Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 10 Things We Think We Learned From the Debacle Against Carolina

SBNation Tampa Bay looks at the things we think we learned from the 38-19 spanking of the Bucs by the Carolina Panthers.

Kellen Winslow Week 13 Fantasy Update: Tampa Tight End Has Quiet Four Catches Against Carolina

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2011 season continued to spiral downward on Sunday with an embarrassing 38-19 home loss to the Carolina Panthers. With quarterback Josh Freeman inactive with a shoulder injury, it was expected that the passing game would take a hit on Sunday with Josh Johnson manning the ship.

Kellen Winslow was coming off two of his more productive games of the season against Tennessee and Green Bay, but the Bucs tight end had a quieter day on Sunday. Winslow finished with four catches for 41 yards and no touchdowns. Winslow was targeted just 5 times by Johnson, who finished the day with only 16 completions against one of the league's worst defenses.

For more on the Panthers head over to Cat Scratch Reader. For more on the Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. Follow the rest of Week 13 at SB Nation NFL.

For more fantasy football coverage, advice, and analysis, please visit SB Nation Fantasy, and follow on Twitter @SBNationFantasy.

LeGarrette Blount Week 13 Fantasy Update: Buccaneers Running Back Shut Down By Panthers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were blown out at home on Sunday by the Carolina Panthers, and LeGarrete Blount had his least productive day of the season. Coming off two of his biggest games of the year and facing one the the league's worst ranked rushing defenses, it was expected that Blount would continue his late season streak of fantasy productivity.

Instead, the Bucs running back finished with just 19 yards on 11 carries. He averaged just 1.7 yards per carry against the Panthers and needless to say, did not  find the end zone. It was a frustrating day for Blount, his fantasy owners, and Bucs fans everywhere.

For more on the Panthers head over to Cat Scratch Reader. For more on the Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. Follow the rest of Week 13 at SB Nation NFL.

For more fantasy football coverage, advice, and analysis, please visit SB Nation Fantasy, and follow on Twitter @SBNationFantasy.

Buccaneers Vs. Panthers: Cam Newton Scores Three Touchdowns As Tampa Bay Loses Its Sixth In A Row

Buccaneers Vs. Panthers Score Update: Carolina Blowing Out Tampa Bay In The Second Half

The Buccaneers entered Sunday against last place Carolina looking to end a five game losing streak, but so far they are getting torched by Cam Newton and the rout is on in the fourth quarter. The day started poorly when quarterback Josh Freeman was ruled out, but it's unlikely Freeman would have made much of a difference so far today, with Carolina leading 38-12 in the fourth quarter.

Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton has broken the all time single season rushing touchdown record in the second half, converting his third of the day and 13th of the season. Newton has taken it in from the one yard line all three times. He also has 200 yards passing in the air, as dominates the Tampa defense in an embarrassing home loss.

On offense, Tampa has been held scoreless in the second half, as Josh Johnson and LeGarrette Blount struggle to get anything going against what was the 28th ranked rushing defense.

For more on the Panthers head over to Cat Scratch Reader. For more on the Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. Follow the rest of Week 13 at SB Nation NFL.

Buccaneers Vs. Panthers Score Update: Tampa Trails Carolina, 24-12, At Half

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers hung 24 points on the Tampa Bay defense in the first half, as the Bucs put forth a discouraging first half effort. Trying to end a five game losing streak with quarterback Josh Freeman out is difficult enough, but the defense has provided little resistance for Newton.

Newton is 7 for 13 for 125 yards through the first thirty minutes. Newton hit Legedu Naanee for a 19 yard touchdown in the second quarter. The play was set up by the Panthers rookie sensation scrambling for 22 yards on third and eight inside Tampa territory.

As for the Bucs' offense, Josh Johnson and LeGarrette Blount have yet to find the end zone. After two big weeks in a row, today Blount has only nine yards rushing on eight carries. Connor Barth has hit four field goals to keep it from being a rout.

For more on the Panthers head over to Cat Scratch Reader. For more on the Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. Follow the rest of Week 13 at SB Nation NFL.

Buccaneers Vs. Panthers Score Update: Carolina Takes 14-3 Lead After First Quarter

Panthers Vs. Buccaneers Injury Report, Week 13: Josh Freeman Inactive For Tampa Bay

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the Carolina Panthers Sunday afternoon without their starting quarterback. Tampa is looking to avoid their sixth straight loss when they welcome Cam Newton and the Panthers to Raymond James Stadium. The full list of Buccaneers inactives, via the teams twitter feed:

Here are the Panthers list of inactives, also from the team's official twitter feed:

For more on the Panthers head over to Cat Scratch Reader. For more on the Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. Follow the rest of Week 13 at SB Nation NFL.

LeGarrette Blount Fantasy Projection: With Josh Freeman Out, Expect Big Things From Tampa Bay RB

With the surprising news this morning that Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman will miss Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers, running back LeGarrette Blount will be looked to even more than usual to provide offense for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is looking to avoid a sixth straight loss, and stay out of the cellar in the NFC South.

The fantasy football projection site numberFire ranks Blount as the sixth best option at running back this weekend. The Tampa Bay RB's projected stats: 19.57 car, 87.27 yds, 2.08 rec for 16.26 yds, 0.68 TDs for 14.42 points.

For the season, Blount has rushed 138 times for 644 yards and four touchdowns. In his only other matchup with the Panthers, Blount rushed for 91 yards on 19 carries, scoring a touchdown.

For more on the Panthers head over to Cat Scratch Reader. For more on the Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. Follow the rest of Week 13 at SB Nation NFL.

Buccaneers Injury Report, Week 13: Josh Freeman Will Not Start, According To Report

Forget the earlier lukewarm fantasy advice. Bench Josh Freeman. Now. The Tampa Bay quarterback will not start today, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter:

Freeman has an injured thumb, first hurt in a loss to the Chicago Bears and perhaps re-aggravated at the gun range in the team's bye week.

For more on the Panthers head over to Cat Scratch Reader. For more on the Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. Follow the rest of Week 13 at SB Nation NFL.

Josh Freeman Fantasy Projection: Tampa Quarterback Looks To Outshine Rookie Cam Newton

Quarterback Josh Freeman and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7) look to keep the Carolina Panthers (3-8) in the NFC South cellar when they face off Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium.

The fantasy football projection site numberFire ranks Freeman as just the 16th best option at quarterback this weekend. The Tampa Bay QB's projected stats: 20.58/32.72, 233.68 yds, 1.22 TDs, 1.00 INTs for 14.14 points.

Freeman has thrown for 2,715 yards and 12 touchdowns this season, while also tossing 16 picks. He struggled in last weekend's23-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans, throwing one interception and also losing a fumble. Freeman has thrown six fourth quarter interceptions this year. His thumb injury, either the sprain he suffered in a loss to the Chicago Bears or the cut he suffered shooting guns, has certainly hampered the Tampa quarterback's season.

For more on the Panthers head over to Cat Scratch Reader. For more on the Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. Follow the rest of Week 13 at SB Nation NFL.

Panthers Vs. Buccaneers: Time, TV Schedule, Radio Streaming And More

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7) will be looking to avoid a sixth straight loss when they welcome the Carolina Panthers (3-8) to Raymond James Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Panthers Injury Report, Week 13: Carolina Thin At LB Heading Into Matchup With Reeling Buccaneers

The bad news is that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost five consecutive games to fall to 4-7, and are now on the brink of elimination in the NFC South and three games back of Detroit, Chicago and Atlanta in the wild card standings. The good news is that since 2004, at least one team with a losing record through 11 games has gone on to qualify for the playoffs. Could the Buccaneers keep that streak alive? Probably not, but they can keep hope alive for at least another week by taking care of the 3-8 Carolina Panthers this coming Sunday.

The Panthers, who the Bucs have yet to play this season, are in fairly good shape on the injury front however heading into Week 13. Here's the final end-of-week report for Carolina.

If there ever were a week for the Bucs to get back to basics with the running game, it would be this week. Carolina is allowing 137.5 yards per game on the ground, the 28th worst mark in the league. And as you can see, they're thin at linebacker with Jason Phillips scratched and Omar Gaither's status up in the air with an ailing knee. 

For more on the Buccaneers, visit Bucs Nation. For all things Panthers, head on over to Cat Scratch Reader.

Week 13 NFL Lines And Odds: Buccaneers Vs. Panthers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host division rival Carolina this weekend, looking to stop a five game slide. Coming into the year, it would have been hard to believe that the Panthers would be near equals with the Bucs, but according to our partners at OddsShark, that seems to be the case.

Carolina broke a 12-game road losing skid last week and look for two in a row as they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 13 NFL betting.While the road pattern works against them, so does the role as underdog. The Panthers have lost 15 in a row SU as underdog and they 2-8 ATS past 10 as a road underdog.Not that Tampa has been a money machine as a home favorite. In their past 13 home games in December, they are a pitiful 2-11 ATS and 3-10 SU. Of note, the OVER is 7-1 past 8 meetings between the Bucs and Panthers at Tampa Bay.

And here are the complete odds via the SB Nation Odds Page, powered by OddsShark.

For more news, discussion, and analysis on the Buccaneers, visit SB Nation's Bucs blog, BucsNation. For more on the Panthers, visit Cat Scratch Reader.

Josh Freeman Injury Update: Tampa Bay Buccaneers List QB As Day-To-Day

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have listed starting quarterback Josh Freeman as day-to-day due to a right shoulder injury, said coach Raheem Morris. The three-year veteran did not throw in Wednesday's practice--but did make handoffs--as a precaution, according to Rick Stroud of the St. Pete Times. "Morris said Freeman probably could have thrown the football Wednesday," Stroud writes, "but trainers felt it was best to give him a day off."

Tampa Bay hosts the Carolina Panthers this Sunday, Dec. 4. The Bucs will determine Freeman's status for that game based on his performance Thursday and Friday in practice. "If he can go out there and execute the gameplan and give us the best chance to win, then he'll play," Morris said, according to Stroud. "He's just got to go out there and practice."

Josh Johnson took first-team reps at quarterback during Wednesday's practice. As Freeman's backup, Johnson has completed 2-of-7 passes for 14 yards in 2011.

Freeman injured himself trying to make a quarterback sneak on a fourth-and-one play in the Bucs' loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. He fumbled the snap and got tackled, prompting the injury.

For more on the Bucs, please visit Bucs Nation, SB Nation's Bucs blog.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Injury Report, Week 13: Josh Freeman Does Not Throw During Wednesday Practice

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman injured his throwing shoulder during his team's 23-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, reports J.B. Long of Bright House Sports Network, and did not throw during Wednesday's practice. Coach Raheem Morris says the team will list Freeman as day-to-day, and did not elaborate on his status for Sunday's meeting with the Carolina Panthers.

Freeman completed 18-of-33 passes against Tennessee for 199 yards, adding a touchdown and an interception, continuing a disappointing third season for the signal-caller. Though completing a career-best 61.8 percent of his passes, Freeman has thrown 12 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, as compared to 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2010. At 4-7, his Bucs are No. 3 in the NFC South, decidedly on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.

Elsewhere in Bucs injury news, defensive tackle Brian Price arrived at the team's practice facility wearing a walking boot, according to Stephen Holder of the St. Pete Times. Price sprained his ankle against Tennessee and needed to be carted off the field. His status for Sunday's game is unknown.

For more Bucs coverage, please visit Bucs Nation, SB Nation's Bucs blog.

Josh Freeman Injury Update: Thumb Cut At Shooting Range, 'Merely Cosmetic' Injury

When Josh Freeman hurt his thumb during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' game against the Chicago Bears in London, the initial reports listed it as a sprain. It wasn't bad enough to cause Freeman to miss any practices or games, but it was bad enough to cause discomfort and to require him to wear a wrap on his hand.

But after spraining his thumb, Freeman apparently suffered another injury to his throwing hand. From the St. Petersburg Times:

Freeman needed five stitches in his right thumb when a gun he was firing at a shooting range recoiled Oct. 31, the Bucs confirmed Tuesday.

"Yes, there was a sprain," Freeman said in a text message to the St. Petersburg Times on Tuesday. "The sprain was the worst part. The cut was just cosmetic."

During a press conference at noon on Tuesday, Freeman confirmed that he cut his hand at a shooting range and that the injury was minor. He grew up shooting guns with his father and he owns a few himself, but after speaking with GM Mark Dominik, he's decided he didn't display the best judgment in going to the shooting range so soon after spraining his thumb. He doesn't plan to shoot guns during the season in the future.

Many people will want to draw a link between the injury and Freeman's poor play recently -- he has thrown five touchdowns and six interceptions since sustaining the injury -- but it's impossible to say how much it's effected his play. Freeman claims the cut was merely cosmetic, and that neither it or his sprained thumb has affected his play in the least. Considering that Freeman hasn't missed any practices since sustaining his thumb sprain, it seems likely that he's telling the truth.

It's tempting to want to explain away Freeman's struggles with a handy (no pun intended, sorry) injury excuse, but it seems more likely that he's simply slumping. His receivers have the most dropped passes of any team in the league, and Freeman has likely tried to force too many throws. He's not as bad as he has played recently, so Bucs fans need to remain patient...as difficult as that can be.

Buccaneers Vs. Panthers: Tampa Bay Looking To End Five Game Losing Streak Against Panthers

The Buccaneers host dynamic rookie Cam Newton and the last place Panthers in Week 13.