Tampa Bay Buccaneers Strategy and Personnel
by Sports Xchange
PLAYER NOTES
--RB Warrick Dunn had his only 100-yard rushing game of the season against Carolina earlier this year.
--DE Gaines Adams has a hip pointer he suffered against the Saints. He finished the game but will be limited in practice this week. But Adams is expected to play against the Panthers.
--DT Jovan Haye has a knee injury and did not finish the game against the Saints. He will be questionable for Monday night's game against the Panthers.
--TE Alex Smith has an ankle sprain and will be limited in practice this week. He is expected to play against the Panthers.
--WR Joey Galloway has not caught a pass in his past four games and has participated in about five or six snaps per game.
--WR Ike Hilliard has a shoulder injury but will play against the Panthers.
GAME PLAN: In the games the Bucs have won against the Panthers over the years, their defense has shut down the run. That's a tall order considering that DeAngelo Williams has run for 11 scores and is tied for the league-lead with 13 total touchdowns. Rookie Jonathan Stewart has rushed for six touchdowns.
Carolina QB Jake Delhomme has had a lot of success against Tampa Bay. But if you can make the Panthers one-dimensional, Delhomme struggles, like any other quarterback. Delhomme is averaging 1.7 turnovers per game in the Panthers' three losses and only 0.8 turnovers per game in their nine wins. He was intercepted three times in the Bucs' 27-3 win earlier this season.
A big part of the Bucs' success this season has been on special teams, where rookie free agent Clifton Smith has become a dangerous weapon in the past five games. He leads the NFL in punt and kickoff return average with a minimum of 15 returns. Smith is averaging 29.5 yards per kickoff return and 17.6 yards per punt return.
Offensively, the Bucs have struggled of late in the passing game. QB Jeff Garcia is 6-1 as a starter since returning from his benching, but he also has only thrown six touchdowns with one interception during that stretch.
Tampa Bay has been forced to lean on RB Warrick Dunn, 33, with the season-ending injury to Earnest Graham. Dunn will carry the ball 15-20 times per game. The Bucs are starting to get more production from Cadillac Williams, who sustained a torn patellar tendon in his last trip to Carolina 14 months ago.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Panthers WR Steve Smith vs. Bucs CB Ronde Barber -- Smith is an electrifying receiver and puts a lot of pressure on defenses, particularly on the edges. Barber has stepped up his game, with two interceptions, a fumble recovery and numerous passes defensed in the past three games.
Panthers DE Julius Peppers vs. Bucs LT Donald Penn: Peppers is having a monster year, with 11 sacks and five forced fumbles, since moving to right defensive end. Penn is the unsung hero of the offensive line and has stoned some pretty good pass rushers, including Peppers earlier this year.
Bucs LB Barrett Ruud vs. Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams: Williams has rushed for 11 touchdowns, including four last week against Green Bay. Ruud is a tackling machine and the Bucs' chief run stopper.
INJURY IMPACT: DT Jovan Haye (knee) is questionable against the Panthers. That means the Bucs could have to turn to a rotation of Ryan Sims and Jimmy Wilkerson.
--DE Gaines Adams has a hip pointer, but the team believes he will play.
--QB Brian Griese has tendonitis in his right elbow, so Luke McCown will be the backup and Josh Johnson the inactive third QB.
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