News / Sports
Monday Night Football: Carolina Panthers 24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
MNF: Carolina vs. Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay (2-7) seemed to do everything they could to make sure they would lose their Monday night game against the Carolina Panthers (5-4). After turning the ball over four times their mission was completed, losing 24-10.
The Buccaneers got on the board with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter when Bruce Gradkowski hit Ike Hilliard on a 6-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead. Carolina couldn’t manage any offense in the first half but Tampa’s failure to hold onto the ball kept Carolina alive.
Gradkowski was intercepted on Tampa’s last two drives in the first half and went into halftime with a 7-0 advantage.
Carolina came out in the second half and got a field goal from John Kasay to cut their deficit to four, 7-3. On Tampa’s first drive of the third quarter Gradkowski turned the ball over for the third consecutive possession, this time a fumble. Carolina took advantage of the gift and scored on a Jake Delhomme 4-yard touchdown pass to Keyshawn Johnson.
The Panthers recovered their fourth turnover after the Bucs Carnell Williams fumbled on his own 14-yard line. From there the Panthers scored on a 5-yard run from Brad Hoover. The 17 points put on the board in the third quarter effectively buried the Buccaneers.
Jake Delhomme finished with 240 passing yards and two touchdown passes for Carolina. He connected with Steve Smith on a 36-yard touchdown pass mid-way through the fourth quarter to push their lead to 24-10.
Steve Smith finished with eight receptions for 149 yards.
