The NFL Network should lobby for a ratings mulligan. The do-over never will be granted, of course, but at least the executives learned a valuable lesson: Be cautious scheduling certain teams to perform on a national stage.

The Panthers are not prime-time players.

Heck, the way they executed on third down Thursday night at Bank of America Stadium, the Panthers, like the Lions, should be blacked out.

It certainly wasn’t a laugh track in the Panthers’ locker room, following the Dolphins’ 24-17 victory. The second quarter alone was “Must Miss TV,” capped by a booming echo of dissatisfied customers.

Miami's Tyrone Culver bats down a pass in the end zone on the final play of the Panthers' loss.

Let’s begin with the second play of the fourth quarter, a chance for the Panthers, down 14-3 at the time, to creep back in contention. What happened? Jake Delhomme, who one play earlier overthrew an open receiver in the end zone, suffered a sack. (It was the fourth third-down sack Delhomme absorbed.)

If that is not enough reason for TV execs to petition for a mulligan, here is more evidence. The Dolphins lined up for a 3-and-16 play in the second quarter, conservatively approaching the situation. What happened? On his first official rush of the season, Lex Hilliard scampered past the stick off a draw play. A draw play! And that lead to Ricky Williams’ first touchdown.

Need more?

OK, and without exploring the hideous tackling by the secondary, late in the third and beefed up with an extra blocker, the run-first Panthers needed one yard to keep a key drive moving. What happened? Jonathan Stewart was grounded behind the line of scrimmage.

Watching Delhomme throw Thursday, we all would have been better off reading a book. What did Delhomme do? Very little, except, among several poor decisions, missing an uncovered Steve Smith on a go route early in the first quarter.

Don’t be fooled by the one-score outcome or the drama in the final 39 seconds, the Panthers’ entertainment level remains out of focus.

-- JEFF HAWKINS