The fifth monday night of the season has been a win or go home in my opinion between 2 struggling teams especially due to key injuries like Newton and McCoy along with other starters, their 1-3 record didn't allow them to lose the division game. The Bucs started with the possession of the ball with a precise strategy, don't risk, play conservative and force the Panthers defense to stay on the field longer than they are habituated to be, this let them have an 8 minutes drive ended with an Aguayo 35 yards FG. Nothing happened on both side offensively a part of some very good catches by Olsen until the half of the second quarter when Williams run into Ginn on a punt causing a fumble recovered by Tampa Bay then they continue to their strategy and Rodgers continue to be a vital asset for his offense running so well the ball with his elusiveness but Aguayo continue his season's struggle and mossed another FG, this one from the 33 yards. Anderson seemed to be on the same page with Benjamin in this drive but when he tried to target him for the second time the ball got deflected up in the air where Smith picked it off and gave a great field position to Winston who made a good drive until he had to find some of his receivers where they were covered well by the Panthers special formations ( Dime, Quarter) so Aguayo made his second FG of the night. Carolina's first quarter 9 total yards (all on the ground) improved so much at their last drive of the first half where they drove the ball down field with Olsen and Benjamin who received 4 Anderson's passes to arrive in the Bucs' redzone where Gano missed the FG.
The Panthers got their first lead of the night with their best drive based on screens and passes to the unstoppable Olsen, they came 1 yard away from the end zone own forth down and Rivera decide to go on an heavy I formation running with rookie Artis-Payne and it paid off. The home team continue to rely on Olsen and Benjamin on offense with good results even if their drive got extended by a roughing the kicker penalty they shown a better passing game than the first half, their rookie HB scored his second rushing TD of the night but the Bucs tied it with 2 plays, the first a long play action pass to TE Brate and the other the TD to Mike Evans, a 26 yarder that preceded the 2 point conversion by Humphries on a shallow cross route. Tampa got back the ball and after another balanced drive without risking so much big plays they put their kicker in the position to win the game and this time despite all the FG missed this season he delivered the game winning FG, a 38 yarder that put the Panthers' season in jeopardy.
MVP: Rodgers
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