1st Quarter:
RECAP: The Bucs are resting seven starters including quarterback Jeff Garcia, running back Ernest Graham and receivers Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard, and yet they still take the opening kickoff and go 66 yards in seven plays for a touchdown. Luke McCown connects on a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jerramy Stevens to give Tampa Bay a 7-0 lead. The Panthers answer with a 2-yard pass from Matt Moore to Christian Fauria capping a very nice 14-play drive.
BIG PLAY: McCown connects with Chad Lucas, who was just called up from the practice squad earlier in the week, on a 51-yard completion. Deke Cooper bit on the run fake and Lucas raced deep into the secondary. Ken Lucas came from the other side of the field to save a touchdown.
BIG MISTAKE: Tampa Bay’s Derrick Brooks was flagged for a defensive holding penalty on a short John Kasay field goal. That gives the Panthers an automatic first down and two plays later the Panthers punch it in on Moore’s second touchdown pass of the season.
COMMENT: Moore is again looking sharp, although the Bucs are resting some defensive players.
SCORE: Tampa Bay 7, Carolina 7
2nd Quarter:
RECAP: The Panthers build a 14-10 lead behind a 20-yard touchdown pass from Moore to rookie tight end Dante Rosario. How about that, three rookies touched the ball on that play for Carolina – center Ryan Kalil, Moore and Rosario. The Bucs add two Matt Bryant field goals, but the Panthers tack on one from John Kasay to make it 17-13.
BIG PLAY: Bucs CB Phillip Buchanan impedes Steve Smith’s progress at the line of scrimmage and baits Moore into an interception at the Carolina 23. The Bucs cash in with a field goal to take a 10-7 lead.
BIG MISTAKE: Rookie returner Ryne Robinson, who has been playing well down the stretch, is stripped of the ball on a punt return. However, Robinson makes amends with a career-long 60-yard kickoff return leading to a Carolina field goal.
COMMENT: A fourth-and-1 at the Bucs 2-yard line with 20 seconds left in the half, Fox opts for the field goal instead of trying to punch it in. Hey, when you’re 6-9, what do you have to lose?
SCORE: Carolina 17, Tampa Bay 13
3rd Quarter:
RECAP: The Bucs drive a franchise-record 98 yards for a touchdown to regain the lead 20-17. McCown scampers for a 31-yard gain outrunning linebacker Thomas Davis. How did that happen? However, the Panthers bounce back to take the lead as Moore finds Drew Carter on a long pass setting up a DeAngelo Williams touchdown.
BIG PLAY: Carter hauls in a 47-yard completion from Moore and Williams cashes in. Moore actually underthrew Carter on the play, but Carter made a nice leaping grab between two defenders.
BIG MISTAKE: Kalil’s snap to Moore in the shotgun flies over his shoulder and Moore chases it down and recovers for a 24-yard loss. The Panthers are forced to punt the ball.
COMMENT: The Panthers play great in season finales against teams that rest the majority of their starters.
SCORE: Carolina 24, Tampa Bay 20