Carolina Panthers-Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Down and Out Against Up and Coming

The Carolina Panthers head to Tampa Bay to face the division-rival Buccaneers Sunday and they’ll do so without their quarterback and their two 1,000-yard rushers from a year ago.

Rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen gets his fourth start of the season, after Matt Moore tore his labrum in last week’s 34-3 trouncing at the hands of the New Orleans Saints.

Meanwhile, Mike Goodson, who has 99 career rushing yards, will get the start at running back with DeAngelo Williams still nursing a sprained foot and Jonathan Stewart likely out after suffering a concussion in Week 9. Goodson has yet to score an NFL touchdown, though he has played in 16 games in two years.

The Buccaneers are coming off a heartbreaking 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, who stopped running back LeGarrette Blount on 4th-and-1 from the Atlanta 2-yard line in the waning minutes to preserve the win and take over sole possession of first place in the division.

Blount has played well of late, averaging 5.2 carries over the last three weeks, including a 120-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8.
Blount will take on a Panthers run defense ranked 25th in the league, allowing 124.8 yards per game.

The Buccaneers are familiar with the Panthers’ current situation, as they started last season 1-7 before notching a couple of late-season wins to finish 3-13. This year, they’re a surprising 5-3 and fighting for a potential playoff spot.

However, they have lost 11 of 15 to Carolina, including six of the last seven at home.

The Buccaneers won in Carolina in Week 2, 20-7 and go for the two-game season sweep on Sunday.

Key Players

Carolina Panthers

Mike Goodson: Without balance, Clausen will struggle. The Buccaneers pass defense is ranked 11th in the league, allowing 213.5 yards per game and they lead the league in interceptions with 14 (The Panthers lead the league in interceptions thrown with 14).

However, the Buccaneers run defense is ranked 30th. If Goodson can carry the load and, perhaps, find the end zone a couple of times when Clausen cannot, this game could be closer than many people think.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Williams: Averaging 92 yards per game over his last three contests, Williams provides a big-play target for quarterback Josh Freeman. Williams had a 47-yard touchdown catch in Week 8 at Arizona and a 58-yard grab for a score in Week 9, his longest of the year.

He’s averaging 15.5 yards per catch, and if he can penetrate an underrated Panthers pass defense (fifth in the league at 190.2 yards per game allowed), it could allow Blount to run wild over the league’s 25th-ranked run defense.

The Panthers head to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers Sunday at 1 p.m. EDT at Raymond James Stadium.

This article can also be found at www.footballnewsnow.com.