There's simply too much at stake this Sunday to be wallowing away in self-pity.

The Panthers need to beat (or at least tie) New Orleans at the Superdome on Sunday to win the NFC South and earn a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Panthers can also clinch if Atlanta (10-5) loses to or ties St. Louis, although that seems unlikely given the Rams are 2-13.

If Carolina loses Sunday and Atlanta wins, the Falcons would win the NFC South and the Panthers would drop all the way to the No. 5 seed, meaning they'd have to win three games, beginning at Arizona, just to reach the Super Bowl.

The Panthers are 8-0 at home and had hoped to clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Now they'll focus on the next best thing, clinching the No. 2 seed.

"It was a tough game, man," said defensive end Julius Peppers. "We just have to keep our heads up and get back to work. Try to get everything that hurt us this week corrected and get ready for New Orleans."

Added linebacker Jon Beason: "The No. 2 seed, that's something huge to play for."

Coach John Fox noted correctly that the No. 1 seed in the NFC isn't guaranteed a Super Bowl victory. In fact, the last No. 1 seed in the NFC to win it all was the St. Louis in 1999.

"We're in the playoffs -- that was a goal in the season," Fox said. "The team a year ago that won it wasn't a first seed. I don't think there's been a team that's won it in a while (as the first seed). That would have been something. It was something that we had as a priority, but it just wasn't meant to be."

"It's very disappointing, but we're still in the dance," said defensive tackle Damione Lewis. "We just might have to do it a different way than what we planned on doing. Sometimes things don't work out the way you want them to, but in the end the goal is still the same."

The Giants ran for 301 yards, their most since 1959, against a Carolina team playing without defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu.

The Panthers got four touchdown runs from DeAngelo Williams but it wasn't enough.

"We had them where we wanted them," said safety Chris Harris. "If you had told me our offense scored 28 and we lost, I'd have laughed at you. We played well enough in two of the three phases, but the third phase, defense, we didn't play well enough to win."

If things work out, the Panthers might wind up facing the Giants in a rematch at the Meadowlands in the NFC Championship game in late January. And you can bet the Panthers would jump at that chance after letting one get away on Sunday night.

"I hope we do," Harris said. "I really hope we do. It would have been better to see them at our place, but it doesn't matter. Hopefully we go out and win next week and get a home game in the playoffs. Then I really want to see them again."