Prediction: Panthers 17, Buccaneers 16
by Mike Krueger | Follow @FF_Today
Player Rankings and Projections
|
| Carolina Panthers |
| Rank |
Player |
Projections |
| QB 11 |
Cam Newton   |
Pass: 200, 1 TD Rush: 40, 1 |
| RB 29 |
DeAngelo Williams |
Rush: 50, 0 TD Rec: 3-20, 0 |
| RB 39 |
Jonathan Stewart |
Rush: 30, 0 TD Rec: 1-10, 0 |
| RB 63 |
Mike Tolbert |
Rush: 10, 0 TD Rec: 1-10, 0 |
| WR 50 |
Kelvin Benjamin |
Rec: 3-50, 0 TD |
| WR 69 |
Jerricho Cotchery |
Rec: 2-30, 0 TD |
| WR 79 |
Jason Avant |
Rec: 2-30, 0 TD |
| TE 7 |
Greg Olsen |
Rec: 5-50, 1 TD |
| K 29 |
Graham Gano |
FG: 1/1 XP: 2/2 |
| DEF 3 |
Defense / ST |
|
|
|
|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Rank |
Player |
Projections |
| QB 29 |
Josh McCown |
Pass: 210, 1 TD Rush: 10, 0 |
| RB 18 |
Doug Martin |
Rush: 80, 0 TD Rec: 3-20, 0 |
| RB 70 |
Bobby Rainey |
Rush: 20, 0 TD Rec: 0-0, 0 |
| WR 13 |
Vincent Jackson |
Rec: 6-80, 1 TD |
| WR 55 |
Mike Evans |
Rec: 4-50, 0 TD |
| TE 29 |
Brandon Myers |
Rec: 3-30, 0 TD |
| TE 42 |
Austin Seferian-Jenkins |
Rec: 1-10, 0 TD |
| DEF 9 |
Defense / ST |
|
|
|
Game Notes
 Panthers Won NFC South last year & tied team record with 12 wins... Pro Bowl QB Cam Newton is only player with 50+ pass (64) & 25+ rush (28) TDs in 1st 3 seasons. His 11,299 pass yards are 3rd most in 1st 3 seasons & his 2,032 rush yards are most by QB in 1st 3 years... RB DeAngelo Williams is franchise leader in rush att. (1,370), yards (6,627) & TDs (46). Had 1,176 scrimmage yards, his 3rd season with 1,000+ scrimmage yards. Pro Bowl FB Mike Tolbert led team with 7 TDs (5 rush, 2 rec.)... TE Greg Olsen led team with 6 rec. TDs & is only active TE with 5+ rec. TDs in every season since 2008... Club was 2nd in NFL in points allowed (241), total defense (301.3) & rush defense (86.9) in 2013. Pro Bowl LB Luke Kuechly was 2013 Defensive Player of Year. Kuechly (156 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 INTs) & LB Thomas Davis (123 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 INTs) were only LB teammates last year with 120+ tackles, 2+ sacks & 2+ INTs. Pro Bowl DE Greg Hardy tied club record with 15 sacks last year.
 Buccaneers New head coach LOVIE SMITH was 81-63 (.563) in Chi. with 3 division titles, 2 NFC Champ Games & berth in SB XLI... QB Josh McCown makes 1st start with TB. Last year with Chi., played in 8 games (5 starts) & had career-best 109 rating with 13 TDs vs. 1 INT. His .045 INT pct. (1 INT, 224 att.) is 2nd best mark in NFL history... In 2 games vs. Car., RB Doug Martin has 233 rush yards (116.5 per game) & 279 scrimmage yards (139.5 per game)... WR Vincent Jackson had career-best 78 catches for 1,224 yards last year. Has 1,000+ rec. yards in each of past 3 seasons & 5 of past 6 years. Among active players (min. 200 catches), has NFL-best 17.4 rec. avg. (422 catches, 7,362 yards)... LB Lavonte David was only player in NFL last year with 100+ tackles (144), 5+ sacks (7) & 5+ INTs (5). In past decade, David & BRIAN URLACHER (2007) are only 2 in NFL to accomplish feat. Pro Bowl DT Gerald McCoy had 7.5 sacks in final 8 games. Had career-high 9.5 sacks in 2013. S Mark Barron had 88 tackles, 2 INTs & 2 sacks last year, 1 of 2 S in NFL to accomplish.
Results and Schedule
| Carolina Panthers |
| Week |
Date |
Opp |
H/A |
Score |
Dif |
| 1 |
2014-09-07 |
TB |
A |
|
|
| 2 |
2014-09-14 |
DET |
H |
|
|
| 3 |
2014-09-21 |
PIT |
H |
|
|
| 4 |
2014-09-28 |
BAL |
A |
|
|
| 5 |
2014-10-05 |
CHI |
H |
|
|
| 6 |
2014-10-12 |
CIN |
A |
|
|
| 7 |
2014-10-19 |
GB |
A |
|
|
| 8 |
2014-10-26 |
SEA |
H |
|
|
| 9 |
2014-10-30 |
NO |
H |
|
|
| 10 |
2014-11-10 |
PHI |
A |
|
|
| 11 |
2014-11-16 |
ATL |
H |
|
|
| 12 |
|
Bye |
|
|
|
| 13 |
2014-11-30 |
MIN |
A |
|
|
| 14 |
2014-12-07 |
NO |
A |
|
|
| 15 |
2014-12-14 |
TB |
H |
|
|
| 16 |
2014-12-21 |
CLE |
H |
|
|
| 17 |
2014-12-28 |
ATL |
A |
|
|
|
|
|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Week |
Date |
Opp |
H/A |
Score |
Dif |
| 1 |
2014-09-07 |
CAR |
H |
|
|
| 2 |
2014-09-14 |
STL |
H |
|
|
| 3 |
2014-09-18 |
ATL |
A |
|
|
| 4 |
2014-09-28 |
PIT |
A |
|
|
| 5 |
2014-10-05 |
NO |
A |
|
|
| 6 |
2014-10-12 |
BAL |
H |
|
|
| 7 |
|
Bye |
|
|
|
| 8 |
2014-10-26 |
MIN |
H |
|
|
| 9 |
2014-11-02 |
CLE |
A |
|
|
| 10 |
2014-11-09 |
ATL |
H |
|
|
| 11 |
2014-11-16 |
WAS |
A |
|
|
| 12 |
2014-11-23 |
CHI |
A |
|
|
| 13 |
2014-11-30 |
CIN |
H |
|
|
| 14 |
2014-12-07 |
DET |
A |
|
|
| 15 |
2014-12-14 |
CAR |
A |
|
|
| 16 |
2014-12-21 |
GB |
H |
|
|
| 17 |
2014-12-28 |
NO |
H |
|
|
|
|
Offense Stats Comparison
| |
CAR
Offense |
TB
Offense |
NFL
Avg. |
Adv. |
| Points for |
21.3 |
17.0 |
23.4 |
CAR |
| Rushing yards |
132.3 |
59.8 |
116.8 |
CAR |
| Rushing yards per attempt |
4.57 |
3.20 |
4.26 |
CAR |
| Completion % |
59.2% |
55.0% |
61.2% |
CAR |
| Passing yards |
177.5 |
150.5 |
228.9 |
CAR |
| Passing yards per completion |
10.52 |
9.66 |
10.71 |
CAR |
| Passing yards per attempt |
6.23 |
5.31 |
6.56 |
CAR |
| Interceptions |
0.8 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
- |
| Fumbles lost |
0.0 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
CAR |
| Sacks allowed |
2.3 |
3.8 |
2.4 |
CAR |
| 3rd down conversions |
36.3% |
22.4% |
38.3% |
CAR |
| 4th down conversions |
83.3% |
25.0% |
50.5% |
CAR |
| Time of possession |
30:13 |
25:59 |
30:22 |
CAR |
|
|
|
Defense Stats Comparison
| |
CAR
Defense |
TB
Defense |
NFL
Avg. |
Adv. |
| Points against |
17.3 |
26.0 |
23.4 |
CAR |
| Rushing yards |
84.3 |
123.5 |
116.8 |
CAR |
| Rushing yards per attempt |
4.14 |
3.96 |
4.26 |
TB |
| Completion % |
66.5% |
64.4% |
61.2% |
TB |
| Passing yards |
222.5 |
221.5 |
228.9 |
TB |
| Passing yards per completion |
9.20 |
11.60 |
10.71 |
CAR |
| Passing yards per attempt |
6.12 |
7.46 |
6.56 |
CAR |
| INT return |
1.0 |
1.5 |
1.0 |
TB |
| Fumble recoveries |
0.0 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
TB |
| Sacks |
4.5 |
1.5 |
2.4 |
CAR |
| 3rd down conversions |
36.8% |
40.7% |
38.3% |
CAR |
| 4th down conversions |
33.3% |
71.4% |
50.5% |
CAR |
| Time of possession |
29:47 |
34:01 |
30:22 |
CAR |
|
|
Special Teams Stats Comparison
| |
CAR |
TB |
NFL
Avg. |
Adv. |
| Yards per punt return |
13.7 |
9.8 |
9.5 |
CAR |
| Yards per kick return |
22.3 |
23.4 |
23.1 |
TB |
| Yards allowed per punt return |
8.9 |
9.9 |
9.5 |
CAR |
| Yards allowed per kick return |
21.4 |
17.3 |
23.1 |
TB |
|
|
|
Misc Stats Comparison
| |
CAR |
TB |
NFL
Avg. |
Adv. |
| Penalties |
4.5 |
6.0 |
5.9 |
CAR |
| Penalty yards |
38.8 |
51.3 |
50.2 |
CAR |
|
|
Note: Team statistics are shown as the average per game
through Weeks 12 to 17 of the 2013 season after deducting the best
and worst value from the data set. The exception is yards per rush attempt, completion %, yards per
pass completion, yards per pass attempt, 3rd and 4th down conversions, special teams and the NFL averages, which are each calculated based on
totals through Weeks 12 to 17 with no adjustment.
Weather
Team vs. Team History
| Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Season |
Week |
Date |
Vis |
Home |
Score |
Winner |
| 2002 |
8 |
2002-10-27 |
TB |
CAR |
12-9 |
TB |
| 2002 |
11 |
2002-11-17 |
CAR |
TB |
10-23 |
TB |
| 2003 |
2 |
2003-09-14 |
CAR |
TB |
12-9 |
CAR |
| 2003 |
10 |
2003-11-09 |
TB |
CAR |
24-27 |
CAR |
| 2004 |
12 |
2004-11-28 |
TB |
CAR |
14-21 |
CAR |
| 2004 |
16 |
2004-12-26 |
CAR |
TB |
37-20 |
CAR |
| 2005 |
9 |
2005-11-06 |
CAR |
TB |
34-14 |
CAR |
| 2005 |
14 |
2005-12-11 |
TB |
CAR |
20-10 |
TB |
| 2006 |
3 |
2006-09-24 |
CAR |
TB |
26-24 |
CAR |
| 2006 |
10 |
2006-11-13 |
TB |
CAR |
10-24 |
CAR |
| 2007 |
4 |
2007-09-30 |
TB |
CAR |
20-7 |
TB |
| 2007 |
17 |
2007-12-30 |
CAR |
TB |
31-23 |
CAR |
| 2008 |
6 |
2008-10-12 |
CAR |
TB |
3-27 |
TB |
| 2008 |
14 |
2008-12-08 |
TB |
CAR |
23-38 |
CAR |
| 2009 |
6 |
2009-10-18 |
CAR |
TB |
28-21 |
CAR |
| 2009 |
13 |
2009-12-06 |
TB |
CAR |
6-16 |
CAR |
| 2010 |
2 |
2010-09-19 |
TB |
CAR |
20-7 |
TB |
| 2010 |
10 |
2010-11-14 |
CAR |
TB |
16-31 |
TB |
| 2011 |
13 |
2011-12-04 |
CAR |
TB |
38-19 |
CAR |
| 2011 |
16 |
2011-12-24 |
TB |
CAR |
16-48 |
CAR |
| 2012 |
1 |
2012-09-09 |
CAR |
TB |
10-16 |
TB |
| 2012 |
11 |
2012-11-18 |
TB |
CAR |
27-21 |
TB |
| 2013 |
8 |
2013-10-24 |
CAR |
TB |
31-13 |
CAR |
| 2013 |
13 |
2013-12-01 |
TB |
CAR |
6-27 |
CAR |
|
Note: Only playoff games from the 2004 to 2010 seasons are included in the team vs. team history. Playoff games from seasons prior to 2004 are not currently included in the database.
|
