NFL teams
Associated Press 8y

Buccaneers-Panthers Capsule

NFL, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings

TAMPA BAY (6-9) at CAROLINA (14-1)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox

OPENING LINE -- Panthers by 10 1/2

RECORD VS. SPREAD -- Tampa Bay 7-8, Carolina 10-5

SERIES RECORD -- Panthers lead series 19-11

LAST MEETING -- Panthers beat Buccaneers 37-23, Oct. 4, 2015

LAST WEEK -- Buccaneers lost to Bears 26-21; Panthers lost to Falcons 20-13

AP PRO32 RANKING -- Buccaneers No. 24, Panthers No. 2

BUCCANEERS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (7), RUSH (4), PASS (20).

BUCCANEERS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (9), RUSH (10), PASS (t-17).

PANTHERS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (10), RUSH (2), PASS (25).

PANTHERS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (4), RUSH (5), PASS (6).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES -- Tampa Bay has lost five straight games to Carolina. ... Buccaneers have not been to playoffs since 2007 and not won playoff game since Super Bowl victory in 2002. ... QB Jameis Winston is one of three rookies in NFL history with 3,500 yards passing, 20 or more TDs passing and five or more TDs rushing. ... Winston needs 283 yards passing to become third rookie with 4,000 yards passing. ... RB Doug Martin ranks second to Adrian Peterson in NFL with 1,354 yards rushing. He has seven TDs rushing in past 12 games. ... WR Mike Evans has career-high 70 catches and 1,107 yards receiving. ... WR Vincent Jackson had 10 catches for 147 yards and touchdown in last meeting vs. Carolina, but was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday. ... LB Lavonte David has three interceptions in last six games, including one for TD. ... Panthers had 18-game regular-season win streak snapped with loss to Falcons. ... QB Cam Newton has passed and rushed for touchdown 30 times in same game, one shy of NFL record held by Steve Young. ... Panthers have rushed for at least 100 yards in 26 straight games, longest streak in NFL. Next longest is Tampa Bay with six. ... Kawann Short has 11 sacks, most ever by Carolina defensive tackle. ... Coach Ron Rivera is 18-4 in December since 2011, tied for best mark in NFL with Seattle's Pete Carroll. ... Panthers have third-highest red zone touchdown percentage at 66.1. ... Panthers had scored 27 or more points in 12 straight games before being held to 13 by Atlanta last week. ... RB Jonathan Stewart needs 11 yards to pass 1,000 for the season, but playing status is uncertain due to foot injury. ... RB Cameron Artis-Payne will make first career start if Stewart can't play. ... Fantasy Tip: Panthers WR Ted Ginn Jr. has been points machine down stretch of season, but is battling knee and hamstring injuries that may hamper production.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL

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