Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Match Player Stats On Oct 24, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 24, 2013

Panthers 31, Buccaneers 13: Cam Newton threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another score as visiting Carolina kept Tampa Bay winless.

Newton threw for 221 yards on 23-of-32 and rushed for 50 yards to lift the Panthers (4-3) to their third straight win and move them over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2008 season. DeAngelo Williams ran for 43 yards and a TD for Carolina, which put up at least 30 points for the third game in a row.

Rookie Mike Glennon completed 30-of-51 passes for 275 yards for the Buccaneers (0-7), who permitted 31 points for the third consecutive game and didn't get into the end zone until there were under three minutes to play. Rian Lindell kicked field goals of 47 and 48 yards for Tampa Bay, which has lost 12 of its last 13 dating to last season.

The Panthers set the tone on their opening possession, eating up nearly nine minutes on a 15-play, 70-yard drive that culminated with Newton's 1-yard scoring pass to tight end Greg Olsen. Williams' 12-yard scoring run capped an 80-yard drive early in the second quarter before Lindell's second field goal cut the deficit to 14-6 at halftime.

Newton did the heavy lifting on Carolina's next touchdown, carrying four times for 33 yards and scoring from 6 yards out with 6:27 to play in the third. A muffed punt by Tampa Bay's Eric Page set up Newton's 3-yard TD toss to Mike Tolbert on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 28-6 lead.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Newton boosted his career totals to 52 touchdown passes and 25 rushing scores, making him the first player in NFL history with 50 TD tosses and 25 scoring runs in any three-year span. ... Bucs RB Doug Martin, who sat out with a torn labrum in his left shoulder suffered in Sunday's loss to Atlanta, said he plans to be back in time for Tampa Bay's game against Miami on Nov. 11. ... Williams' second-quarter score was his first touchdown since he notched a pair in the 2012 regular-season finale.