Monday Night Football Live Blog Tampa Bay @ Carolina, 2nd Half

Well, it hasn't been a high-scoring game, but it's been entertaining thus far. The Panthers lead the Bucs 10-3 as we start the 2nd half.

Jones has difficulty handling the kickoff, as he takes it to the 21. Penalty flag down. Illegal block in the back on Carolina. From the 6, Williams gets the carry to the 11. 2nd and 6, Williams gets the carry again and is tripped up a yard shy of the marker. 3rd and 1, Delhomme hands to Williams who gets the first down. Delhomme's pass on 1st down is deflected straight up into the air but falls harmlessly to the ground.

2nd and 10, Delhomme hands to Williams and OH MY, HE JUST BARRELED THROUGH SOME BUCS AS HE TAKES IT TO THE 42! 1st and 10, Delhomme goes deep and he way overthrows his man, but there's a flag down. Illeagal contact on the Bucs.

"You can't understand football if you make that call." - Jaws

Whoa! Tell us how you really feel. 1st and 10 from the TB 48, Delhomme fires, IT'S TIPPED AROUND AND INTERCEPTED BY PHILLIPS! WHAT A CATCH!

"That gets you a graduate degree at the Troy Polamalu School of Making Interceptions." - Dr. Kornheiser

The world would be a better place if you would leave TV forever. 1st and 10 and Dunn loses a yard. 2nd and 11, Garcia FIRES DOWN THE FIELD AND IT'S CAUGHT BY ANTONIO BRYANT ON THE COMEBACK! HE TURNS AROUND, AND MAKES IT INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN TAMPA BAY! The extra point is up and good we are tied at 10.

Jones takes the kickoff to the 27. Williams takes the carry and loses a couple. 2nd and 12, Delhomme to Smith who gets 7. 3rd and 5 and it's caught by Muhammad who gets 12 and a first down. Smith makes the catch for 11 and another first down. From the TB 45, Williams gets 7. 2nd and 3, Delhomme fires it DEEP FOR STEVE SMITH WHO MAKES THE CATCH IN THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN CAROLINA! The extra point is good and it's 17-10 Panthers.

Kickoff is taken to the 30. 1st and 10, Dunn takes the pass for a couple. 2nd and 8, Dunn takes the carry and he has a Tampa first down. 1st and 10, Garcia throws to Bryant for 4. 2nd and 6, Dunn gets maybe a yard. 3rd and 5, Garcia throws it to Stevens who makes the catch, turns and dives for the marker, but is just short!

"Those markers are the real ones." - Mike Tirico on the sideline markers.

Thanks Capt. Obvious. Tampa's going for it on 4th down, Askew takes it up the middle and he's got it! Garcia on first down is firing deep and it's CAUGHT BY BRYANT AT THE 7! A stupid penalty by Bryant after the play will back them up 5. Williams won't get much on 1st down but a personal foul penalty will put the Bucs at the 4. It's now 1st and goal for the Bucs. Garcia hands it off to Cadillac Williams who BURSTS THROUGH INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN BUCS! The extra point is good and we are tied at 17.

Kickoff is taken by Jones who takes it to the 27. 1st and 10, Delhomme fires it to Smith who makes the catch at the 37 for a first down. Williams takes Delhomme's pass and he picks up 6. 2nd and 4 from the CAR 44, Delhomme hands it off to Williams who has the first down at midfield.

And here comes the Panthers again. Damn, talk about a back-and-forth battle. Williams takes the carry and gets no gain. 2nd and 9, Delhomme hands it to Stewart who has a huge hole and takes it all the way to the TB 30! 1st and 10, Delhomme throws it to Steve Smith who gets to the outside and gets 11!

Is it just me or has Dr. Kornheiser is abnormally quiet this half?

That's the end of the 3rd quarter and we are tied at 17.

1st and 10 from the 19, and Stewart takes it all the way to the 10. 2nd and 1, Stewart gets the carry and a first down at the 8. 1st and goal Panthers. Delhomme fires for the endzone incomplete, but there's a penalty down. Holding on Tampa Bay and that'll place the ball at the 4. Delhomme hands it to Stewart who DIVES FOR AND GETS INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN CAROLINA! The extra point is up and good and the Panthers lead 24-17.

What a fun game this has turned out to be. (Via SSR)

This game has had a bit of everything. Defense in the first half, offense in the 2nd half, and a few officiating controversies. Smith on the kickoff return takes it to the 28. Dunn on the carry gets 6 yards to the 34. 2nd and 4, Garcia to Smith is incomplete. 3rd and 4, Garcia completes it to Stevens who has a first down. Cadillac Williams on the carry gets a couple. 2nd and 8, Garcia's pass is incomplete.

"It would help if some of the receivers caught the ball." - Dr. Kornheiser

Really? Never knew that. Garcia on 3rd down is SACKED! And for the first time this half we'll see a punt. Bidwell booms one into the endzone for the touchback. Holding on Carolina and the Panthers will take over at the 10. 1st and 10, Delhomme hands it to DEANGELO WILLIAMS WHO GETS TO THE OUTSIDE AND A HUGH GAIN OF 41! Stewart on 1st down picks up 3. 2nd and 7, STEWART GETS TO THE OUTSIDE AND HE TAKES IT TO THE 17! There's just no stopping these Carolina running backs.

"This game is crucial if Carolina wants home-field advantage throughout the playoffs." - Dr. Kornheiser

But it won't mean squat if they lose next week. Delhomme hands it off to Williams who GETS TO THE OUTSIDE AND INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN PANTHERS! The extra point is good and the Panthers lead 31-17.

"This is they're way of saying 'Hello America, this is who we are'." - Dr. Kornheiser

Must you always try to be funny?

"This is a first time I've seen a Monte Kiffin defense just getting whipped." - Jaws

Jaws isn't kidding. This is a butt whopping and Tampa's defense is supplying the butt. Kickoff is taken to the 35 so the Bucs will have good field position. 1st and 10, Garcia has his pass dropped by Dunn. 2nd and 10, Hilliard makes the catch for a first down.

"This is not a Buccaneer team that's built to come from behind." - Jaws
"But they have, on the road. 3 times." - Mike Tirico

So they must be a team built to come from behind then! 1st and 10 and Dunn drops another. 2nd and 10, Garcia from the shotgun and it's incomplete again. 3rd and 10 for the Bucs and this is 4-down territory in my opinion.

3rd and 10, Garcia is under pressure and SACKED! Holding on Tampa Bay and they will punt it away. Bidwell's punt is taken by Jones who makes it to the 14. Delhomme's pass to Smith is caught for a gain of 9. 2nd and 1, and Stewart goes nowhere on the carry. 3rd and 1 and Dr. Kornheiser has nothing better to talk about than Rosario Dawson's, er, Dante Rosario's catch in week 1 to beat the Chargers. 3rd and short and Bucs get the stop on 3rd down! Hoover went nowhere.

Timeout Tampa Bay.

Punt is taken by Smith but an illegal block in the back will force them back to the 18. 1st and 10 and Jeremy Stevens drops a pass. 2nd and 10, Garcia fires incomplete again and now it's 3rd and 10.

"I see him as someone who gets bored very easily." - Dr. Kornheiser making no sense.

Garcia's pass is caught by Bryant who gets 14 and a TB first down. Dunn on the carry takes it to the 44 for another Tampa first down.

"You have to score once to score twice, but you have to score twice." - Dr. Kornheiser making no sense. Garcia throws to Alan Smith down the field and he catches it for a first down in Panther territory. 1st and 10 from the 36, Hilliard makes the catch at the 28. 2nd and 3, Garcia to Dunn who catches it at the 23 for a first down.

1st and 10, Garcia to Stevens who takes it to the 15. Clock under 3-minutes. 2nd and 3, Garcia from the shotgun passes it to ANTONIO BRYANT WHO MAKES A SPECTACULAR DIVING CATCH IN THE ENDZONE! WHAT A CATCH! TOUCHDOWN TAMPA BAY! The extra point is up and BLOCKED! NO GOOD! 31-23 Panthers.

ONSIDE KICK! RECOVERED BY CAROLINA! 1st and 10 from the TB 43. Bucs have 2 timeouts with 2:28 to go. Williams picks up 3.

Timeout Tampa Bay.

Williams picks up 3 on 2nd down. Timeout Tampa Bay. 2:17 to go. 3rd and 4, Delhomme pitches it to Williams who BREAKS IT TO THE OUTSIDE! BUC AFTER BUC FANS ON THE TACKLE AS WILLIAMS TAKES IT INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN PANTHERS! OVER 300 RUSHING YARDS TODAY FOR THE PANTHERS! Unreal. The extra point is good and the Panthers lead 38-23.

Smith takes the kick to the 37.

Williams should've done a Brian Westbrook there. (Via SSR)

Agreed. Now Tampa has a one-in-a-million chance of winning as opposed to no chance.

"And yes, Mike, I do have my gloves on." - Stu Scott

Congratulations. 1st down carry gets 7. Garcia to Stevens gets 7. Williams will pick up a couple. 3rd down and GARCIA'S PASS IS INTERCEPTED! This will be reviewed by the booth and overturned though. I know it's nearly impossible for the Bucs to win this, but the fact that it hardly looks like they're trying when there is a chance, is not good news for Bucs fans.

"It's one thing to get [2 running backs over 100 yards] against the Lions, it's another thing against Tampa's defense." - Dr. Kornheiser

Most high schools could get 2 running backs over 100 yards against the Lions. The play is overturned as the ball clearly hit the ground and it's now 4th down for the Bucs. 4th and 1, Garcia's pass is INCOMPLETE! AND THAT'S IT!

Jake Delhomme will come out and take knees as the Carolina Panthers have defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-23. Thank you for joining me for this live blog and every live blog I have done this year. SSR will take over Monday Nights from here on out. Good night and good luck.