Williams Scores Three Touchdowns For Dolphins

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) - Ricky Williams scored three touchdowns to lead the Miami Dolphins to a 24-17 win over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday.

Williams scored on a 14-yard TD pass from Chad Henne and on a one-yard run in the second quarter, and then added a 46-yard run in the fourth quarter to help the Dolphins improve to 5-5.

The Miami running back, who was moved into the starting role after Ronnie Brown was ruled out for the season on Wednesday, rushed for 119 yards on 22 carries and caught two passes for 19 yards to help the Dolphins win their second successive game.

"We did a good job tonight," Williams told reporters. "It was a team win and we did a lot of good things tonight."

Henne completed 17 of 29 passes for 172 yards.

DeAngelo Williams rushed for 122 yards and John Kasay kicked three field goals for Carolina (4-6), who mounted one last drive in the dying seconds.

Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme's desperation pass into the Miami end zone, however, was knocked away just as time expired.

"We battled," Delhomme said. "It just wasn't good enough."

Delhomme was 19 of 42 for 227 yards.

"I think there's a lot of fight and they'll continue to work," Carolina coach John Fox said. "There's still a lot of football left and we're still no way in any stretch out of it."

The Dolphins carried a 14-3 lead into the fourth quarter and led 24-14 with just 3:56 left after Williams scored his third touchdown.

Kasay slotted a late field goal for the Panthers, who then had one final shot with 39 seconds left after Miami was stopped on a fourth down deep in Carolina territory, though the final drive was ended with the incomplete pass.