Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers 
LOSS - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24 Carolina Panthers 26
The Bucs played one of their most heated rivals, the Carolina Panthers, at home. In the first half, it was a rout 20–7 with Bucs QB Chris Simms' first pass intercepted by the Panthers' Chris Gamble. In the second quarter, Tampa Bay finally scored its first touchdown of the season on a short pass from Simms to Joey Galloway, then followed that up in the third quarter with Carnell Williams scoring his first TD run of the season. Later that quarter, Simms led a drive that was wrapped up by a 2-yard bootleg by Simms on a fake to Mike Alstott, but Simms was hit hard on the play, and had to leave the game momentarily to let rookie Bruce Gradkowski take over.
Simms returned in the fourth quarter to lead another scoring drive which ended with a long field goal by Matt Bryant. Unfortunately for the Bucs, the Panthers' kicker John Kasay hit his fourth field goal of the day, winning the game for the Panthers with only six seconds to spare. After the game, it was learned that Simms had a ruptured spleen and went into emergency surgery to remove it. Originally diagnosed as bruised ribs, it was only discovered shortly after the game ended. If discovery had been delayed any longer, Simms would have died. The injury cost Simms the rest of the season.
GAMEDAY BRIEF
OFFICALS
- REFEREE: Tony Corrente
- UMPIRE: Steve Wilson
- HEAD LINESMAN: John McGrath
- LINE JUDGE: Ron Blum
- SIDE JUDGE: Doug Toole
- FIELD JUDGE: Craig Wrolstad
- BACK JUDGE: Don Carey
- REPLAY OFFICAL: Bob McGrath
- VIDEO OPERATOR: Not Documented
SCORING
- PANTHERS: 14:01-1Q Johnson 31 pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick)
- PANTHERS: 1:31-1Q Kasay FG51
- PANTHERS: 12:41-2Q Johnson 4 run (Delhomme kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 6:57-2Q Galloway 8 pass from Simms (Bryant kick)
- PANTHERS: 0:50-2Q Kasay FG50
- BUCCANEERS: 12:46-3Q Williams 4 run (Bryant kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 5:56-3Q Simms 2 run (Bryant kick)
- PANTHERS: 0:36-3Q Kasay FG49
- BUCCANEERS: 5:01-4Q Bryant FG28
- PANTHERS: 0:02-4Q Kasay FG46
STARTERS OFFENSE
- WR: #84 J. Galloway
- LT: #69 A. Davis
- LG: #72 D. Buenning
- C: #76 J. Wade
- RG: #79 s. Mahan
- RT: #67 K. Walker
- TE: #88 A. Becht
- WR: #80 M. Clayton
- QB: #02 C. Simms
- RB: #49 M. Alstott
- FB: #24 C. Williams
STARTERS DEFENSE
- DE: #94 G. Spires
- DT: #95 C. Hovan
- DT: #92 A. McFarland
- DE: #97 S. Rice
- OLB: #53 S. Quarles
- MLB: #51 B. Ruud
- OLB: #55 D. Brooks
- LCB: #21 J. Bolden
- RCB: #20 R. Barber
- SS: #23 J. Phillips
- FS: #26 W. Allen
SUBSTITUTIONS
- 3 Bryant, 7 Gradkowski, 9 Bidwell, 19 Hilliard, 27 Cox, 32 Pittman, 33 Sowell, 34 Graham, 39 Pearson, 46 Adams, 48 Economos, 50 Winborn, 52 Cash, 54 Mallard, 65 Trueblood, 74 Green, 77 Terry, 81 Smith, 87 Jolley, 89 Jones, 90 White, 91 Jenkins, 98 Wyms
DID NOT PLAY
- none
INACTIVE
- 13 Rattay, 25 Kelly, 29 Zemaitis, 56 Nece, 75 Joseph, 82 Warren, 83 Moore, 85 Stovall
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
- BUCCANEERS: Williams 19-48, Alstott 3-12, Pittman 1-3, Simms 2-1.
- PANTHERS: Foster 20-82, Delhomme 2-12, Hoover 1-4, Johnson 1-4, Williams 4-(-1).
PASSING
- BUCCANEERS: Simms 24-12-139-1-1, Gradkowski 1-1-16-0-0.
- PANTHERS: Delhomme 36-22-272-0-1.
RECIEVING
- BUCCANEERS: Smith 4-72, Pittman 2-25, Williams 2-16, Alstott 2-(-3), Hilliard 1-16, Clayton 1-14, Galloway 1-8, Jolley 1-7.
- PANTHERS: Smith 7-112, Johnson 7-97, Foster 3-7, Hoover 2-19, Colbert 1-16, Carter 1-14, Gaines 1-7.
INTERCEPTIONS
- BUCCANEERS: none
- PANTHERS: Gamble 1-11.
KICK RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Pittman 5-103, Graham 0-1.
- PANTHERS: Williams 3-70, Hoover 1-12.
PUNT RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Barber 1-8, Jones 1-1.
- PANTHERS: Gamble 4-30.
SACKS
- BUCCANEERS: Rice 1-10, White 1-7, Spires 1-6.
- PANTHERS: Peppers 1-10.
