Panthers Know The Division Is Still up For Grabs
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/dec/09/panthers-know-division-still-grabs/sports-bucs/
By IRA KAUFMAN | The Tampa Tribune
Published: December 9, 2008
Carolina sits alone atop the NFC South, but nobody is talking division title quite yet.
By beating the Buccaneers 38-23 Monday night, the Panthers improved to 7-0 at home and moved a game ahead of the 9-4 Bucs in the NFC South, but Carolina's closing schedule is brutal and the victors knew better than to gloat.
The Panthers face the Broncos at home before hitting the road against the Giants and Saints, who are a combined 12-2 in their home stadiums.
"You have to realize it's tougher to play on the road than at home,'' said DE Julius Peppers, credited with 1.5 of Carolina's five sacks. "This year we are just protecting our home, and that's what we need to continue to do.''
By beating the Broncos Sunday, the Panthers would complete a perfect home mark in the regular season.
"This has been good, it's been hallowed ground,'' said Carolina S Chris Harris. "It's been sacred here. Next week we have a tough Denver team coming in here, so we need to make it 8-0.''
Should the Bucs win their final three games and the Panthers stumble once down the stretch, the teams would be tied at 12-4, with the division title decided on tie-breakers.
"There was a lot of hype this week,'' said Panthers T Jordan Gross, who helped Carolina to a franchise-record 299 yards on the ground. "Tampa is a great team and I think there's a good chance that we might see them again this year. We knew we had them tired—we were leaning on them. That's a fast defense and you don't want to sit back and have them rush the passer. We were smiling ear to ear, hoping we could continue to do that all game.''
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