The Buccaneers and Panthers will be playing for first place in the NFC South as both teams are 2-1 this season.  The Bucs have been outstanding the last two weeks outscoring their opponents 55-17!  The Panthers have lost there only home game this season 34-21 to the Texans.

The Bucs have evolved into a power running offense.  They might find the going tough against the Panthers defense which is only allowing 95.3 yards rushing per game and 3.8 yards per carry.  But, the Bucs will pound away with Cadillac Williams (167 yards), Michael Pittman (80 yards) and Ernest Graham (88 yards) to set up the play action passing game.  The Panthers pass defense has allowed 246.7 yards passing per game and they only have 2 sacks and 0 interceptions so far this season.  The Panthers must know where Joey Galloway is at all times as he has already caught 13 passes for 249 yards (19.2 avg) with 2 TD grabs.

With the Panthers likely starting David Carr this week they will probably try to run a little more than they pass the ball on Sunday.  The Bucs have had issues stopping the run this season as they are allowing 124.7 yards rushing per game and 4.0 ypc.  With that in mind expect a heavy dose of DeShaun Foster (238 yards rushing, 5.2 ypc) and DeAngelo Williams (140 yards rushing, 4.1 ypc).  Linebackers Barrett Ruud, Cato June and Derrick Brooks must be kept clean by the defensive line in order to make plays in the running game.  Don’t think that the Panthers will abandon their much improved passing game this season as Steve Smith (16 rec, 281 yards, 4 TDs) is still one of the most dynamic receivers in all of football.  Also, TE Jeff King (13 rec, 130 yards, TD) has turned into a reliable mid range receiver for the Panthers so the safeties must be prepared to stop him.  The secret weapons of the Panthers this week will be WRs Drew Carter and Keary Colbert who will most definately be single covered by the Bucs.

PREDICTION:  The Panthers will be happy they signed David Carr after they win this football game.  Look for DE Julius Peppers to make at least one game altering play on defense for the Panthers that turns the game in their direction.

The Buccaneers have lost rookie safety Sabby Piscitelli for the remainder of the season with a fractured foot that he injured in the game against the Rams.  Piscitelli finishes his rookie season with 3 tackles.  This could hurt the special teams and the depth in the defensive backfield for the Bucs.

The Bucs punished the Rams yesterday!  Jeff Garcia was efficient as he completed 14 of 22 passes for 151 yards.  Cadillac Williams carried the ball 12 times for 46 yards (3.8 ypc) with 1 TD run before he had to leave the game with injured ribs.  Michael Pittman also had a very good game with 7 carries for 56 yards (8.0 ypc) and he also caught 3 passes for 35 yards (11.7 avg).  But the star of the offense was little used RB Ernest Graham.  Graham carried the ball 8 times for 75 yards (9.4 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  The runs were 8 and 28 yarders that sealed the victory.  WR Joey Galloway led receivers with 4 catches for 42 yards (10.5 avg).  Reserve WR Mark Jones set the Bucs up with outstanding field position on two important drives as he returned a kickoff 36 yards and a punt 35 yards.

The defense was outstanding yesterday for the Bucs.  Linebacker Barrett Ruud had another outstanding game with 11 tackles and an interception.  Safety Jermaine Phillips (7 tackles, interception) and CB Phillip Buchanon (4 tackles, interception) both were very active against the passing game of the Rams.  The Rams finished up with 136 yards rushing on 34 carries (4.0 ypc) and the Rams completed 17 of 26 passes for 109 yards.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=270923027

Look for this game to be one of the most entertaining games of the day on Sunday.  Neither team has much of a defense which could make this game a shootout.  The Rams will likely come out throwing against a Bucs defense that is allowing 224.0 yards passing per game this season.  Marc Bulger will likely use all of the weapons at his disposal in this football game as Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Randy McMichael and Drew Bennett will be attacking the Bucs’ defensive backs.  That’s not all as RB Steven Jackson (118 yards rushing, 3.0 ypc) should find running room against a Bucs defense that is allowing 119.0 yards rushing per game and 4.0 ypc.

The Bucs will likely try to run the football first and then run some play action throwing the ball deep to Joey Galloway against the injury depleted secondary of the Rams.  Cadillac Williams (121 yards rushing, 3.4 ypc, 2 TDs) will likely be the main man in the running game against a Rams defense that is allowing 137.5 yards rushing per game and 4.2 yards per carry.  WR Joey Galloway is a huge mis-match against anyone in the Rams secondary so it’s possible that they will attempt to double team him.  That still might not matter as Galloway (9 rec, 207 yards, 2 TDs) is playing like he still is in his 20’s.  WR Ike Hilliard and TE Alex Smith will also be targeted often in the passing game by Jeff Garcia.

PREDICTION:  This game is a tossup.  I think the game will be high scoring and I have a hunch that the Rams will pull it out by a field goal.  Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bucs made it two wins in a row.

 

Forget all the talk in the off season about Jake Plummer and Chris Simms winning the starting job at QB for the Bucs as Garcia is better than either of them.  Garcia has played well despite not having a lot of good skilled players around him on the field.  He has completed 29 of 43 passes (67.4%) for 444 yards with 2 TD passes and 0 interceptions (116.8 QB Rating).  Look for the Bucs to be a much better team than anyone expected them to be as long as Garcia stays healthy and produces the way he has been already this season.