TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Carolina Is Coming For A Big Showdown

ADVERTISEMENT

By IRA KAUFMAN

ikaufman@tampatrib.com

Published: October 8, 2008

Although the calendar says it's only Week 6 of the grueling NFL schedule, Sunday's home matchup against the Panthers looms as a critical game for the Bucs and their chances of repeating as NFC South champions.

Carolina (4-1) leads Tampa Bay and Atlanta by one game in the division, and a loss Sunday would drop the Bucs to 1-2 in the NFC South.

If the Panthers win, recent NFL history suggests it will be difficult to keep Carolina out of the postseason picture. Since 2003, only two of the 27 clubs that opened 5-1 or better failed to make the playoffs - the 2006 Broncos and the 2003 Vikings.

PANTHERS AT A GLANCE

•QB Jake Delhomme, back in peak form following elbow surgery, is 7-1 against Tampa Bay as a starter, with 13 TD passes and only seven interceptions.

•Carolina has won eight of the last 10 matchups against the Bucs and has reeled off five consecutive victories at Raymond James Stadium.

•Carolina's RB tandem of DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart have combined for 593 yards and six TDs.

•DE Julius Peppers has a sack in each of the last three games, already surpassing his total of 2.5 last season.

•Former Buc Mark Jones, a seventh-round draft pick in 2004, is playing for Carolina, averaging 10.2 yards as a punt returner. Jones posted his first NFL catch last week, a 19-yarder against the Chiefs on third-and-17.

•Kansas City generated only one first down in the opening half of a 34-0 loss against the Panthers and finished with 127 yards, the franchise's lowest output in 22 years.

THEY SAID IT

"This is like Nebraska-Oklahoma. I think it's the best rivalry we have, and it's always a fun game." - Bucs MLB Barrett Ruud, a former Cornhuskers standout.

"We are playing well together and we have a close bond. We knew coming into the season that people looked at us as the weak link. It motivated us to stick tight and play for each other." - Panthers DL Julius Peppers, on a rebuilt defensive line that lost end Mike Rucker to retirement and tackle Kris Jenkins to the Jets in a trade.

"They're nasty, man. They're really good." - Bucs coach Jon Gruden, on the Panthers, who boast the No. 2 defense in the NFC behind the Giants.

"Anytime you play a division opponent, it's a big game - we're playing for first place this week." - Bucs secondary coach Raheem Morris.

JAKIN' IT

Here's how Panthers QB Jake Delhomme has fared against the Bucs in eight career starts:

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT