Week 4: Panthers 37, Buccaneers 23
The details
When you create five turnovers and your opponent wastes good drives with missed field goals, you don’t need much offense.
The Carolina Panthers waxed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 37-23 with only 124 passing yards from quarterback Cam Newton as the defense intercepted rookie quarterback Jameis Winston four times.
Cornerback Josh Norman, who was the key to victory in Week 1 and sealed the win last week against New Orleans, had two interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown.
The game also saw the first offensive touchdown of the season that Newton did not account for. On a third-quarter rush by Jonathan Stewart, the ball came free but popped right into the hands of tight end Ed Dickson, who rushed the remaining 57 yards for the score.
The Panthers improved to 4-0 for the second time in franchise history and the first time since 2003, when the team went to the Super Bowl.
“There’s an old cliche that says ‘it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,’” Newton said. “And we view this season in increments of quarters, and every four games is a quarter for us. So the first quarter we passed with flying colors, 4-0, and we just got to get juiced up and ready for the next four (games).” Jonathan Jones
They said it
“I’m not (just) another cornerback. I’m a unique. I’m something else. I’m not those other guys.” – Josh Norman
“We still haven’t played the football we are capable of.” – Cam Newton
“It’s not pretty, but we’re getting wins. Ain’t no game going to be just straight dominance, you know what I’m saying?” – Ted Ginn Jr.
The weirdness
Before the game, Panthers cornerback Josh Norman spoke with a fine appeals officer to make sure he wouldn’t be penalized for the pick-six celebration he planned.
In Week 1 he was fined – but not penalized – for waving at the quarterback as he ran into the end zone before mimicking riding a horse. This time, he was told as long as he didn’t taunt the quarterback, he’d be fine to ride again.
In the first quarter he read Jameis Winston’s eyes, broke on a pass to Brandon Myers and went 46 yards for a touchdown – just like he had anticipated.
Then came the flag for unsportsmanlike conduct – for using the ball as a prop.
“I told him if this happens, this is what I’m going to do. And he was cool,” Norman said. “And it happened and I did it. He said I was fine. If I wasn’t, I would have never done it.
“But at the same time, I’m having fun.” JJ
Hot takes
Scott Fowler: Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis ran into the locker room Sunday, leaving behind a rainy field and the Panthers’ messy but effective 37-23 victory over Tampa Bay.
As he passed general manager Dave Gettleman in the hallway, Davis hollered, “4-0, baby!”
And those are the only two numbers that really matter right now. The Panthers are an imperfect team, but they sport a perfect record through the first month of the NFL season.
It will stay that way at least one more week. Carolina has a bye next Sunday before traveling to old nemesis Seattle for an Oct. 18 game that will tell us a lot more about who this team really is.
For now, though, cornerback Josh Norman had this message for those who say the Panthers haven’t beaten anybody decent.
“We’re 4-0, “ Norman said. “How many other teams are 4-0? So we’re going to continue to keep pounding, regardless of what they say. Because at the end of the day, they are not where we are.”
Joseph Person: The Carolina Panthers might have found a pass rusher Sunday, and it wasn’t the big-name veteran they traded for last week.
Instead, it was a heretofore unknown defensive end who went to two schools and was with two NFL teams before the Panthers plucked him off Washington’s practice squad last week.
Meet Ryan Delaire, or – as ESPN.com listed him in its in-game box score – simply, “Ryan.”
By the end of his debut, Delaire had two sacks, nearly a third and perhaps a new nickname: The Sack Prince of Delaire.
This story was originally published January 9, 2016 at 3:00 AM with the headline "Week 4: Panthers 37, Buccaneers 23."