Call them Smash and Dash.

Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams combined for 250 of Carolina's franchise record 264 rushing yards to help the Panthers beat the pesky, but still winless Detroit Lions 31-22 on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.

Stewart (Smash) and Williams (Dash) became the first running back tandem to run for 100 yards in the same game and helped the Panthers (8-2) awake from their slumber and overcome an early 10-0 deficit.

After being held to just 10 total yards in the first quarter, the Panthers erupted for 149 yards on the ground and scored 21 second quarter points to take control of the game.

Both backs averaged more than 8.5 yards per carry.

Stewart had 130 yards on 15 attempts, including a 22-yard touchdown run; Williams added 120 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns, the highlight being a 56-yard burst. For Stewart it was the first 100-yard rushing game of his career, but for Williams it's starting to become a weekly thing. This was his third straight 100-yard game on the ground.

"They were yelling it in the stands today," Williams said of the new moniker. "It was something that the fans picked. It wasn't something I came up with."

So does he like the nickname?

"You can't argue with the fans - the fans are always right," Williams said with a laugh.

The Lions, playing with nothing to lose, converted a fourth-and-1 on the opening drive and took a 7-0 lead on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Daunte Culpepper to Calvin Johnson.

And when Jason Hansen's field goal made it 10-0, you couldn't help but wonder if it was one of those days for the Panthers, who were outgained 140-10 in the first quarter.

But things quickly changed when Jake Delhomme hit Steve Smith for a 7-yard gain on third-and-2 to give the Panthers their initial first down a couple of minutes into the second quarter. Carolina exploded for 198 yards in the quarter and took a 21-16 halftime lead behind a 15-yard touchdown pass from Delhomme to Jeff King, a 56-yard touchdown run by Williams and a 22-yard scamper by Stewart.

"We weren't going to abandon our running game," said fullback Brad Hoover, knowing the Lions came into the game ranked 31st in the league against the run.

Despite their success on the ground, the Panthers were never able to put the Lions away until late.

Culpepper scored on a quarterback sneak with 6:05 left in the game, cutting Carolina's lead to 24-22. However, the ensuing two-point conversion failed after Jon Beason stuffed Culpepper on a quarterback draw.

But there were some nervous moments when the Panthers had to punt on their next possession and the Lions took over at their own 14-yard line with 4:58 left in the game. It was a scary though. Even though the Panthers had dominated on the ground, the Lions found themselves with a chance to win it with a field goal.

"That's why my hair is very gray and it's starting to go away," coach John Fox said. "You can't blink."

However, Fox's anxiety didn't last long as rookie safety Charles Godfrey intercepted Culpepper on the first play of Detroit's drive and returned it 16 yards to the 4-yard line. Williams scored on the next play and John Kasay kicked the extra point to seal the victory.

Although the Panthers had four takeaways and recorded three sacks -- two by Julius Peppers -- they weren't real happy about giving up 316 yards to the league's 31st ranked offense and allowing the Lions (0-10) to stick around as long as they did.

"We knew coming that we could give them no light," Godfrey said. "But that's what we did. We came out and we gave those guys some light and we gave them some belief. They believed that they could do it and we knew that we were in for a dogfight. We had to just step up and pull the game away."

The victory keeps the Panthers in first place in the NFC South, one game ahead of Tampa Bay (7-3), heading into next Sunday's division showdown at Atlanta.

Although the Panthers didn't do much through the air for the second straight week, they were obviously pleased with the running attack.

"Whether (Stewart) is out there or I'm out there you don't get a different look," Williams said. "You pretty much get the same guy out there. He can bash you up and if you let him, he can take it 60 or 70 yards. I feel that I can be that same back too. I think we are doing a great job of running the football with me and Stu."

It wasn't pretty, for sure, but the Panthers assured themselves their first non-losing season since 2005, which is good news for coach John Fox who many considered on the hot seat coming into the season.

"Every game in the NFL is not going to be a walk over game," Stewart said. "You are playing against the best of the best. That's why we call it professional football. You have to go out there and give it your best every game. The Lions came out there and gave us what they got. Fortunately we came away with the win at the end."

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