John Niyo / The Detroit News
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- This is where it all nearly ended for Daunte Culpepper.
And this is where it begins — awkwardly and in failure, ultimately — for the Lions' newest quarterback, a 10-year NFL veteran trying to revive his career with a team stumbling toward infamy.
Culpepper, returning to the same stadium where he suffered a career-threatening knee injury three years ago, walked off the field under his own power Sunday.
But he was still hurting, after the Lions' fourth-quarter rally came up short in a 31-22 loss to the Carolina
Carolina's DeAngelo
"I wish I could have that throw back, but I can't," Culpepper said of the intercepted pass, intended for tight end John Owens. "It was just miscommunication, but that wasn't the only play."
It was the one that mattered most in the end, however. Culpepper, making his second start since signing as a free agent knows that. So does Calvin Johnson, the primary target who locked eyes with Culpepper as he rolled out under pressure from Panthers defensive end Tyler Brayton — and then vanished.
"I should've stayed on my route, but I turned it upfield, so, yeah, there's a little miscommunication there," Johnson said. "But we're gonna work those kinks out the longer we're together."
Time is running out on the Lions this season, though. At 0-10, they're headed back to Detroit for a three-game homestand against Tampa Bay, Tennessee and Minnesota. None of their six remaining opponents has a losing record.
And to suggest head coach Rod Marinelli is running out of answers as the losses mount would be to ignore the reality: He ran out of answers a long time ago.
"Have we failed? Yes," Marinelli said Sunday, after his 19th loss in 22 road games the last three seasons. "Have I failed? Yes. Am I going to give up? Now way."
But there's no way his team can win if it continues to give up the kind of rushing yardage it did Sunday against the Panthers.
Carolina piled up a franchise-record 264 yards on the ground Sunday, averaging 8.3 yards per carry. The tandem of DeAngelo Williams (14 carries, 120 yards) and Jonathan Stewart (15 carries 130 yards) became the first Panthers duo to rush for 100 yards or more in the same game.
"Certainly, we didn't have to throw it a ton today, because we were running it so effectively," said quarterback Jake Delhomme, who finished only 10-of-19 for 98 yards. "(The coaches) were telling us to run it, and we did."
Still, the defense did hold its own late — with three consecutive stops, including a forced fumble — to give the Lions an opportunity to sneak into the win column.
When Culpepper capped a 15-play, 70-yard drive with a 1-yard plunge with 6:05 left, they'd pulled to within 24-22. But Culpepper's quarterback keeper on the two-point conversion came ups short as a hole collapsed and linebacker Jon Beason's apparent facemask penalty went uncalled.
Then came the interception by Godfrey — the first of the rookie's career — and consecutive three-and-out possessions for both teams, though Marinelli had little explanation for the Lions' curious decision to punt with 4:28 left trailing by nine.
A last-ditch drive by the Lions ended with Culpepper fumbling as he was sacked by Carolina's Julius Peppers at the Detroit 30 with 1:17 remaining.
Culpepper finished the day 20-of-35 for 207 yards and a touchdown — a 29-yarder to Johnson on the game's opening drive. But he also had two interceptions and that final fumble.
"We've just got to make those plays — that's the difference between winning and losing," Culpepper said. "But I think we made some steps in the right direction today. And we just have to take a couple more steps in the right direction next week, and maybe that will result in a win."
You can reach John Niyo at 
(313) 982-3810
or John.Niyo@detnews.com.
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