Mike Segar / Reuters

Giants running back Derrick Ward celebrates their win against the Panthers. Ward ran for a career-best 215 yards in a 34-28 overtime win.

On first-and-10 from the 13, Ward went 51 yards to Carolina 36. Three plays later on third-and-7, he went 14 yards to the 19 and followed that with a 17-yarder to the 2. Jacobs scored on the next play.

Until the late heroics, Williams and the Panthers seemingly had overcame the non-Carolina elements and landed the homefield advantage, which was important since the Panthers were 8-0 at home.

“Give them credit,” Delhomme said. “They battled back and made the plays they had to. They beat us. That’s why this game is so much fun. One is excited. The other is totally devastated. That would be us.”

New York finished 7-1 at home. The last time they were the No. 1 seed was the 2000 season and they went to the Super Bowl, losing to the Baltimore Ravens.

The Panthers scored touchdowns the first three times they had the ball with Williams tallying from 13, 5 and 1 yard in leading Carolina to a 21-10 lead. The last touchdown came a play after a Tom Coughlin challenge left Steve Smith a half-yard shy on a play that originally was ruled a TD.

Carolina had eight plays of 10 yards or more on the drives of 77, 66 and 65 yards, with five going for more than 15 yards. The biggest play was a 60-yard pass from Delhomme to Muhsin Muhammad on a pass that went right through the hands of Giants cornerback Aaron Ross.

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John Carney got New York to with 21-13 with a 35-yard field goal late in the half, and New York closed to within 21-20 when Manning found a wide-open Boss for a 4-yard touchdown pass with 59 seconds to go in third quarter.

It capped a 12-play, 84-yard marched that took more than eight minutes.

Carolina came right and restored the eight-point lead when Williams, who gained 108 yards on 24 carries, broke a tackle by Pierce and scampered 30 yards for a touchdown.

The Giants’ tying touchdown was set up by great coffin-corner punt by Jeff Feagles, a 12-yard pass from Manning to Boss and a pass-interference call in the end zone against Ken Lucas, one play later.

Jacobs scored on the next play.

Notes: Williams now has scored a Panthers’ single-season record 20 touchdowns. ... Giants CB Aaron Ross left the game in the second half with a concussion. ... Panthers HB Jonathan Stewart sustained a head injury in the first half but returned. Kasay’s miss was only his second in 26 attempts this season.

NFL game stories Quick look at Week 9 games STEELERS 28, BRONCOS 10: Roethlisberger throws 3 TDs COWBOYS 20, EAGLES 16: Austin’s TD puts Dallas atop NFC East COLTS 20, TEXANS 17: Indy's 17th-straight regular season win  |    Video SAINTS 30, PANTHERS 20: N.O. now 8-0 for first time in its history CHARGERS 21, GIANTS 20: N.Y. loses 4th straight  |    Video BUCS 38, PACKERS 28: Rookie QB leads Tampa to first win  |    Video PATRIOTS 27, DOLPHINS 17: Brady-Moss connection thrives  |    Video CARDINALS 41, BEARS 21: Warner tosses 5 TDs  |    Video BENGALS 17, RAVENS 7: Cincy cements AFC North status  |    Video FALCONS 31, REDSKINS 17: Atlanta gets into scuffle, still wins TITANS 34, 49ERS 27: Young improves to 2-0 as a starter this year SEAHAWKS 32, LIONS 20: Seattle overcomes 17-0 hole JAGUARS 24, CHIEFS 21: Chargers cast-off Chambers can't save K.C. Byes: Bills, Browns, Raiders, Rams, Vikings, Jets

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