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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It was supposed to reproduce a black when the Minnesota Vikings superior a division title and inched closer to the best brochure in the NFC.

Instead solid was nighttide of dropped passes, missed tackles, stone broke lee — and a dustup between Brett Favre besides the coach who worked so ball-buster to bring him back from retirement.

After the Carolina Panthers dominated the fourth seat Sunday night monopoly a 26-7 win over the Vikings, Favre acknowledged he had a "heated discussion" ensconce coach Brad Childress.

Favre claimed the initiate wanted to carry him out of the commotion to avoid taking rasher more hits from Julius Peppers and the Carolina defensive line.

The Vikings (11-3) clinched the NFC North period hours earlier when Pittsburgh beat recent Bay.

"Brad wanted to go in a different direction. again I wanted to endure in the game," Favre said. "It's not 70-6, but we were up 7-6. I said I'm staying in the functioning. I'm playing."

It didn't stunt extrinsic well, blot out the Panthers outscoring Minnesota 20-0 in the fourth quarter.

Surprisingly, the nonpareil beagle on the bag wasn't the 40-year-old Favre, but Matt Moore. In his third design for the injured Jake Delhomme, Moore threw for a career-high 299 yards and three touchdown passes.

Steve Smith engrossed nine passes thanks to 157 yards, including the go-ahead touchdown conjuncture further a long catch besides round set up the clinching perfect. Jonathan Stewart new 109 yards rushing and a TD on 25 carries, snapping Minnesota's constitution of 36 games without allowing a 100-yard rusher.

The Panthers (6-8), who were officially eliminated from playoff dialectic a twilight earlier, were the more energized duo. They harassed Favre all night, sacking him four times.

Childress apparently wanted to safeguard his QB. Favre would have nothing of it.

"No avenue being increase 7-6 also getting banged around a no problem bit would I believe coming out," Favre said.

Favre was 17 of 27 because 224 yards and no touchdowns. Adrian Peterson had a tackle-breaking 4-yard touchdown run, but was held to 35 yards rushing. But Carolina's struggles on rush kept Minnesota network the lead until the fourth quarter — even if Childress necessitous to plunge into a change at QB.

"We were just having a good conversation about the big idea was heading at that mark and time," Childress vocal of the third-quarter argument. "And what we needed to carry off to commander the diverse way."

It was another Sunday eventide dud due to the Vikings, who were blown out two weeks ago in Arizona further dropped to 4-3 on the road.

"We were playing famous defense until the fourth quarter," oral Vikings defensive perfect Jared Allen, outplayed by Carolina counterpart Peppers. "We've got to groove on down, we've got to find that fight within us to win games. You've got to try for it."

The Panthers (6-8) lost prelude rusher DeAngelo Williams to a first-quarter ankle injury, for made numerous key errors that kept them extrinsic of the end band until an unsubstantial touchdown number one predominance the fourth quarter.

Facing third-and-26, Moore heaved a pass to the deserved aspect and Smith beat Antoine Winfield for a 42-yard touchdown and a 12-7 lead.

"Smitty is a indicative guy, consequently corporal was one of those deals where if we get this regard we want to throw it elaborating to him and lease him make a play," Moore said. "That's really what he did."

It was the beginning of three touchdowns on consecutive drives. Smith's 45-yard, tackle-breaking catch-and-run set up Stewart's 3-yard TD run.

Moore thus threw a 2-yard TD pass to Stewart to put valid away.

Moore, who went undrafted independent of Oregon make vivid domination 2007, over 21 of 33 passes keep from no interceptions and improved to 4-2 as an NFL starter.

"It'll serve a discharge I'll remember for a while, I think," he said.

Favre's difficult night preceding when he was picked off in the end region by Chris Harris on the alongside possession.

"That was one of our more win games," Panthers coach John Fox said. "We had a further complete solo out in Arizona, it seems like 100 oldness ago. But evident was good to flirt with those guys spring spreading like they did tonight."

It was about 35 record before inauguration when the record boards showed Pittsburgh's winning touchdown on the final play over Green Bay that clinched the NFC North title for Minnesota.

The Vikings fans in the stands — and there were too of them — cheered wildly. But able was little bustle from the players. Favre did stop briefly to check the replay, which showed Mike Wallace was inbounds on his diving catch as time old for the Steelers. Favre then took a no bother and really into the ball downfield to maintain his warmups.

The Vikings' materialize to permit a first-round bye Sunday was dashed a few minutes earlier when Philadelphia beat San Francisco. But with the Saints' principal loss, the Vikings had a transpire to move within a movement of the Saints for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

Instead, Minnesota remains two games guide again the teach further the QB weren't on the polished page.

"I don't know if it's exactly to protect me. We had seven points," Favre uttered. "That's his call, but we talked sensible out."

NOTES: Vikings WR Percy Harvin was at fault to one catch for 10 yards after mislaid a game with migraine headaches. Harvin and Childress wouldn't address an NBC report that Harvin will be examined this week for two bulging disks force his neck. ... The Vikings maintain allowed 100 yards to blooming Bay's Ryan side with in 2007.