Panthers receiver Steve Smith runs past Saints players during the fourth quarter Sunday. Smith caught three passes for 104 yards. (AP)

The Panthers rushed for a franchise-record-low 10 yards in last week’s season-opening loss at Tampa Bay. With RB Jonathan Stewart back after an ankle injury that had kept him out of the opener, the Panthers rushed for 215 yards and beat the Saints 35-27.

DeAngelo Williams, who had six rushes for minus-1 yard in the opener, carried 12 times for 66 yards and a touchdown. Stewart added 51 yards and caught a 17-yard screen pass for a touchdown. QB Cam Newton, who had only four yards on the ground in Week 1, carried 11 times for a career-high 71 yards.

The Panthers defense also stepped up after a slow start. Drew Brees led the Saints on an 80-yard, five-minute touchdown drive to open the game, and the Saints appeared to be able to move the ball at will against Carolina for much of the first quarter. Carolina found its pass rush, however, and was able to pressure Brees and slow the Saints offense.

When the game turned: Twelve plays into the game, Brees and the Saints were averaging nearly seven yards a snap on offense, and the New Orleans defense bottled up Cam Newton, forcing a punt on the Panthers’ first drive. On second down from his own 9-yard line, Brees threw to TE David Thomas, but Panthers safety Charles Godfrey stepped in front and took the interception into the end zone, tying the game and nullifying an otherwise dominating first quarter by New Orleans. 

Highlight moments: With 1:36 left in the first quarter, TE Jimmy Graham dropped a Brees pass at the goal line on third-and-goal from the four. The Saints had to settle for a field goal and led by just three despite controlling the ball for 10 minutes of the first quarter.

Steve Smith was limited in practice all week with a knee injury. An infected foot had bothered him the previous week. The Panthers receiver still found an extra gear and got behind the defense for a 35-yard catch on the left sideline on third-and-15 with just over five minutes remaining in the first half. Three plays later, the Panthers scored to take a lead they never relinquished.

On the next drive, Newton reached into his bag of tricks for a Statue of Liberty play to set up the Panthers' second touchdown. He faked a quick hitch pass to the left sideline while handing the ball behind his back to WR Brandon LaFell, who went 25 yards to the New Orleans 33.

Top-shelf performances: Panthers WR Steve Smith -- 104 yards on three catches, a 34.7 yards-per-catch average is that third-best in team history and the most since Ricky Proehl in 2003.

Panthers LB Jon Beason -- Seven tackles, two passes defensed, including one in the fourth quarter on a New Orleans fourth-and-four on Carolina’s 24 yard line, and one interception, to end the Saints' final drive in the last minute. 

Saints RB Pierre Thomas -- Ran for 110 yards on nine carries and seemed to break multiple tackles each time he carried the ball.

What they said about Godfrey’s interception for a touchdown in the first quarter:

  • Godfrey -- “He kind of rolled out. The D-line did a great job by getting him out of the pocket. I did my job by staying with my man and not losing myself. Whenever I get the ball in my hands, I’m thinking about scoring. It was just being where you’re supposed to be and making plays. That’s our identity -- us making plays on the ball.”
  • Panthers coach Ron Rivera -- “It was very big, especially because we had them backed up. It was a great read and just a great play.”
  • Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn -- "It always sparks the team when we score on defense.”

What they said about Smith’s 66-yard reception to set up Carolina’s final touchdown in the fourth quarter:

  • Panthers QB Newton -- “I was thinking, first off: I’ve been overthrowing him. Second off: I’m happy I saw him. Third: Get him a catchable ball. I was shocked as much as you all were. Out of everybody on the field, Smitty was the last one I expected to be that wide open.”

What they said about the hard feelings between the teams:

  • Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart -- “They’re a good team, and the last couple years or so, we’ve been giving things to them. We had the opportunity to take it back.”
  • Panthers WR Smith -- “Times change. We’ve got to play them again, so it makes no sense to act like we’ve just won the world championship.”
  • Munnerlyn -- "It got a little edgy. They kind of embarrassed us last year. We had that in the back of our mind, but we allowed that to happen.”

What they said about the Saints early season struggles:

  • Saints interim coach Aaron Kromer -- “This team is hurt, and they’re down, but they’re not out. No one in this locker room is quitting.”
  • Saints WR Lance Moore -- “Losing is awful. We’re in the business of winning games. We have to do what it takes to bounce back.”
  • Saints S Roman Harper -- “[The bounty suspensions] did not affect the outcome of the game. Where we are now has nothing to do with what happened in the offseason. It’s a built-in excuse. I’m not having it. We’re professionals. We need to go out and play like it.”

Numbers you should know:  

The Saints ran nine plays in the Panthers red zone and seven inside the 10-yard line in the first quarter. They had just five red-zone plays and two inside the 10 for the rest of the game.

The Panthers ran two offensive plays in Saints territory in the first quarter. Thirty of their 53 plays for the rest of the game were in Saints territory.

Injury update: Smith was taken to the locker room on a cart after limping off the field in the third quarter, but trainers determined he was suffering from cramps and hadn’t reinjured his right knee. He returned to the game. Brees limped off the field after getting hit by DE Greg Hardy and got his ankle retaped. He returned to the game.

Going forward: The Panthers have a short week before hosting the New York Giants on Thursday night. The defending Super Bowl champions pulled out a 41-34 comeback win against Tampa Bay to even their record at 1-1. The Saints look for their first win of the season at home against the 0-2 Kansas City Chiefs.

 For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Carolina Panthers from blogger Shawn Krest, follow@CBSPanthers.