Panthers 19, Buccaneers 17
Derek Anderson filled in for Cam Newton and threw for 277 yards and a touchdown as Carolina held off Tampa Bay to keep alive its playoff hopes.
Anderson, who got the nod after Newton suffered a pair of fractures in his back during a car accident earlier in the week, went 25-of-40 while tight end Greg Olsen caught 10 passes for 110 yards for the Panthers (5-8-1). Rookie Kelvin Benjamin added 104 receiving yards and Jonathan Stewart rushed for 73 for Carolina, which took over the lead in the NFC South.
Josh McCown struggled to 154 yards on 13-of-28 while throwing an interception and losing a pair of fumbles for the Buccaneers (2-12). Rookie Mike Evans caught a TD pass for Tampa Bay, which came up short at the end as McCown’s Hail Mary attempt was picked off.
McCown was sacked and fumbled on the opening drive of the third quarter and Anderson needed two plays to hit Jerricho Cotchery with a 2-yard TD pass to give the Panthers a 16-10 lead. Another fumble by the Buccaneers in the fourth led to a 45-yard field goal by Graham Gano before McCown put a long drive together and scrambled for a 16-yard score with 3:11 left to cut it to 19-17 with 3:11 left.
Gano sandwiched a pair of field goals around Evans’ 8-yard TD catch in the opening quarter and gave the Panthers a 9-7 lead on a 38-yard kick with 1:10 left in the first half. The Buccaneers came right back and Patrick Murray connected from 48 yards with two seconds left in the second quarter to put Tampa Bay on top 10-9 at the break.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Carolina reportedly is optimistic that Newton will be able to return against Cleveland next week. … Olsen (81) snapped his own team record for catches by a tight end (73 in 2013). … Buccaneers DT Gerald McCoy (knee) left the game in the first half and did not return.