Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers

LOSS - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23 Carolina Panthers 38

Tampa Bay visited division foe Carolina on Monday Night Football with first place in the NFC South on the line. The Buccaneers went 3-and-out on their first drive, while Carolina scored a field goal for the first points of the game. Late in the first quarter, Tampa Bay drove to the Carolina 22, but Matt Bryant's field goal bounced off the upright no good.

In the second quarter, Jake Delhomme drove the Panthers into Tampa Bay territory. At the 19-yard line, Ronde Barber intercepted. The Buccaneers then drove to the Carolina 1-yard line, but their red zone woes continued. They failed to score a touchdown, and Matt Bryant instead tied the game at 3–3.

DeAngelo Williams rushed for a 40-yard gain late in the second quarter, setting up a Jonathan Stewart touchdown run at the two-minute warning. Carolina took the lead into halftime 10–3.

A penalty on the second half kickoff set Carolina up at their own 7. DeAngelo Williams again broke another long rush (28 yards), and Carolina crossed midfield. Jermaine Phillips made a "circus catch" interception, and the Buccaneers took over at the 47. Two plays later, Jeff Garcia connected to Antonio Bryant for a 50-yard touchdown bomb, tying the score at 10–10. After back-to-back "shootout" touchdowns, the score was tied 17–17 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, the rushing duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart steamrolled a weary Buccaneers defense. Two touchdowns early in the fourth put the Panthers up 31–17. Garcia attempted to mount a comeback, and led the Buccaneers on an 82-yard touchdown drive. After a blocked extra point, and a failed onside kick, Carolina took over with 2:28 remaining. Facing 3rd down & 4, DeAngelo Williams stymied the Buccaneers with a breakaway 36-yard touchdown run.

Panthers racked up 299 yards rushing, and took over sole possession of first place in the NFC South division.

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GAMEDAY BRIEF

OFFICALS

• REFEREE: Walt Anderson
• UMPIRE: Butch Hannah
• HEAD LINESMAN: Phil McKinnely
• LINE JUDGE: Byron Boston
• SIDE JUDGE: Laird Hayes
• FIELD JUDGE: Gary Cavaletto
• BACK JUDGE: Terrence Miles
• REPLAY OFFICAL: Dale Hamer
• VIDEO OPERATOR: Not Documented

SCORING

• PANTHERS: 8:50-1Q Kasay FG33
• BUCCANEERS: 6:35-2Q M.Bryant FG20
• PANTHERS: 1:56-2Q Stewart 2 run (Kasay kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 11:23-3Q A.Bryant 50 pass from Garcia (M.Bryant kick)
• PANTHERS: 8:19-3Q Smith 38 pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 3:37-3Q Williams 4 run (M.Bryant kick)
• PANTHERS: CAR 13:21-4Q Stewart 4 run (Kasay kick)
• PANTHERS: 8:30-4Q Williams 16 run (Kasay kick)
• BUCCANEERS: 2:29-4Q A.Bryant 15 pass from Garcia (kick blocked)
• PANTHERS: 2:07-4Q Williams 36 run (Kasay kick)

STARTERS OFFENSE

• WR: #89 A. Bryant
• LT: #70 D. Penn
• LG: #78 A. Sears
• C: #52 J. Faine
• RG: #75 D. Joseph
• RT: #65 J. Trueblood
• TE: #88 J. Gilmore
• TE: #81 A. Smith
• TE: #86 J. Stevens
• QB: #07 J. Garcia
• RB: #28 W. Dunn

STARTERS DEFENSE

• LE: #93 K. Carter
• DT: #95 C. Hovan
• DT: #98 R. Sims
• RE: #90 G. Adams
• SLB: #59 C. June
• MLB: #51 B. Ruud
• WLB: #55 D. Brooks
• LCB: #31 P. Buchanon
• RCB: #20 R. Barber
• SS: #23 J. Phillips
• FS: #28 T. Jackson

SUBSTITUTIONS

• 3 Bryant, 9 Bidwell, 19 Hilliard, 21 Piscitelli, 22 Smith, 24 Williams, 26 Allen, 33 Cook, 43 Mack, 48 Economos, 57 Hayward, 58 Black, 59 June, 76 Zuttah, 79 Mahan, 81 Smith, 86 Stevens, 87 Clark, 91 White, 96 Peterson, 97 Wilkerson

DID NOT PLAY

• 12 McCown, 84 Galloway

INACTIVE

• 8 Griese, 10 Jackson, 11 Johnson, 29 Herron, 30 Nicholson, 50 McCoy, 71 Haye, 77 Lee

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

• BUCCANEERS: Dunn 10-49, Williams 9-22, Askew 3-9, Garcia 2-6.
• PANTHERS: Williams 19-186, Stewart 15-115, Hoover 1-0, Delhomme 2-(-2).

PASSING

• BUCCANEERS: Garcia 38-24-321-0-2.
• PANTHERS: Delhomme 20-14-173-2-1.

RECIEVING

• BUCCANEERS: A.Bryant 9-200, Stevens 5-33, Dunn 3-13, Hilliard 2-20, A.Smith 1-20, Clayton 1-15, Askew 1-9, Williams 1-6, Gilmore 1-5.
• PANTHERS: Smith 9-117, Muhammad 3-43, Jarrett 1-7, Williams 1-6.

INTERCEPTIONS

• BUCCANEERS: Barber 1-4, Phillips 1-1.
• PANTHERS: none

KICK RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: 3-77, A.Smith 1-17, Clark 1-15, Gilmore 1-12.
• PANTHERS: Jones 4-74.

PUNT RETURNS

• BUCCANEERS: C.Smith 1-3.
• PANTHERS: Jones 2-21.

SACKS

• BUCCANEERS: Carter 1-8.
• PANTHERS: Peppers 1.5-4.5, Brayton 1-7, Marshall 1-6, Lewis 1-3, Johnson 0.5-2.5.

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