Bucs @ Panthers

[Vin+ 3,121]

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't need a big performance from Josh Freeman to beat the Carolina Panthers in September. Given his recent efforts, Freeman seems likely to play a bigger role in this week's rematch.

 

The Buccaneers quarterback will try to lead his team to its first four-game win streak in four years Sunday in Charlotte.

 

In an inauspicious season debut, Freeman passed for 138 yards and Tampa Bay totaled 258 against Carolina on Sept. 9. The Buccaneers, though, came away with a 16-10 victory as their defense limited the Panthers to 10 rushing yards, intercepted Cam Newton twice and essentially put the game away with a goal-line stand late in the fourth quarter.

 

The Bucs (5-4) still stumbled to a 1-3 start, but Freeman has since powered their surge, throwing for 13 touchdowns and posting a 115.9 rating in the last five games. He hasn't been picked off in his last 151 attempts.

 

"I think he understands better what we're doing and what we're asking of him," coach Greg Schiano said. "He's playing within himself. He's not trying to make plays. He's just trusting his training and the plays come when you're as talented as Josh Freeman is."

 

Freeman went 14 of 20 for 210 yards and a pair of TDs in a 34-24 win over San Diego last week. Tampa Bay has averaged 37.5 points in its last four victories and has scored at least 28 points in a team-record five consecutive games.

 

The Bucs also got a blocked punt return for a score from Adam Heyward and an 83-yard interception return for a TD from Leonard Johnson versus the Chargers.

 

"What we're trying to do is get guys loose and playing free, knowing what they're doing instead of having to think about it," Schiano said.

 

Tampa Bay, seeking its first four-game win streak since Nov. 2-30, 2008, has gone 1-3 in its last four visits to Charlotte.

 

The most recent of those was a 48-16 Panthers win Dec. 24 as Newton passed for three TDs and ran for a 49-yard score.

 

The Panthers, though, come in having lost six of seven and a 36-14 defeat to Denver on Sunday led to another change, as the team fired special teams coordinator Brian Murphy the next day. Carolina let go general manager Marty Hurney on Oct. 22.

 

"This is a production-based business, and in the end, winning and losing is what it comes down to," coach Ron Rivera said.

 

To get that much-needed win, the Panthers could use a much better performance by the offensive line. Carolina gave up seven sacks last week, tied for third most in team history.

 

Recently signed guard Jeremy Bridges, who made 28 starts for Carolina from 2006-08, might replace struggling starter Jeff Byers on Sunday after Rivera said Byers was "exposed" by the Broncos.

 

Newton threw for two touchdowns for the second time this season last week but was intercepted twice, giving him five in the last four contests. The Panthers (2-7) were held to 14 or fewer points for the fifth time in 2012.

 

"It's very embarrassing, but things are going to change - hopefully," Newton said. "I can't keep saying that and not holding up to it, but there are brighter days ahead for the Carolina Panthers."

 

The Buccaneers won't have linebacker Quincy Black to help stop Newton after he suffered a neck injury in a collision with San Diego running back Ryan Mathews. Black was taken off on a cart and later released from the hospital but is still having issues with his left arm.

 

Cornerback Eric Wright's status is uncertain after he re-aggravated his Achilles' in last week's victory.

 

Doug Martin is 138 yards away from becoming the 11th player in Bucs history to rush for 1,000 yards, and the fourth to do so as a rookie. Martin had 95 yards on 24 carries in the first matchup with Carolina.

 

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press.

Edited November 21, 2012 by Vin

[housemd 338]

30

20

[KiLaSix9+ 398]

31

 

14

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Should be another win for us and extend our win streak to 4 games, but I don't know. For some reason I have a bad feeling about this game. The Panthers are coming off an ugly loss to the Broncos and NFC South games seem to always be close.

 

We definitely should win this game, but I don't know... I don't have a good feeling for some reason.

[RazorStar 4,025]

I'll take the Panthers here, just think an embarrassed Panthers squad is gonna play this game angry and actually live up to their potential.

 

35

20

[Bay 2,003]

Can Cam pass the Panthers to victory, they ain't running on the Bucs. Give me Tampa for the season sweep.

 

17

 

23

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

Bucs: 27

Panthers: 31

[Vin+ 3,121]

Panthers declared WR David Gettis (hamstring) inactive for Sunday's game against the Bucs.

 

Gettis is off PUP, but he just hasn't done enough in practices to get a uniform on gameday. He's no threat to Brandon LaFell as the "man" opposite Steve Smith.

 

The rest of the Panthers' inactives: QB Jimmy Clausen, S D.J. Campbell, LB Jason Williams, OL Jeremy Bridges, T Bruce Campbell and DE Antwan Applewhite.

 

 

 

Bucs declared RG Jamon Meredith (ankle) active for Sunday's game against the Panthers.

 

The Bucs get good news on the injury front as both Meredith and CB Eric Wright (Achilles) are active. With Davin Joseph already on IR with a knee injury, they're desperate to keep Meredith upright.

 

Their inactives: RB Michael Smith, CB Danny Gorrer, S Keith Tandy, LB Najee Goode, WR Chris Owusu, DT Corvey Irvin and DT Matthew Masifilo.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

lol at everyone who thought this was an automatic win for the Bucs.

[housemd 338]

Muscle Hamster fumbled a Panthers 1 yard line and Kuechly recovered.

[housemd 338]

$cam to LaFell for a TD.

[Bay 2,003]

lol at everyone who thought this was an automatic win for the Bucs.

 

Like that idiot Kila

Edited November 18, 2012 by BayAreaBomber

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Wow. What a play... ha

[housemd 338]

3rd OT of the day.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Panthers D giving up that TD and 2pter with mere seconds left on the clock... Let's see what Cam does in OT.

[housemd 338]

TD Dallas Clark FTW!

[Franchise 5 1]

COMEBACK BOIIIII!

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Wow... I don't know how we pulled that one off. Offense played awesome when we needed them too and we somehow were able to come back and win the game.

 

Tough loss for Panthers fans. Sorry Thanatos, but believe me, I'm sure after seeing our 2 match ups last year, you know that Bucs fans know how you're feeling right now.

 

Anyways, I am pumped to see Scam's press conference.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

So, how many more 4th quarter leads is Sean McDermott's defense going to blow in the closing minutes?

 

Not like Castillo or Bowles is any better, but I'm so glad he's not our DC anymore.

[Milla4Prez63 678]

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

TD Dallas Clark FTW!

 

LITERALLY! FOR THE WIN!

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

We need to start using Dallas Clark more often. The guy can actually still play. He has great hands and has come up pretty big for us this year when we have needed him to.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Wow... I don't know how we pulled that one off. Offense played awesome when we needed them too and we somehow were able to come back and win the game.

 

Tough loss for Panthers fans. Sorry Thanatos, but believe me, I'm sure after seeing our 2 match ups last year, you know that Bucs fans know how you're feeling right now.

 

Anyways, I am pumped to see Scam's press conference.

 

Really, really glad I didn't get to see this one.

 

I was on the road back from a friend's house.

 

Defense giving up an 80-yard drive in 50 seconds with no timeouts. Yet another last-minute drive by an opposing team because we changed the way we played defense in the last couple minutes.

 

Only with McDermott as DC could a defense give up two huge drives with less than a minute left and no timeouts. Just absolutely disgusting.

 

This is at least the 3rd game that has a defensive collapse extremely late with a lead.

 

If McDermott isn't fired, preferably this week, Rivera definitely needs to go, (since if he can't even see that, he doesn't deserve to be HC), and he may need to go anyway. The team cannot close games, and hasn't been able to since he took over.

Edited November 19, 2012 by Thanatos19

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Really, really glad I didn't get to see this one.

 

I was on the road back from a friend's house.

 

Defense giving up an 80-yard drive in 50 seconds with no timeouts. Yet another last-minute drive by an opposing team because we changed the way we played defense in the last couple minutes.

 

Only with McDermott as DC could a defense give up two huge drives with less than a minute left and no timeouts. Just absolutely disgusting.

 

This is at least the 3rd game that has a defensive collapse extremely late with a lead.

 

If McDermott isn't fired, preferably this week, Rivera definitely needs to go, (since if he can't even see that, he doesn't deserve to be HC), and he may need to go anyway. The team cannot close games, and hasn't been able to since he took over.

 

Yea, I was actually really impressed with your D before they collapsed in the last few minutes. They were getting a lot of pressure on Freeman and did a good job on V-Jax and M-Will for the most part.

 

The defensive collapses are ridiculous though. I feel like it's every other week the Panthers are blowing a game in the last few minutes.

 

 

 

[Thanatos 2,847]

Yea, I was actually really impressed with your D before they collapsed in the last few minutes. They were getting a lot of pressure on Freeman and did a good job on V-Jax and M-Will for the most part.

 

The defensive collapses are ridiculous though. I feel like it's every other week the Panthers are blowing a game in the last few minutes.

 

Because they are.

 

They've lost seven out of their last eight, and besides the Giants game and the Denver game, they have had the lead in the 4th in every. single. game.

 

It was the exact same story last year. Competitive in every game, (save for two), but failed to close in seven of eight one-score losses. That is completely on the coaching staff.

 

Cam stuck what should have been the dagger in with the TD to make it 21-10 and then McDermott fell apart. Again. It's far past time for him to go.