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Panthers have Tampa Bay’s number
Posted By Ira Kaufman at Oct 07, 2008 at 09:16 AM
Updated Oct 07, 2008 at 09:36 AM

The Panthers consider Raymond James Stadium their second home.

Carolina has won five consecutive games at Tampa heading into Sunday’s early-season showdown and the Bucs need to reverse that trend to avoid falling two games behind the first-place Panthers in the NFC South.

The Panthers (4-1) haven’t lost at Raymond James Stadium since a 23-10 setback during Tampa Bay’s 2002 championship season. QB Jake Delhomme, fully recovered from elbow surgery, boasts a 7-1 career mark against the Bucs, with 13 TD passes and only seven interceptions.

While Delhomme is back to his old form, the Bucs aren’t sure who will line up under center for them Sunday.

Jeff Garcia, benched after a poor Week 1 performance at New Orleans, has a good chance to regain his starting job against the Panthers. Brian Griese is nursing a bruised right elbow and shoulder and Coach Jon Gruden declined to commit to Griese as his starter, even if he is cleared by the medical staff later this week.

It’s only Week 6, but this matchup has some major ramifications.

The Bucs (3-2) can tie for the division lead with a victory but Carolina’s defense has been stellar, yielding an average of only 14 points per game. If the Panthers improve to 5-1, recent NFL history shows it will be difficult to keep Carolina out of the postseason.

In the past five seasons, 25 of the 27 clubs that opened at 5-1 or better advanced to the playoffs, with the 2006 Broncos and the 2003 Vikings the only exceptions.

Although Carolina has won eight of the past 10 matchups in this heated series, Tampa Bay is a slight favorite Sunday afternoon.

Who would give you more confidence heading into the big game—Garcia or Griese?

Send Us Your Comments

Posted by EDDIE, Charlotte, NC on 10/08 at 08:19 AM

PANTHER FAN, I love Charlotte! It’s a beautiful area and I’m truely happy living here! As for the Panthers Fans; I don’t like’em and I KNOW you know what i’m talking about. I go to maybe 3-4 games a year, including when the BUC’S come up! EVERYTIME the stadium is half empty by the 4th quarter! I love football and stay till the end of each game, win , lose or draw! I’m glad to hear that there are REAL FANS in Charlotte like yourself. But again, I know you know what I’m talking about! I hope for a good game as well. GO BUC"S

Posted by Michael Harris, Oldsmar, FL on 10/07 at 09:18 PM

To the title of this article: ‘Panthers have Tampa Bay’s number’,
I just have one thing to say TRUEDAT!!!

Posted by Christopher Thomas, Charlotte NC on 10/07 at 06:28 PM

Let see now the last time the BUCS played the Panthers with the division on the line (1st Place)We beat them! Don’t count the Bucs out. We should Start Garcia, and put pressure on Jake he normally cant handle it… GO BUCS!

Posted by Panther Fan, Charlotte, Charlotte on 10/07 at 05:36 PM

Eddie From Charlotte,
If its sucks so bad here, leave. I’ve missed 2 home games in the Panthers’ short history. I rarely, if ever, leave a game early, I enjoy it too much. I am a true fan, and there are many more just like me. We have great fans here concidering our brief existance. I look forward to a good game against a good Tampa team. These games are always exciting. Good luck to the Bucs, but GO PANTHERS!

Posted by George Leslie Hicks, dallas,texas on 10/07 at 04:52 PM

Well I don’t want to hear that these Panthers have Tampa’s number. First of All start blitzing from start of the game have the rookie from Kansas covering deep. Wear their QB down. Tampa has a better Defense then last year, I still believe that our offensive line can stop Peppers and Company this year. Remember Fans, They played in Mile High Stadium. Denver was used to it. Tampa was not. Besides, I believe that Garcia will be more mobile that Griese. It is his job again. I hope that Bennett will be active again. It time to show Carolina who is the BOss in this division. The next thre games will be on national TV. Carolina, Sunday nite against Seattle, and finally Pay Back at Dallas.

Posted by Joe, Tampa on 10/07 at 04:20 PM

I can’t wait till “Pyshco-Steve” Smith loses it once again and punches his coach out.

Posted by Jim Kinzer, Winfield, WV on 10/07 at 02:59 PM

Without talent at QB and Receivers, this team is not going to defeat very many good teams! This is going to be a long year for the Bucs and their fans! It’s strange that the GM and the Coach are paid such high bucks and neither can produce a winning team????? Just maybe we need to pay them both on commission basis and let their performance dictate their pay! I’ll bet that they would either produce or they would fire themselves! Either way, it would be better for the
Bucs and their fans!

Posted by Jim Kinzer, Winfield, WV on 10/07 at 02:58 PM

Posted by BigBucFan, Sarasota on 10/07 at 02:13 PM

CVal, for once I agree with you. I think your right on the money there. Eddie in NC, I wish we had more fans like you. Go Bucs!!! Go Garcia!!!

Posted by poorlittlepinkus, Merritt Island on 10/07 at 01:47 PM

I agree. Panthers do have our number! And with more STUPID play by Trueblood, it’ll be another loss.
Ok, unfair to lay it all on Trueblood’s feet but he needs to quit jawing and fighting and start blocking!

Posted by charles, kc,mo on 10/07 at 01:26 PM

Has anyone heard anything on Galloway? Is he close to being healthy. Also how is Caddy doing?

Posted by Duane Davis, Sarasota, Fl on 10/07 at 12:30 PM

I don’t know who wrote this news report, but I don’t see one Panther being quoted as saying this is the sotry. Is this the writers own personal observation. I don’t even see any attribution for the writer. Whoever wrote this, please remember the Bucs played almost thier entire second string in last years final game against the Panthers starters. Moron.

Posted by Sam, Short Hills, NJ on 10/07 at 12:13 PM

Gruden is stuck with what he likes, mediocrity. Without a real starter out of 5 QBs, he is now in the situation of answering questions every week like, “Who is starting and who is the #2 QB this week?” The reality is, it makes no difference what the answers are because the starter and backup are of the same quality. One is mobile and gets the ball away, the other is not but still gets the ball away.

Can either QB really beat the Carolina secondary which is giving up only 14 points a game? We will find out this Sunday. If I were a beting man, I would say not, and that this game once again is up to the running attack and the defense getting a couple of turnovers and keeping the score low. We will see if they can do it.

Posted by Sam, Short Hills, NJ on 10/07 at 12:09 PM

Who gets the vote of confidence? Who cares, they are both the same QB. You will get about the same performance out of either of them, capable but not spectacular run of the mill QBing.

The QB’s job on this team is to not lose the game, winning it is almost out of the question. They are effective managers who can occasionally win a game for you (see Chicago Bears). More often than not, both these QBs will misread a play and throw an INT. Griese has seven INTs in three starts, Garcia has two INTs to go along with 2 TDs. These stats do not usually win many games, so the rest of the team has to bail them out.

Posted by Ray, Houston on 10/07 at 11:29 AM

Here is something else to note. Everytime we play these guys we end up suffering a major injury to a player or two. Same thing cannot be said from their end.

Posted by CVal, Nashville on 10/07 at 11:18 AM

Sorry Frank Young, it was the New Orleans ‘Aints that wore bags on their heads and “loses” has one “o”. Loose is the screws rattling in your head. Garcia will start and after his first loss. Griese will be back.

Posted by Frank Young, Ocala, FL on 10/07 at 10:46 AM

I’m a transplant from North Carolina and I know there are fairwather fans. They are here in Florida as well. Your team looses a few games and all you want to do is complain. It is the same everywhere. I have been a Panther Fan from day one!!!! Tampa is an expansion team as well. It wasn’t that many years ago the fans wore bags on their heads.
Should be a good game Sunday.
Panthers: 28
Buc’s: 17

Posted by Eddie, CHARLOTTE,NC on 10/07 at 10:35 AM

Shawn, I have to agree with you on how big of a game this is! Living here in Charlotte is a drag with the Panther’s fans. They suck and really don’t care about the NFL being here and supporting their team. Being from Tampa during ALL those Sorry A*S years..I concider myself and know what TRUE fans are. Now that Carloina has won a few games..here come the fan’s...It’s sickening!
I pull for the Panther’s ONLY if my Buc’s are out of it!! And then it’s bitter sweet. I’m tired of the fan’s here in Charlotte and tired of losing to the Panther’s and having to hear about it from fairweather fans!! LET"S BEAT THE P*SSY CAT’S BUTT’S UP AND DOWN RAY JAY!!! GO BUC’S!!!!

Posted by matt, st pete on 10/07 at 10:23 AM

With this being a home game the Bucs have a shot but it all boils down to who do you trust more with the ball in thier hands.....Delhomme or the two headed monster of Garcia/Griese. For the Bucs you have to ask where is the offense going to come from cause even the head coach cant figure it out.

Posted by shawn, greenville, NC on 10/07 at 09:59 AM

i dont really care about the history of the games at ray jay. but yea this is a HUGE game. i hate carolina, and i live here so that makes it worse. WE NEED THIS GAME! we HAVE to win at all cost. everyone needs to step up especially the starting QB and the defense, and also the returners(jackson!). we must do everything we can this week to make sure we have the W at 4pm on sunday!