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Bucs catching Panthers at right time

Posted Dec 1, 2009 by Ira Kaufman

Updated Dec 1, 2009 at 12:57 PM

By IRA KAUFMAN

TAMPA—We all know what happened the last time the Buccaneers traveled to Charlotte.

It was the beginning of the end.

Carolina ran all over Tampa Bay, triggering a four-game December collapse that left the Bucs outside the playoff picture at 9-7 and prompted the Glazers to dump Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen.

The Panthers overpowered the Bucs again in October, imposing their will down the stretch at Raymond James to drop Tampa Bay to 0-6 and cause first-year head coach Raheem Morris to question his team’s toughness.

When the 1-10 Bucs head to Charlotte this weekend, they will encounter an opponent dealing with their own brand of distress.

Jake Delhomme, who hasn’t been the same quarterback since imploding in an opening-round playoff loss against Arizona, is unlikely to play Sunday and star wide receiver Steve Smith is very frustrated about Carolina’s inability to strike downfield.

Enter 25-year-old Matt Moore, who will try to jump-start the Carolina attack against a Tampa Bay defense that played well in Atlanta. Delhomme took every snap for the Panthers in 2008 and Moore has thrown all of 123 passes at the NFL level, so Morris will try to confuse an inexperienced passer in his new dual role as coach/defensive coordinator.

Carolina’s best defensive player, middle linebacker Jon Beason, figures to be distracted following his arrest Monday on aggravated assault charges.

Coach John Fox and GM Marty Hurney are under scrutiny for a 4-7 start and big changes could be in store for one of the league’s more stable organizations. All in all, the Bucs couldn’t ask for a better time to visit their bitter NFC South rivals.