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Week 17 Game Recap: Carolina Panthers 31, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23
What you need to know
| Carolina Panthers |
Matt Moore got Carolina off to a good start in the first half, where he connected with TE Christian Fauria from two yards out and TE Dante Rosario on a 20 yard score. Moore also led the team on a field goal scoring drive before the half that gave the Panthers a 17-13 lead at half. He finished with 174 yards passing, two scores and one interception and got a big boost from the Carolina rushing attack in the second half to help put the Buccaneers away.
The Panthers had a balanced rushing attack, running for 80 yards in the first half and adding another 100 on the ground in the second half. DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams combined to wear down the Tampa Bay front seven, and Williams came through with two rushing scores in the second half from one and 32 yards out that helped seal the deal for Carolina. Williams finished with 121 yards in his best outing of the season.
Drew Carter led the Panthers with 59 yards on two receptions and Steve Smith added 48 yards on five receptions, but TEs Christian Fauria and Dante Rosario came up with scoring plays in the passing game.
The Panthers shut down the Tampa Bay rushing attack, which was playing without starting RB Earnest Graham. The Buccaneers managed just 107 yards on the ground and 47 of that came courtesy of QB Luke McCown on broken pass plays. While they did allow two passing touchdowns, Carolina made plays when they had to, sacking McCown four times, picking off a fourth quarter pass in the red zone and stopping Tampa Bay on their final drive to finish their season off with a victory.
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
QB Jeff Garcia watched the game from the sidelines, along with many of the Tampa Bay starters, with the Buccaneers already locked into the four seed in the playoffs. Luke McCown stepped in and played well, completing 21 of 28 passes for 236 yards and touchdown passes to TE Jerramy Stevens and RB Michael Bennett. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, McCown was intercepted late in the fourth quarter on a potential game-tying drive. Tampa Bay had one last shot with less than two minutes left, but turned the ball over on downs.
With starting RB Earnest Graham on the bench getting ready for the playoffs, Michael Pittman and Michael Bennett took over the workload on the ground. That duo was able to manage just 51 yards on 19 attempts combined, and that lack of production from the running game was a big detriment for the Buccaneers offensive attack.
Joey Galloway did not play, so the Tampa Bay passing game was without its biggest weapon. With Galloway out, WRs Michael Clayton and Chad Lucas combined for 142 yards on ten receptions and TE Jerramy Stevens and RB Michael Bennett each caught touchdown passes for the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay's defense also rested some starters, and the play on the field from the Buccaneer defense looked like play you would expect from reserves. Carolina scored two passing touchdowns in the first half and took advantage of bad coverage on a few other non-scoring big plays to go into halftime up 17-13. In the second half, the Panthers wore down the Buccaneers with their rushing attack, on the shoulders of DeAngelo Williams, who ran for two rushing scores to help put the game away for Carolina.
What you ought to know
| QB Matt Moore, Pass: 15 - 24 - 174 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 |
Matt Moore started for Carolina and while he didn't put up spectacular numbers, he made plays when he needed to, shrugged off his mistakes, and did just enough to help his team come out with the victory. He finished with 174 yards on 15 of 24 passing and connected with TEs Christian Fauria and Dante Rosario on first half touchdowns for his only scores of the game. Moore did have a costly interception that led to a Tampa Bay field goal, but he didn't let it get him down, coming back on the next possession to throw his second touchdown.
| RB DeAngelo Williams, Rush: 20 - 121 - 2 |
Williams received more work as the game went on and finished with 20 rushes for 121 yards and touchdown runs of one yard and 32 yards. While he was a non-factor in the passing game with zero targets, Williams showed strides in the rushing attack and may have showed enough to warrant at least a position battle with Foster in training camp.
| RB DeShaun Foster, Rush: 11 - 46 - 0, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (1 targets) |
Foster started the game but gave way to DeAngelo Williams as the game progressed. He finished with 11 rushes for 46 yards and added one reception for 11 yards on his only target through the air.
| WR Steve Smith, Rec: 5 - 48 - 0 (8 targets) |
Steve Smith was targeted eight times to lead the team, and finished with five receptions for 48 yards. He was targeted three times on third downs, but just could not find much room downfield for any big plays.
| WR Drew Carter, Rec: 2 - 59 - 0 (5 targets) |
Carter was targeted five times and finished with two receptions for 59 yards. Included in that was a 46 yard reception that Carter came down with at the one yard line and set up a Carolina touchdown.
| TE Dante Rosario, Rec: 3 - 36 - 1 (3 targets) |
Dante Rosario caught all three passes thrown his way for 36 yards, including a 20 yard touchdown reception.
| TE Christian Fauria, Rec: 1 - 2 - 1 (1 targets) |
Fauria made the most of his only target in the game, catching a two yard touchdown pass.
| TE Jeff King, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (2 targets) |
King was targeted twice and finished with one reception for five yards.
| PK John Kasay 1 - 1 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points |
Kasay hit his only field goal attempt from 19 yards out and added four extra points to finish with seven points in the game.
| CAR Rush Defense |
The Panthers defense played well against the run, holding Tampa Bay to 107 yards on 26 attempts, for a 4.1 ypc average. However, of those 107 yards, 47 of it came on five attempts from Luke McCown on plays where he was pushed out of the pocket. They were able to keep the Buccaneers out of the end zone on the ground and allowed just six rushing first downs for the ball game.
LB Jon Beason continued his strong play, as he totaled eight solo tackles and two assists to lead the Carolina defense.
| CAR Pass Defense |
Carolina's defense did not fare as well in the passing game as they did against the run, and the Buccaneers took advantage of some blown coverages and missed assignments to throw for 236 yards and two touchdowns, while completing 75% of their pass attempts. On the bright side, they held Tampa Bay to just four of 12 on third downs, recorded four sacks and came up with a big fourth quarter interception and turnover on downs to hold off the Buccaneers.
DB Richard Marshall led the secondary with nine solo tackles, one sack, and an interception and LB Na'il Diggs added a sack of his own to lead the defense.
| QB Luke McCown, Pass: 21 - 28 - 236 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 5 - 47 - 0 |
McCown got the start for the Buccaneers and while he was productive and efficient, could not do enough with a limited supporting cast to fend off the Panthers. He finished 21 of 28 for 236 yards passing, including touchdown passes to Jerramy Stevens and Michael Bennett. However, one of McCown's few mistakes for the game came in the fourth quarter with Tampa Bay down eight, as he was intercepted on an under thrown pass that could have resulted in a touchdown. He was flushed out of the pocket and was unable to plant and throw, and the ball fell short of a wide open Buccaneer receiver. Tampa Bay had one last shot with under two minutes left, but turned the ball over near midfield after four plays.
| RB Michael Bennett, Rush: 15 - 39 - 0, Rec: 2 - 28 - 1 (2 targets) |
Bennett received the most carries for the Buccaneers, carrying the ball 15 times for just 39 yards on the ground, but made a big play in the passing game with a 23 yard touchdown reception on a screen play. Along with the scoring reception, he added another reception for five yards as he finished with two receptions for 28 yards.
| RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 4 - 12 - 0, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (2 targets) |
Pittman started the game and finished with four rushes for 12 yards on the ground and one reception for zero yards in the passing game. He wasn't used much in the second half, where Michael Bennett carried most of the load for Tampa Bay.
| WR Michael Clayton, Rec: 5 - 60 - 0 (8 targets) |
With Joey Galloway watching from the sidelines, Clayton was the most targeted Buccaneers receiver, getting eight looks as he finished with five receptions for 60 yards.
| WR Chad Lucas, Rec: 5 - 82 - 0 (6 targets) |
Lucas started for Joey Galloway and responded with a nice game. He was targeted six times and finished with five receptions for 82 yards, including a 52 yard reception on blown coverage that set up Tampa Bay's first touchdown.
| TE Jerramy Stevens, Rec: 4 - 30 - 1 (4 targets) |
Stevens caught all four passes thrown his way for 30 yards, including a three yard touchdown. In recent weeks, he seems to be more involved in the offensive game plan and has proved to be a useful weapon in the red zone.
| TE Alex Smith, Rec: 1 - 18 - 0 (2 targets) |
Smith was targeted twice and finished with 18 yards on one reception. On the play, Smith made a nice catch down the seam, took a nasty hit that drew a unnecessary roughness penalty and was able to hang on for a first down.
| PK Matt Bryant 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points |
Bryant connected on field goals from 31, 23 and 49 yards out and added two extra points to finish with 11 points in the game.
| TB Rush Defense |
Tampa Bay rested some of their starters, and the Panthers took advantage, especially on the ground. The Buccaneers gave up 180 yards on the ground on 37 attempts, for nearly five yards per rush, and RB DeAngelo Williams ran roughshod through the defense on his way to 121 yards and two rushing scores.
LB Jeremiah Trotter got his first real action of the season and responded with seven solo tackles and one assist to lead the Buccaneers.
| TB Pass Defense |
The Buccaneers didn't give up huge passing numbers, with the Panthers totaling just 169 pass yards, but they gave up too many big, game changing plays. Carolina scored on two passing touchdowns in the first half and completed seven of 14 third down conversions to keep drives alive, the chains moving and the clock running. Their success on third downs was a big factor in the ball game.
DB Kalvin Pearson led the secondary with seven solo tackles and DL Greg Spires recorded the only sack of the game for Tampa Bay. DB Philip Buchanon chipped in with the team's only interception, which the Buccaneers turned into a field goal.
