The Saints' Darrin Smith roughs up the Panthers' Steve Beuerlein during the second quarter.(AP)

"When you watch him out on that field, you have to say he was worth every draft pick and more," Saints quarterback Jeff Blake said. "We made enough mistakes to kill us early in the game, but Ricky didn't make a single wrong move."

Williams carried the ball 38 times for 144 yards, caught three passes for 35 and even threw a 34-yard pass. The Saints outgained the Panthers 383-152, outrushed them 201-10, and held the ball 34:03 to Carolina's 23:57.

"They were getting tired," Williams said. "We knew that and we just kept pounding them. It was great. It was fun."

Williams' second touchdown came after a fake punt on which Fred McAfee gained 40 yards to keep the drive alive.

"I shouldn't admit it, but that play took the air out of our tires," said Carolina coach George Seifert. "We shouldn't let that happen and look what happened from then on."

The Saints (3-3) added a final touchdown on a 29-yard pass from Blake to Joe Horn with 3:10 remaining.

If the Saints offense generally was one dimensional, the defense had eight sacks and was a kaleidoscope of big plays and solid performances.

The Panthers (2-4) managed just two field goals, converted just three of 14 third downs, and had only eight first downs.

"They did an excellent job of scheming and attacking us," Seifert said. "They were about as offensive as you can be from a defensive standpoint. Their offense made just enough plays to keep the whole team in the game."

The Saints defense, smarting from criticism that their No. 1 ranking had been earned against some of the league's less productive offenses, came out tough against Carolina.

"We don't care what people say, we aren't listening," said Saints defensive lineman La'Roi Glover. "We're just going to play our game and see if that makes a mark when everything's over. We know what we have to do and we're going to do it."

New Orleans continually pressured Steve Beuerlein, who completed 15 of 28 for 172. Glover ran his sacks total to nine on the year, decking Beuerlein twice in the first half and once in the final quarter. It was second straight game that Glover had three sacks.

Darren Howard and Keith Mitchell each sacked Beuerlein twice and Joe Johnson got him once. Beuerlein was intercepted once.

"Whenever we'd get it going at all, they'd come up with a key third-down stop or put us in a tough spot," Beuerlein said. "It's hard to drive 80 or 85 yards against those guys, they're too good."

Beuerlein joined the Panthers in New Orleans on Saturday night after remaining behind to receive medical attention for flu-like symptoms. Beuerlein turned the game over to Jeff Lewis late. He also missed two plays trying to stop a nosebleed sustained when he tried to scramble in the second quarter.

The Panthers failed to take advantage of New Orleans mistakes in the second quarter. Chad Morton muffed a punt and Brad Hoover recovered on the Saints 45. But after driving to the 17, Kevin Mathis intercepted Beuerlein.

After Doug Brien's 29-yard field goal made it 10-3 with 13 seconds left in the first half, a 17-yard kickoff by Toby Gowin set up Carolina on the Saints 48. Beuerlein hit Donald Hayes for 24-yard gain and Joe Nedney kicked a 46-yard field goal that made it 10-6 at the break.

Michael Bates fumbled the opening kick of the game at the Panthers 21-yard line. But on the Saints' second play of the game, Blake fumbled.

On New Orleans' next possession, Williams uncorked a 34-yard pass to Keith Poole to the 2. Blake fumbled a snap, however, and Carolina recovered.

The Saints lost three of four fumbles and had eight penalties for 59 yards.

Notes

• The game was Brien's 100th in the NFL.
• The Saints have limited opponents to six TDs this year. The offense and special teams have given up four.
• Entering the game, Carolina had permitted an NFL low one passing TD this year. The Panthers gave up one to the Saints.
• Panthers safety Rashard Anderson sprained his right knee and tight end Wesley Walls hurt his ribs, both in the fourth quarter.