stevebalatsos

The Panthers survived Aaron Rodgers, but just barely, allowing 29/45 for 293 yards, 3 TDs and 1 interception to Green Bay last week. Over the past 3 weeks they have 6 sacks and 3 interceptions, but they've also coughed up 738 net passing yards (246 per game on average). The Panthers' season pace is at 200.5 net yards allowed per game (12th in the NFL), with 11 passing TDs given up vs. 10 interceptions and 24 sacks generated so far. In recent weeks they haven't been living up to their season average, though.

Garcia had an off week last week; the Panthers failed to contain Aaron Rodgers and have slipped a couple of notches in this phase of the game over the past few weeks. Look for Garcia to bounce back against the now loose Panthers D.

Jake Delhomme had trouble taking care of the ball the last time he faced Tampa (week 6), with 20/39 for 242 yards, 0 TDs and 3 interceptions thrown. Steve Smith posted a 100+ yard game (6/112/0) and Muhsin Muhammad was reliable (4/68/0), but when the rubber hit the road the Panthers lost 27-3. We'll see if Delhomme can improve his focus in the friendly confines of Bank of America Stadium, with the NFC South crown probably decided by the outcome of this game. He threw for 295 yards and a TD in the loss to Atlanta 2 weeks ago, followed up by 12/17 for 177 yards, 0 TDs and 0 interceptions vs. Green Bay - he hasn't thrown an interception for 3 weeks since his nearly-disastrous 4 interception performance vs. Oakland. Delhomme has yo-yoed in performance over recent weeks. Steve Smith hasn't let off the gas pedal, though, with 6/63/0; 8/168/0 and 4/105/0 over the last 3 weeks - he just hasn't quite managed to penetrate the end-zone of late. Muhsin Muhammad had 2 catches for 50 yards last week, and after the game commented on Smith's acrobatic 54-yard catch that set up the game-winning TD run by DeAngelo Williams. "It was just an awesome catch. Those are the kind of balls where it is on the receiver to go make a play. He wasn't wide open or anything like that. It was man on man and it was a test of will and Steve wanted that ball."

The Buccaneers allowed 25/47 for 288 yards, 2 TDs and 3 interceptions to the Saints last week, and have coughed up 498 net passing yards in their last 3 contests, with 10 sacks and 5 interceptions during that span of time. To date, the Bucs are 3rd in the NFL averaging 184.1 net yards allowed per game, with 16 TDs given up vs. 17 interceptions and 25 sacks generated. They field one of the best pass defenses in the NFL, folks.

The Panthers have home field advantage for this divisional grudge match, and they'll need all the help they can get against Monte Kiffin's top-3 pass D - advantage, Tampa.

Tampa had a fairly easy time running the ball on Carolina back in week 6, with 22/115/0 piled up by Warrick Dunn (3/18/0 receiving in addition) and 5/11/1 rushing for Earnest Graham (2/47/0 receiving). Since that game, Graham has landed on IR and Dunn has assumed the featured-back role, with Cadillac Williams playing second fiddle.

Last week, Warrick Dunn led the charge against the Saints, with 22/74/0 rushing, while Jeff Garcia was 2nd on the team with 7/42/0. Cadillac Williams improved his yards-per-carry figure last week with 4/20/1, and got the first TD of his come-back. All told, the Bucs managed 34/149/1 as a unit - pretty respectable numbers.

The Panthers gave up 29/145/0 rushing to the Packers last week, but held on to win 35-31. To date, Carolina is 18th in the league, averaging 112.8 rushing yards allowed per game, with 10 rushing TDs handed over through 13 contests. Over the last 3 weeks, they've been punctured for 408 yards rushing (136 per game on average) - the defensive front is not a team strength entering December, as you can see.

The Bucs' tandem of Dunn and Williams is still evolving, but they've got a good shot at decent numbers this week despite travelling to Bank of America Stadium.

The Panthers had a hard time moving the ball vs. Tampa Bay back in week 6, with a mere 20/40/0 rushing as a team, with 11/27/0 posted by DeAngelo Williams (2/8/0 receiving), and 6/12/0 rushing (1/1/0 receiving) generated by Jonathan Stewart. Yards were pretty scarce vs. Tampa, as you can see.

Williams has been red hot over the past 3 weeks, with 54/293/7 rushing and 5/33/0 receiving - he scored 4 rushing TDs last week in the win over Green Bay (21/72/4 rushing with 3/14/0 receiving) - Jonathan Stewart gained 4/58/0 but pulled a hamstring on his long 43 yard run (setting up Williams with a goal-line plunge from the 1) and sat out much of the contest. The Panthers bounced back nicely from their loss to Atlanta. "The offensive line, they're my MVPs of the game," DeAngelo Williams said on Sunday after his record-setting 4 TD afternoon. Williams downplayed his performance, saying "It's not like they were 40- or 50-yard runs. But I will probably learn to appreciate this more as I get older. But right now I'm looking forward to playing the next game."

Tampa limited the Saints to 18/44/0 on the ground last week, and have given up just 251 rushing yards in their last 3 contests (83.6 per game on average). To date, the Bucs are 9th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (95.4 per contest), but are first in the NFL in rushing TDs given up - 1 rushing TD allowed over 13 contests.

Williams is on fire, but this week he faces the immovable object which is the Buccaneer's goal line D (and he didn't do much against them earlier this year) - advantage, Tampa.

MY PREDICTION: TAMPA D WILL PROVE TOO MUCH FOR CAROLINA. THE PANTHERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A RUN GAME AND JAKE THE SNAKE WILL THROW A COUPLE PICKELS. GARCIA WILL MAKE ENOUGH PLAYS AND TAMPA WILL CRUISE TO A TEN POINT VICTORY!!!

PLAY: TAMPA BAY +3