NFL: Bucs face must-win game in Carolina

The Carolina Panthers (6-2) can place a stranglehold on the division with a victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4).

Tampa Bay is no stranger to games of this magnitude, having engaged in yearly battles with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings for bragging rights in the NFC Central.

"I pretty much don't like any of our opponents. But it's fun," said Bucs Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Brooks.

"I just take it as good competition.

You see a team leading your division, and you've got to go up there and get a game to put ourselves within one game of them. So we're going to get their best shot -- at their place. It's a challenge, and I look forward to stepping up and meeting it."

When the league realigned to create four divisions in each conference prior to last season, the Bucs were thought to have been handed an automatic playoff berth for the first few years. Carolina, Atlanta and New Orleans were supposed to be pushovers still trying to build themselves into a contender.

AT A GLANCE

Bucs (4-4) at Panthers (6-2) When: Today, 1 p.m. Where: Ericcson Stadium, Charlotte, N.C. Radio: AM-1200 and 98.9-FM Television: FOX (live) Key matchup: Bucs offensive line versus the Panthers defensive line. Carolina's front four manhandled Tampa Bay's blockers the first time around on Sept. 14 -- forcing Brad Johnson to throw the ball 61 times and holding the ground game to 60 yards. And that was when the Bucs' O-line was considered stable. Panthers defensive end Mike Rucker leads the NFL with 10 sacks, and linemates Julius Peppers, Kris Jenkins and Brenston Buckner all have the speed and strength to overpower a makeshift line that has Kenyatta Walker back at left tackle and the banged up Cornell Green at right tackle. Johnson, Michael Pittman and company could be in for a long afternoon if those offensive linemen don't play at a higher level. Of note: Behind the strong running of Stephen Davis, Carolina has the second best rushing offense in the NFL and Tampa Bay's run defense is ranked 12th. ... The Bucs still lead the all-time series between the two division rivals, 4-2, but the Panthers have been closing the gap with a 12-9 overtime win in the home opener for Tampa Bay this year and a close loss in Charlotte last year. ... Tampa Bay can set the NFL record for consecutive games with a sack today, surpassing the Dallas Cowboys (68 games from 1976-80).

After the Bucs blasted the Philadelphia Eagles, 17-0, in the season opener, they looked to be well on their way to repeating as world champions. The following Sunday, however, Carolina came into Raymond James Stadium with a chip on their shoulder and escaped with a 12-9 overtime win.

"The games have to mean a lot and this one does," Bucs safety John Lynch said. "They can distance themselves or we can draw closer. It's tough to go get division games on the road. They stole one from here, we've got to go steal one back. A rivalry usually is predicated by whether or not it's got playoff implications and I think this one does."

Lynch is expected to get his first start in the secondary since Oct. 19 at San Francisco, when he left the game with a pinched nerve in his right shoulder. His strength as a run stopper will be key as Carolina will try to pound running back Stephen Davis all afternoon.

Davis is second in the league in rushing with 992 yards and has five rushing touchdowns, and when he needs a breather, DeShaun Foster has filled in ably with 230 yards on 45 carries (an average of 5.1 yards per carry).

On the offensive side of the ball, the Bucs hope to counter with Michael Pittman, who carried the ball 30 times for 113 yards in a 16-0 win over the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago.

With fullback Mike Alstott lost for the season to a neck injury, head coach Jon Gruden brought former Atlanta Falcons running back Jamal Anderson in for a workout Wednesday.

"We're just looking at his situation.

We're saying nothing about his workout," Gruden said. "We're just trying to look at anybody that could potentially help our team."

If Anderson, who suffered two devastating knee injuries after leading Atlanta to the Super Bowl in 1999, is healthy he could be the short-yardage threat Tampa Bay has been missing since losing Alstott.

And if Gruden is counting on that, desperation might not be too strong of a word to describe the Bucs' predicament this afternoon.