CHARLOTTE, N.C. - When the Carolina Panthers couldn't throw the ball against Oakland, their defense bailed them out. With their defense struggling against Detroit, the running game set records.

They aren't winning many style points, but two close calls against two of the league's worst teams have left the Panthers in good shape as their schedule turns brutal.

On Sunday, it was Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams who carried Carolina past the winless Lions 31-22. Stewart, the rookie first-round pick, rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown. Williams continued his hot streak with 120 yards and two scores, marking the first time in the Panthers' 14-year history that two backs went over 100 yards rushing in the same game.

The Panthers (8-2) rushed for a team-record 264 yards and a whopping 8.3 yards per carry, enough to overcome miscues in other areas to stay a game ahead of Tampa Bay in the NFC South.

"We put ourselves in a good spot," said Jake Delhomme, who was turnoverfree after a four-interception debacle in a 17-6 win at Oakland last week. "We'll see if we can keep going."

With four of the next six on the road, all against potential playoff teams, the Panthers will have to play better than they did against the Lions (0-10). Detroit, a two-touchdown underdog, led 10-0 early and had a chance to tie it midway through the fourth quarter despite their porous run defense.

"The difference between

teams with winning records and losing records is they've lost close games," Panthers coach John Fox said.

The unretired Daunte Culpepper and the emergence of rookie running back Kevin Smith, who rushed for a career-best 112 yards, kept the Lions in it.

Returning to the scene of his career-changing knee injury three years ago, Culpepper got the Lions within 24-22 on his 1-yard plunge with 6:05 left. Culpepper called his own number again on the 2-point conversion try, but was stopped short of the goal line as Jon Beason grabbed his facemask. No penalty was called.

Culpepper, who was signed Nov. 4 and started last week's blowout loss to Jacksonville, was intercepted by Charles Godfrey on Detroit's next possession, with no Detroit receiver in the area. Williams' 4-yard TD run on the next play put it away.

"I turned upfield, so there is a little miscommunication there," said Calvin Johnson, who caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Culpepper in the first half. "We're going to work those kinks out the longer we're together."