Panthers at Tampa Bay (UPDATE: PANTHERS WIN 31-23)

It’s the last game of the season for the struggling Cats, who have suffered from a number of injuries this year, with the biggest one of them all being QB Jake Delhomme’s season-ending elbow injury he suffered against the Falcons back in week three.

For the Panthers, who stand at 6-9, this game is meaningless. At this point, they are just playing for pride against a division rival. Tampa Bay has already clinched the NFC South, and their starters will only see limited time today as Coach Jon “Chucky” Gruden is resting them up for the playoffs.

Game time is 1pm ET and it will be broadcast on Fox.

The more noteworthy story is yesterday’s announced retirement of 44 year-old Panthers QB Vinny Testaverde. Today’s game will be the last of his 21 year history with the NFL. Interestingly enough, Tampa Bay was the first NFL team Testaverde played for. I’m sure I’m not the only Panthers fan wishing him well today.

Rumors are also circulating that the Panthers head coach John Fox is leaving the Panthers to coach the UCLA Bruins. That rumor is untrue, as it was announced yesterday the job was going to Baltimore offensive coordinator Rick Neuheisel. In spite of the Panthers’ dismal past couple of years, owner Jerry Richardson reportedly still has confidence in John Fox and has said he’d like him to return to the Panthers next season.

Stay tuned …

Update: The Panthers played a pretty solid game today, much of it against some of TB’s second stringers, and win 31-23. Vinny took the symbolic last snap to finish out his NFL career.

14 Responses to "Panthers at Tampa Bay (UPDATE: PANTHERS WIN 31-23)"

Lorica says:

December 30, 2007 at 1:55 pm

TOUCHDOWN!!! YAY CATS!!! $\:d/$
Lorica says:

December 30, 2007 at 2:17 pm

Nice Run Back Cats!!
Tango says:

December 30, 2007 at 3:20 pm

GO PANTERS !!!
Sister Toldjah says:

December 30, 2007 at 3:39 pm

They’re playing with some heart today, no doubt
CZ says:

December 30, 2007 at 4:10 pm

Ya’ gotta love a player named “Vinnie”. But I’m watching Da Bears! Who are killing the Aint’s. Who knew? Last year’s NFC finalists just blew this season. Bigtime.
Lorica says:

December 30, 2007 at 4:53 pm

Nice Win Cats. You should be pretty proud Dear.
Dana says:

December 30, 2007 at 6:25 pm

It’s good to see that the Cats had Mr Testaverde take the last snap, though they probably should have let him play a whole series.

You’d think that he’d wind up a quarterbacks coach somewhere.
Mwalimu Daudi says:

December 30, 2007 at 7:18 pm

Meanwhile…

Dallas is well into one of its famous December Dives(TM) and are getting slaughtered by Washington. The current 27-6 score does not indicate just how badly the Pokes are playing. For Cowboy haters, here is a pretty clear-eyed look at just how badly Dallas has played in December the last few years.

Green Bay won – and played their starters only a portion of the game.

My Dallas loyalty aside, there is a reason that Green Bay (and not the Cowboys) will be hosting the NFC Championship game. Dallas is a collection of some of the best players in the NFL – better than Green Bay. But Dallas is not a team – and never will be under Jerry Jones’ inept leadership.

Jones lives under the delusion that putting high-dollars players like T.O. (Team Obliterator) on the field means the Cowboy’s ticket to the Super Bowl is punched. As a result, the salary-cap crunch (and the fact that the Cowboy organization is among the worst in evaluating and developing talent) the Cowboy’s bench is probably the worst in the NFL. Line up Dallas’ starters, and they have an excellent shot at beating New England. Lose just one, and the Pokes are a .500 team.
NC Cop says:

December 30, 2007 at 9:20 pm

MD, I thought Dallas got home field advantage throughout the playoffs? Did that change or did I read it wrong?
Great White Rat says:

December 30, 2007 at 9:32 pm

NC, no, you’re correct. They have home field advantage through the NFC playoffs. But what MD says is true. Over the last few weeks – since they clinched it – they’ve been playing like the 49ers.
NC Cop says:

December 30, 2007 at 10:09 pm

Oh, I see what he’s saying. He’s saying that the way they are playing he expects Green Bay to be in the NFC championship and not the Cowboys.

I know the feeling. I don’t expect the Giants to play in the 2nd round of the playoffs, but who knows. I really shouldn’t complain, the Giants did play a good game, but they could have won. THEY COULD HAVE WON!!!!!
Mwalimu Daudi says:

December 30, 2007 at 10:31 pm

NC Cop:

GWR is right. I listened to the Cowboy postgame show on the radio, and they said that over the last 4 games (including today), the Cowboy’s 3rd down percentage has been around 25%, and never higher that 40%. Today it was 0%, and they had a grand total of 1 (that’s one, uno, moja) yard rushing. I have a sinking feeling that the Cowboys are a one-and-out team this year.

So…for all of you cheeseheads out there, congratulations in advance!
Leslie says:

December 31, 2007 at 11:34 am

NC Cop,

I do expect the Giants to get to the second round. I think, especially after that performance against the Pats, that they can beat Tampa Bay–it might not even be all that close, if (a big if) Manning has a game like he had against the Pats. I believe they’ll go on to play the Packers, while the magical season for the Redskins continue as they edge out Seattle and get to play the Cowboys again. (And isn’t it time the NFL really, really investigated the “crowd noise” problem at Seattle? They must be doing something to amp. the crowd noise out there?)
NC Cop says:

December 31, 2007 at 5:51 pm

I hope you’re right Leslie. Personally if the Giants had beaten the Pats I wouldn’t care what happened in the playoffs, my year would have been made.

The Giants have a way of playing to the level of their opponents. If the team is really bad, they play bad, if it’s good they play good. Hopefully they will beat Tampa Bay and break their streak of three 1st round exits in the last three years!!!

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