Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24 Carolina Panthers 26 Sunday 24 September 2006 at Raymond James Stadium
SCORING CAR 14:01-1Q Johnson 31 pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick) CAR 1:31-1Q Kasay FG51 CAR 12:41-2Q Johnson 4 run (Delhomme kick) TB 6:57-2Q Galloway 8 pass from Simms (Bryant kick) CAR 0:50-2Q Kasay FG50 TB 12:46-3Q Williams 4 run (Bryant kick) TB 5:56-3Q Simms 2 run (Bryant kick) CAR 0:36-3Q Kasay FG49 TB 5:01-4Q Bryant FG28 CAR 0:02-4Q Kasay FG46
The game in which Chris Simms nearly died. He suffered a ruptured spleen on a sack and was in intensive care later that evening when the effects of the injury fully manifested itself. He was never the same player again when he tried to return the following season. The Bucs still nearly pulled this one out but a late fieldgoal set up by Jake Delhomme’s 12-yard run on 4th and 7 meant they fell to 0-3 on the season.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Williams 19-48, Alstott 3-12, Pittman 1-3, Simms 2-1 PANTHERS: Foster 20-82, Delhomme 2-12, Hoover 1-4, Johnson 1-4, Williams 4-(-1). PASSING BUCS: Simms 24-12-139-1-1, Gradkowski 1-1-16-0-0. PANTHERS: Delhomme 36-22-272-0-1. RECEIVING BUCS: Smith 4-72, Pittman 2-25, Williams 2-16, Alstott 2-(-3), Hilliard 1-16, Clayton 1-14, Galloway 1-8, Jolley 1-7. PANTHERS: Smith 7-112, Johnson 7-97, Foster 3-7, Hoover 2- 19, Colbert 1-16, Carter 1-14, Gaines 1-7. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: none. PANTHERS: Gamble 1-11. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Pittman 5-103, Graham 0-1. PANTHERS: Williams 3-70, Hoover 1-12. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Barber 1-8, Jones 1-1. PANTHERS: Gamble 4-30. SACKS BUCS: Rice 1-10, White 1-7, Spires 1-6. PANTHERS: Peppers 1-10.
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 69 Davis DE 94 Spires LG 72 Buenning DT 95 Hovan C 76 Wade DT 92 McFarland RG 79 Mahan DE 97 Rice RT 67 Walker LLB 53 Quarles TE 88 Becht MLB 51 Ruud WR 80 Clayton RLB 55 Brooks WR 84 Galloway LCB 21 Bolden RB 40 Alstott RCB 20 Barber RB 24 Williams SS 23 Phillips QB 2 Simms FS 37 Allen PLAYED 3 Bryant, 7 Gradkowski, 9 Bidwell, 19 Hilliard, 27 Cox, 32 Pittman, 33 Sowell, 34 Graham, 39 Pearson, 46 Adams, 48 Economos, 50 Winborn, 52 Cash, 54 Mallard, 65 Trueblood, 74 Green, 77 Terry, 81 Smith, 87 Jolley, 89 Jones, 90 White, 91 Jenkins, 98 Wyms INACTIVES 13 Rattay, 25 Kelly, 29 Zemaitis, 56 Nece, 75 Joseph, 82 Warren, 83 Moore, 85 Stovall
COMMENTARY CREW Matt Vasgerian and JC Pearson
GAME REPORTS Roy Cummings reports from Raymond James Stadium Rick Stroud's analysis of the game The aftermath of Chris Simms' terrible injury Missed tackles continue to plague the defense Jake Delhomme makes the big play when it counts Game notes and anecdotes The game report The gamebook and the play-by-play from the game