The Bucs’ winning stretch hit a speed bump in Charlotte, where the Panthers’ suffocating defense kept its own end zone untouched. The game’s biggest play came on the first snap of the second quarter as Shawn King sacked Trent Dilfer, forced a fumble, recovered the loose ball and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown.

GAME SCORING CAR 1:59-1Q Kasay FG23 CAR 14:54-2Q King 12 fumble return (Kasay kick) CAR 8:02-3Q Griffith 1 run (Kasay kick) CAR 3:10-4Q Johnson 25 run (Kasay kick)

GAME REPORTS Rick Stroud's lead story from Ericsson Stadium Charlotte's wet: to the victors go the spoiled Healthy Harper plays spectator Click here for the gamebook and the play-by-play

STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 74 Gruber DE 72 Ahanotu LG 64 Diaz DT 77 Culpepper C 61 Mayberry DT 99 Sapp RG 62 Beckles DE 73 Upshaw RT 70 Odom LLB 51 Marts TE 81 Harris MLB 56 Nickerson WR 84 Thomas RLB 55 Brooks WR 85 Hawkins LCB 35 Mayhew FB 40 Alstott RCB 21 Abraham RB 32 Rhett SS 47 Lynch QB 12 Dilfer FS 25 Johnson PLAYED 1 Marshall, 5 Husted, 6 Barnhardt, 23 Bouie, 29 Gant, 33 Staten, 37 Ellison, 39 Dimry, 45 Legette, 50 Gooch, 57 Jones, 64 Diaz, 69 Pierson, 75 Curry, 78 Jones, 82 Tate, 83 Moore, 86 Williams, 93 DuBose, 94 White DID NOT PLAY 11 Weldon, 68 Crisman, 80 Harper INACTIVE 13 Milanovich, 22 Mincy, 27 Austin, 41 Brooks, 67 Ingram, 87 Silvan, 90 Maniecki, 97 Jackson

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Rhett 18-68, Ellison 3-9, Alstott 2-1. PANTHERS: Johnson 26-111, Oliver 1-14, Ismail 1-7, Griffith 1-1, Collins 1-(-1). PASSING BUCS: Dilfer 41-23-236-2-0. PANTHERS: Collins 24-14-83-0-0. RECEIVING BUCS: Thomas 6-66, Alstott 5-52, Harris 4-52, Ellison 4-32, Hawkins 2-15, Williams 1-12, Moore 1-7. PANTHERS: Walls 4-32, Carrier 3-31, Johnson 3-2, Green 2-20, Griffith 1-2, Oliver 1-(-4). INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: none. PANTHERS: Davis 1-39, King 1-1. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Marshall 3-53. PANTHERS: Ismail 1-14. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Marshall 3-14. PANTHERS: Oliver 2-18. SACKS BUCS: none. PANTHERS: Cook 1-12, Smith 1-9, Lathon 1-7, Greene 1-2.