Sunday.

"I can't think of a more satisfying win to help us get into the playoffs," said Panthers coach John Fox. "We need to carry this into the playoffs."

Said Carolina running back DeShaun Foster after his 165-yard, one-touchdown performance: "We are peaking at the right time. That's what we're trying to do."

The Falcons are headed in the opposite direction. Coach Jim Mora desperately tried to find something he could take from the game to motivate his players during the off-season.

"Not a lot went right for us today, as everyone who stayed around to witness that saw," he said. "When you get beat like this, people say who didn't play hard? Who quit? I didn't feel that way. If I look at the film and see that, I will address it.

"I think we ran into a Carolina team that was determined today. I don't think we played our best."

Reach Don Coble at doncoble@bellsouth.net.