CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Jordan Gross was a rookie right tackle for the 2003 Carolina Panthers who lost Super Bowl XXXVIII to New England on a last-second field goal. Jake Delhomme was in his first year as a starting quarterback.
Both say the 2015 Panthers, set to play the Denver Broncos on Feb. 7 in Super Bowl 50, would beat their team.
"We were named the 'Cardiac Cats' because you thought we were going to lose damn near every game," Gross said this week. "It wouldn't be a pushover battle, but the '03 team would lose. This [2015] group is pretty special."
Delhomme agreed.
"This team right now looks like they're on a different planet," he said.
Both agreed the biggest difference is quarterback Cam Newton, a lock to win the NFL MVP award.
"Delhomme was red hot, but Cam is red hot and can run," Gross said. "Jake couldn't run away from anything."
Delhomme again agreed.
"How do you stop the quarterback run?" he said. "I could have done some of the things he does only if nobody was in the way."
The 2003 Panthers went 11-5 in the regular season and finished 14-6. They ranked 15th in scoring (20.3 ppg) and eighth in total defense.
The 2015 Panthers are an NFL-best 17-1 after a 15-1 regular season. They led the league in scoring (31.3 ppg) during the regular season and ranked sixth in total defense.
The 2003 Panthers caught lightning in a bottle in the playoffs. The 2015 Panthers caught lightning in a bottle in Week 1.
"We would have fought them tooth and nail, but we didn't win 17 games with one more to go," Delhomme said. "This team is playing lights out."
Here's a position-by-position look at how the teams compare, with Gross and Delhomme saying which team had an advantage. I also provide my pick:
QUARTERBACK
2003 (Jake Delhomme): Looking at Delhomme's numbers you wonder how Carolina went 11-5 in the regular season. He ranked 12th in touchdown passes with 19 and had 16 interceptions.
2015 (Cam Newton): Newton is playing like "Superman." He ranked tied for second in the NFL in touchdown passes with 35 and first with 45 total touchdowns.
Gross advantage: 2015
Delhomme advantage: 2015
D. Newton advantage: 2015
RUNNING BACK
2003 (Stephen Davis, DeShaun Foster): To borrow a nickname from a more recent pair of Carolina backs, they were "Double Trouble." Davis ranked seventh in the NFL in rushing yards (1,444).
2015 (Jonathan Stewart, Fozzy Whittaker): Stewart might have led the league in rushing had he not missed the final three regular-season games. He still ranked eighth (989 yards).
Gross advantage: 2003
Delhomme advantage: 2003
D. Newton advantage: 2003
FULLBACK
2003 (Brad Hoover): Strictly a blocker. Six rushes for 21 yards and 12 catches for 72 yards.
2015 (Mike Tolbert): Can do it all. Rushed for 256 yard and a touchdown; caught 18 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns.
Gross advantage: 2015
Delhomme advantage: 2015
D. Newton advantage: 2015
OFFENSIVE LINE
2003 (LT Todd Steussie, LG Jeno James, C Mike Mitchell, RG Kevin Donnalley, RT Jordan Gross): They're not as interchangeable and versatile as the 2015 group, but helped Carolina rank seventh in rushing yards (2,091).
2015 (LT Michael Oher, LG Andrew Norwell, C Ryan Kalil, RG Trai Turner, RT Mike Remmers): They are the unsung heroes. One of the best in the NFL at run blocking -- Carolina was second in rushing with 2,282 yards -- and pass protection.
Gross advantage: 2015
Delhomme advantage: 2015
D. Newton advantage: 2015
TIGHT END
2003 (Jermaine Wiggins): A run blocker. Caught eight passes for 80 yards and a touchdown.
2015 (Greg Olsen): A two-time Pro Bowler and one of the top tight ends in the NFL. Led the team in receptions (77) and receiving yards (1,104).
Gross advantage: 2015
Delhomme advantage: 2015
D. Newton advantage: 2015
WIDE RECEIVER
2003 (Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Ricky Proehl): The emergence of Smith made this group special. He ranked ninth in the league in receptions (88) and 11th in receiving yards (1,110).
2015 (Ted Ginn Jr., Philly Brown, Jerricho Cotchery): The most underrated group in the NFL. Ginn's 10 touchdowns and 739 receiving yards were impressive when you consider he had only 44 catches.
Gross advantage: 2003
Delhomme advantage: 2003
D. Newton advantage: 2003
DEFENSIVE LINE
2003 (DE Julius Peppers, DT Brentson Buckner, DT Kris Jenkins, DE Mike Rucker): No weaknesses. Jenkins was a terror inside and almost impossible to block. Peppers and Rucker were terrors on the outside, combining for 19 sacks.
2015 (DE Charles Johnson, DT Kawann Short, DT Star Lotulelei, DE Jared Allen): The tackles make this group, particularly Short, who had 11 sacks, three forced fumbles and four passes defensed.
Gross advantage: 2003
Delhomme advantage: 2003
D. Newton advantage: 2003
LINEBACKER
2003 (MLB Dan Morgan, WLB Will Witherspoon, SLB Greg Favors): Solid, but not spectacular. Witherspoon led the way with 99 tackles.
2015 (MLB Luke Kuechly, WLB Thomas Davis, SLB Shaq Thompson): Spectacular. Kuechly and Davis are the heart and soul of the defense and the best pair of linebackers in the league.
Gross advantage: 2015
Delhomme advantage: 2015
D. Newton advantage: 2015
SECONDARY
2003 (CB Ricky Manning, CB Reggie Howard, SS Mike Minter, FS Deon Grant): Minter was the star. He ranked second on the team in tackles with 96 and tied Grant and Manning for the team lead in interceptions with three.
2015 (CB Josh Norman, CB Robert McClain, SS Roman Harper, FS Kurt Coleman): Meet "Thieves Ave." They helped Carolina lead the NFL in interceptions with 24. Norman has been one of the best corners in the NFL.
Gross advantage: 2003
Delhomme advantage: 2015
D. Newton advantage: 2015
SPECIAL TEAMS
2003 (PK John Kasay, P Todd Sauerbrun): Kasay will be remembered for kicking out of bounds with just over a minute left in the Super Bowl to set up New England's winning field goal. But Kasay ranked second in the league in scoring among kickers and had four winning field goals.
2015 (PK Graham Gano, P Brad Nortman): Four blocked field goals aside, they are a lot like the 2003 pair.
Gross advantage: 2015
Delhomme advantage: 2003
D. Newton advantage: 2003