In the wild-card round of the 2003 playoffs, Steve Smith had his way with then-rookie Terence Newman, catching five passes for 135 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers' 29-10 win.
Last season, Newman limited Smith to one catch for 18 yards in Dallas' 24-20 win. Smith became frustrated and was ejected for touching an official.
"He has a little freedom within their offense to create a little bit that makes him a lot tougher to cover," Newman said. "And they try to get him the ball a lot. He's a big part of their offense. ... If he plays the way he wants to play, we're going to be in trouble."
Despite missing the first two games, Smith leads the team with 39 catches and 576 receiving yards and has two touchdowns. He is dangerous after the catch, and the Panthers like to get him the ball quickly – so expect to see Newman in a lot of press coverage.
Newman had his first interception of the season Monday against the Giants and has not allowed a touchdown pass since 2004. He is beginning to be recognized as a top-flight cornerback, and another effort like his last one against Smith will help his cause
Edge: Even
E-mail tarcher@dallasnews.com
