TAMPA, Fla. – The Carolina Panthers are one step closer to overcoming their horrendous start.

Jake Delhomme threw for 214 yards and four touchdowns Sunday, helping the defending NFC champions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 37-20 and move within a victory of clinching a playoff berth.

The Panthers (7-8) won for the sixth time in seven games after a 1-7 start, and they can earn a wild-card spot by beating New Orleans at home next Sunday.

The Saints, also 7-8, stayed in the race by beating Atlanta 26-13, a victory that eliminated Tampa Bay from contention earlier in the day.

Four of the six games the Panthers and Bucs have played against each other since the NFC South was formed in 2002 have been decided by seven points or less, including a 21-14 Carolina victory on Nov. 28.

But Delhomme and an opportunistic defense made sure the Panthers’ fourth straight win in the series wouldn’t come down to the wire. Defensive tackle Kindal Moorehead’s interception and 17-yard return for a touchdown wiped out any hope for a Tampa Bay comeback with just under 5 minutes remaining.

Delhomme threw TD passes of 15 and 6 yards to Muhsin Muhammad and the Panthers blocked a punt to set up a field goal as the first half expired to build a 17-7 lead. Carolina marched 70 yards after the second half kickoff to go up 24-7 on Delhomme’s 4-yard TD throw to Keary Colbert.

The Bucs (5-10) lost for the third straight time since routing the NFC South champion Falcons 27-0 in a game they hoped would be a springboard for a strong stretch run that would carry them to the playoffs after an 0-4 start.

Instead, Tampa Bay is assured its worst finish since 1996. A loss at Arizona in the season finale would give the Bucs 11 defeats for the first time since 1993.

Delhomme completed 19 of 24 passes and the Panthers didn’t have any turnovers. Meanwhile, Nick Goings continued to impress with his fifth 100-yard game, finishing with 127 yards on 33 carries.

Taking up where he left off in a 10-catch, 135-yard performance the previous week against Atlanta, Muhammad had eight receptions for 115 yards. His one-handed catch over Brian Kelly gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead, his second TD catch made it 14-0 and he gained 20 yards on a catch to set up John Carney’s 26-yard field goal on the last play on the first half.

Tampa Bay’s Brian Griese tossed three touchdown passes, but also threw two interceptions and lost a midfield fumble that led to Delhomme’s fourth TD pass, a 2-yard throw to Mike Siedman for a 30-14 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Michael Clayton scored on receptions of 22 and 6 yards. Joey Galloway’s sixth TD in the past four games came on a 14-yard catch on which defender Ricky Manning Jr. slipped to the ground in the end zone.

Griese was 30-of-41 for 321 yards. Galloway had nine catches for 98 yards.

AP-ES-12-26-04 1940EST