Struggling Tampa Bay Buccs to Meet With Surging Carolina Panthers

Friday, December 23, 2011

by Aengus Moorehead

Cam Newton - Struggling Tampa Bay Buccs to Meet With Surging Carolina Panthers

Analysis:
Despite being four games under .500, the Panthers are clearly having fun on the field.

Losing has been an ongoing issue for the Bucs, who look to put an end to their eight-game slide Saturday on the road against the NFC South-rival Carolina from Bank of America Stadium.

Tampa Bay is coming off Saturday's lopsided 31-15 loss versus the Dallas Cowboys, one Raheem Morris deemed as unacceptable, disappointing and not good enough. Morris' 4-10 record may not be good enough to last another season, but then again the Bucs have endured many other losses of the recent ilk such as a 48-3 drubbing at the hands of San Francisco, a 37-9 bashing by Houston and a 41-14 setback against Jacksonville.

Even the Panthers enjoyed using the Buccaneers as a punching bag in a 38-19 victory in Florida back on Dec. 4 in the first meeting between the teams. But the loss to the Cowboys added insult to injury for a Tampa Bay team that had huge expectations at the start of the season and will miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season. Morris said it was a bad night for protection up front and witnessed several individual breakdowns throughout the night.

Morris' keys to winning are playing hard, smart and fast, and the Bucs failed to succeed in any of those categories. A need for execution generally starts with the quarterback and Josh Freeman is as guilty as any on the team for this latest mess.

The Bucs have lost eight in a row for the first time since Nov. 8-Dec. 27, 1987 and haven't suffered nine losses in a row since opening the 1985 campaign with an 0-9 mark en route to a lowly 2-14 finish. Morris said Freeman didn't make enough plays and is mainly responsible for what goes on offensively. He then added that what goes wrong with the team is his issue.

Saving face and perhaps Morris' job are the biggest concerns right now for the Buccaneers, who have two road games remaining on the season against Carolina and Atlanta.

The Panthers are also playing out the string, but have more to be proud of than what their 5-9 record represents. While the Bucs have faltered after a promising 4-2 start, the Panthers have won three of their last four games following a 2-8 beginning.

Rookie quarterback Cam Newton has ignited the offense with both his arm and legs, and has his team near the top of the charts in most offensive categories. Newton, the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, helped put an end to Houston's franchise-best seven-game winning streak with Sunday's 28-13 victory. He passed for a season-low 149 yards and two TDs, and also scrambled seven times for an additional 55 yards. Newton didn't turn the ball over either and said protecting the football was key.

Newton is closing in on Peyton Manning's rookie mark for passing yards in a season (3,739 in 1998) and already owns 3,722 yards through the air. The 3,722 passing yards and 17 touchdown passes are the most by a rookie in Panthers history, surpassing the 2,931 yards by Chris Weinke in 2001 and 14 touchdowns by Kerry Collins in 1995.

Carolina has improved vastly from its 2-14 record from a year ago under first- year head coach Ron Rivera. Even defensive coordinator Sean McDermott has done a decent job even though his unit has been banged up this season. The Panthers' defense hopes to keep the pressure on Tampa Bay's floundering offense in the home finale before closing out the campaign at New Orleans.

Carolina has a 13-9 lead in its all-time series with Tampa Bay and defeated the Buccaneers for the fourth time in the past six meetings between the divisional foes with its previously-noted victory at Raymond James Stadium earlier this month.

Tampa Bay did sweep the 2010 season set with the Panthers, however, following up a 20-7 triumph in Charlotte during Week 2 of that campaign with a 31-16 home verdict later on in the year. The Panthers had topped the Bucs at Bank of America Stadium in each of the two previous seasons and have swept a home-and-home series with Tampa Bay three times in their history, most recently in 2009.

Morris has gone 2-3 against Carolina during his career as a head coach, while Ron Rivera took on both Tampa Bay and Morris for the first time as a head man in his team's Week 13 win.

Time & Venue:
- 1:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 24, 2011. Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

Last Week's results:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+7) loses to visiting Dallas Cowboys 31-15.
- Carolina Panthers (+6) beats host Houston Texans 28-13.

Last week's ATS:
- Underdog Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10) loses and does not cover
- Underdog Carolina Panthers (5-9) wins outright.

NFL Football Odds: Panthers -7.5, O/U 48

Next up:
- Tampa Bay at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, January 1
- Carolina at New Orleans Saints, Sunday, January 1

Tampa Bay will pull even with the Panthers in the NFC South with a win. Freeman will have to lead the way. In his last two starts against the Panthers he is 30 of 48 for 419 yards with four TDs and a QB rating of 118.3. Freeman has 3,044 passing yards this season, his second consecutive season surpassing 3,000. Freeman, who missed the earlier matchup due to injury, has thrown 18 interceptions after getting picked off only six times last season.

Carolina has won four of the last six meetings against the Buccaneers, including 38-19 in Week 13 in Tampa. Newton set the NFL record for rushing TDs (13) by a quarterback in that contest with three. The QB has also set an NFL rookie record with 30 (17 pass, 13 rush) total touchdowns this season. Also in the first meeting, Newton became the third player – and first QB – in NFL history with three or more rushing TDs, a passing TD and a reception in a single game.

Newton single-handedly gave the Bucs nightmares in the first meeting with three rushing touchdowns and 204 yards passing with a TD. The Bucs' defense is reeling right now and another sloppy performance could cost Morris his job. It will be interesting to see how Tampa Bay reacts to Newton and the Carolina offense this time around.

The Bucs didn't get much going with LeGarrette Blount running the football last weekend and will need their top back for this matchup. Carolina is 25th against the rush and will be hard-pressed to slow down the bulky Blount once again. Freeman didn't play in the first encounter with the Panthers because of a shoulder issue, but is back at full strength. His numbers, however, are not.

Both Tampa Bay and Carolina have put up similar numbers from their receivers this season. Steve Smith is having a Pro-Bowl type campaign, while Mike Williams' could have been better. One of the two units will have a breakout player this week and it's anyone's guess whose it will be since Smith posted 32 yards on two catches and Williams hauled in five passes for a game-best 93 yards.

Newton has 3,722 passing yards this season. He needs 18 more to surpass Peyton Manning for most by a rookie quarterback.

Carolina WR Steve Smith is second in the NFC with 1,299 receiving yards. He leads the NFL with 27 catches of 20-plus yards.

Tampa Bay second-year receiver Mike Williams was held without a catch last week against Dallas. It was the first time in 30 games.

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Carolina's last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Carolina's last 7 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Carolina is 6-18 SU in its last 24 games
Tampa Bay is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Carolina
Tampa Bay is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Carolina
Tampa Bay is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games

The Panthers have been competitive throughout the 2011 campaign and only have five wins to show for it. Expect Carolina to make a serious run towards the playoffs next season and that quest has already begun and will continue this week with another win. Tampa Bay is a good team as well, but the future isn't as bright for the swash-buckling club that will find it difficult to contain the Panthers' offense once again. There's no question Morris knows how to inspire his players, but he can't be out on the field with them. Newton is playing at a high level right now and it appears there's no end in sight.

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NFL Football Pick: Take Panthers.

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atlanta falcons - bank of america stadium - cam newton - carolina panthers - dallas cowboys - houston texans - josh freeman - legarrette blount - mike williams - new orleans saints

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