Buccaneers (0-5) look for first win of season against slumping Panthers (1-3)

October 18, 11:26 AMTampa Bay Sports ExaminerTed Fleming

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Tampa Bay Sports Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Buccaneers head coach hopes to find an answer for his first win as a head coach.
AP Photo/Reinhold Matay

Date: Sunday, October 18, 2009
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
Site: Raymond James Stadium (65,890)
2009 Records: Tampa Bay 0-5, Carolina 1-3
Network Television: FOX (Ch. 13 in Tampa Bay)
Play-by-Play: Dick Stockton, Analyst: Charles Davis
Bucs Radio: US 103.5, flagship station (103.5 FM, 620 AM)
Play-by-Play: Gene Deckerhoff, Color: Dave Moore, Sideline: T.J. Rives
Last Game: Tampa Bay lost at Philadelphia 33-14; Carolina defeated Washington 20-17
Next Game: Tampa Bay vs. New England (10/25-London); Carolina vs. Buffalo (10/25)

BUCCANEERS INJURY REPORT:
OUT: FB B.J. Askew (back and neck)
PROBABLE: WR Antonio Bryant (knee), C Jeff Faine (triceps), RB earnest Graham (hamstring), DE/DT Kyle Moore (knee), T Donald Penn (ankle), RB Clifton Smith (ankle), TE Jeramy Stevens (quad), DE/DT Jimmy Wilkerson (knee).


INACTIVES:
QB Byron Leftwich
WR Yamon Figures
CB Derrick Roberson
FB B.J. Askew
C Jonathan Compas
T Demar Dotson
DT Dre Moore
DE/DT Kyle Moore

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES:
At fullback, Earnest Graham starts in place of B.J. Askew
At right end, Stylez G. White starts in place of Gaines Adams (traded)


ALL TIME SERIES: This will be the 18th time the Panthers and Buccaneers have faced each other in the regular season with Carolina holding a three win advantage (10-7), however, the two clubs have split the season series in each of the last four seasons. In 2008 the home team won, Tampa Bay taking their end 27-3 while dropping the road half 38-23.

THE BIG A: In last December’s Monday night matchup, Antonio Bryant had the second highest single game receiving mark catching nine passes for a career best 200-yards. Only Mark Carrier (212 in 1987) had more. He was also just one of three players in 2008 to record 200 or more receiving yards (Terrell Owens, 213 and Andre Johnson, 207 were the others). In that game he had three receptions of 35 or longer.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
*** When CB Ronde Barber steps on the field today he will have played in 183 games which ties Paul Gruber (1988-99) for third most in team history.
*** WR Michael Clayton needs 92 more yards to surpass Bruce Hill (2,942 from 1987-91) for eighth on the club’s all-time mark.
*** RB Clifton Smith needs just 16 more kickoff return yards to move past Donny Elder (1,457 from 1988-89) for seventh overall in the Bucs’ record book.
*** RB Carnell Williams will need just one rushing touchdown to tie Rickie Bell (1977-81) for sixth place in team annals.
*** TE Kellen Winslow is just 284-yards from reaching 3,000 in his career.
*** WR Antonio Bryant needs three touchdown catches for to reach 30.

CONNECTIONS:
*** Panthers Wide Receivers coach Richard Williamson served on the Tampa Bay coaching staff from 1987- 91, including as head coach for the last three games of 1990 and the entire 1991 season.
*** Buccaneers Running Backs Coach Steve Logan served as East Carolina University’s Running Backs Coach in 1989, co-offensive coordinator from 1990- 91, and head coach from 1992-2002.
*** Buccaneers DT Ryan Sims grew up in Spartanburg, South Carolina attending Paul M. Dorman High School. He also played collegiately at the University of North Carolina from 1999-2001 with Panthers DE Julius Peppers
*** Buccaneers DE Gaines Adams hails from Greenwood, South Carolina attending Cambridge Academy. He also played collegiately at Clemson University.
*** Buccaneers S Corey Lynch played collegiately at Appalachian State University.
*** Buccaneers WR Brian Clark played collegiately at North Carolina State University.
*** Buccaneers DT Dre Moore was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, attending Independence High School.
*** Panthers second-round pick (43rd overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft DE Everette Brown played collegiately at Florida State University.
*** Panthers G Keydrick Vincent grew up in Lakeland and played at Lake Gibson High School.
*** Panthers Director of Communications Charlie Dayton was the Buccaneers assistant director of public relations during Tampa Bay’s first season in 1976.