LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- In search of his 100th NFL regular-season victory, George Seifert will once again share the field Sunday with an offensive juggernaut led by a hot, confident quarterback.

This time, however, it's the opposing team that fits that description.

"You got a quarterback who's settled in and making plays and then everyone kind of feeds off of that," said Seifert, whose Carolina Panthers (1-2) face the Washington Redskins (2-1). "Everybody looks at one another and says, 'Wow, we can do this.' You build a confidence, and that's basically what we had going in San Francisco."

By invoking the memory of his 49ers teams that won two Super Bowls and 98 regular season games over eight years, Seifert becomes the latest coach to offer lofty praise to this year's Redskins. Last week, New York Jets coach Bill Parcells said the Skins could be the "Minnesota Vikings of 1999."

And now the Redskins are starting to make their own comparisons. Kick returner Brian Mitchell is thinking about Joe Gibbs' last Super Bowl title team.

"I'm starting to see the confidence we had in 1991," Mitchell said. "Guys, now they know we can get it done. In the last five years or so, people had the attitude of, are we going to win any games? We'd get into a close game, it's like 'Here we go again.' Now when we get into a close game we know we have the talent on offense to beat anybody."

The Redskins have the No. 1 offense (411 yards per game), Brad Johnson is the NFL's top-rated quarterback and Stephen Davis' 328 yards leads the league in rushing. Washington's turnover differential is plus-6, and the offensive line has allowed just three sacks.

"It's scary to play a team like that, because you know they can light up the scoreboard in a hurry," Carolina quarterback Steve Beuerlein said. "We know our defense is going to be under a lot of pressure."

Then comes the punch line. The Redskins also are ranked dead last in defense. They are giving up about seven more yards per game than they are gaining. Don't think the Panthers don't know that.

"They're young on defense," said Carolina running back Tshimanga Biakabutuka, who had two touchdown runs of more than 60 yards in last week's victory over Cincinnati. "They make a few mistakes here and there, but they play hard. We've got to go after them. If we want to win this game, we've got to score at least 30 points."

Though Beuerlein, Biakabutuka and receiver Muhsin Muhammad are off to fast starts, the Panthers are still in rebuilding mode in Seifert's first year and following a terrible 1998. For Washingtonians, Carolina's struggles are simply the latest installment of the "Curse of Sean Gilbert."

Gilbert is 7-20 in games in which he's played since mid-1996, when he was a member of the Redskins team that collapsed out of playoff contention. Gilbert held out in 1997, forcing coach Norv Turner to play defensive line roulette all year. The Panthers, feeling they were on the verge of Super Bowl greatness, then traded two first-round picks to Washington for Gilbert in the spring of 1998 and gave him a seven-year, $46.5 million contract.

The Redskins used those picks to wheel and deal to get themselves where they are now, making possible the trades for Johnson and defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson. Meanwhile, Gilbert is playing OK with Carolina, but he's hardly the savior of the Panthers' leaky defense.

Gilbert had only two tackles when the Redskins played at Carolina last year. This is his first trip back to Washington.

"Well, you know, if you get any reaction, it shows respect," Gilbert said. "If you get none, it doesn't matter. ... If they throw garbage on the field, we've got to play football."

Seifert has never lost to the Redskins (5-0). Turner has never lost to the Panthers (3-0). What makes this game different is that, for the first time in a long time, Turner is the one who has to guard against overconfidence.

"You always want people to say good things about you," Johnson said. "But a pat on the back and a slap on the face are about six inches away."

CAROLINA Season schedule and results

WASHINGTON Season schedule and results

September 12 @New Orleans L 10-19 September 19 Jacksonville L 20-22 September 26 Cincinnati W 27-3 October 3 @Washington 4:05pm ET October 17 @San Francisco 4:15pm ET October 24 Detroit 1:00pm ET October 31 @Atlanta 1:00pm ET November 7 Philadelphia 1:00pm ET November 14 @St. Louis 1:00pm ET November 21 @Cleveland 1:00pm ET November 28 Atlanta 8:20pm ET December 5 St. Louis 1:00pm ET December 12 @Green Bay 1:00pm ET December 18 San Francisco 4:15pm ET December 26 @Pittsburgh 1:00pm ET January 2 New Orleans 1:00pm ET

September 12 Dallas L 35-41 September 19 @NY Giants W 50-21 September 26 @NY Jets W 27-20 October 3 Carolina 4:05pm ET October 17 @Arizona 8:20pm ET October 24 @Dallas 1:00pm ET October 31 Chicago 1:00pm ET November 7 Buffalo 1:00pm ET November 14 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET November 21 NY Giants 4:15pm ET November 28 Philadelphia 1:00pm ET December 5 @Detroit 1:00pm ET December 12 Arizona 1:00pm ET December 19 @Indianapolis 1:00pm ET December 26 @San Francisco 8:20pm ET January 2 Miami 4:15pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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