The Associated Press
CAROLINA (12-5) at TAMPA BAY (4-12)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
OPENING LINE — Buccaneers by 2
RECORD VS. SPREAD — Carolina 9-8, Tampa Bay 6-10
SERIES RECORD — Panthers lead 16-11
LAST MEETING — Panthers beat Buccaneers 27-6 on Dec. 1, 2013
AP PRO32 RANKING — Panthers No. 15, Buccaneers No. 18
PANTHERS OFFENSE — OVERALL (26), RUSH (11), PASS (29).
PANTHERS DEFENSE — OVERALL (2), RUSH (2), PASS (6).
BUCCANEERS OFFENSE — OVERALL (32), RUSH (22), PASS (32).
BUCCANEERS DEFENSE — OVERALL (17), RUSH (15), PASS (17).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Defending NFC South champion Panthers swept season series between division rivals a year ago, outscoring Buccaneers by combined 58-19. Carolina QB Cam Newton threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third in each meeting. … Panthers have won four of past six games between teams. … Panthers coach Ron Rivera was defensive coordinator in Chicago from 2004-06 while Tampa Bay’s Lovie Smith was coaching Chicago. … Newton is recovering from rib injury, but has said he expects to play. … Panthers led NFL with 60 sacks and ranked second in total defense in 2013. … Bucs will be making debut under Smith, who installed his version of Tampa 2 defensive scheme that Bucs popularized in late 1990s. Smith won three division titles and appeared in two NFC championship games and one Super Bowl in nine seasons leading Bears. … Career backup Josh McCown becomes latest quarterback to try to turn around Tampa Bay. Bucs haven’t made playoffs since 2007 and haven’t won a postseason game since winning Super Bowl following 2002 season. … McCown coming off best season as pro, throwing for 13 TDs vs. one interception while filling in for injured Jay Cutler in Chicago. He takes over an offense that ranked 30th in scoring and last in passing and total offense in 2013.
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