NFL Week 10

[Tinfish]

35-25-1 YTD

Dolphins -1
Chargers/Bengals OVER 48
Falcons -9
Steelers -5.5
Redskins +7.5
Lions -6
Cardinals +7

[Tinfish]

38-29-1 YTD

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS @ CAROLINA PANTHERS -9.5
Tampa ((2-6,) 0-3 away) at Carolina (4-4, 2-2 home) @ 8:30 PM. EST. * ESPN

The last time the Carolina Panthers faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bucs quarterback Chris Simms was knocked around to a degree that he suffered a season-ending ruptured spleen.

On Monday night, Tampa Bay will be the team trying to bring the pain, as Jon Gruden's club seeks to extend the Panthers' losing streak to three games at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Carolina, which entered the 2006 season as a popular pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, is in danger of seeing its playoff hopes fade away. John Fox and company looked to be headed down the right path when a four-game winning streak moved them to 4-2, but back-to-back defeats to the Bengals (17-14) and Cowboys (35-14) have again led many to question the Panthers' staying power in the playoff chase. Following a Week 9 bye, Carolina entered Week 10 as one of a handful of NFC teams at or near .500 and seeking to improve their fortunes in the second half.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, would need a minor miracle to make a return trip to the postseason. The Simms injury was the most significant event in a first half that saw the Buccaneers (2-6), now under the offensive leadership of rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, score just 10 offensive touchdowns in their first eight games. Only the Oakland Raiders have found the end zone with less frequency than last-place Tampa.

The Bucs' 2-6 record represents the worst eight-game start in Gruden's nine- year career as a head coach.

SERIES HISTORY
Carolina has a 7-5 lead in its all time series with Tampa Bay, including a 26-24 road victory in Week 3. The Buccaneers have now lost six of their last seven against the Panthers, with their only win over that stretch coming by a 20-10 count at Bank of America Stadium in Week 14 of the 2005 campaign. Tampa Bay lost in Charlotte in both 2003 and 2004.

Gruden is 4-6 in his career against the Panthers, including a win for his Raiders in the 2000 season, while Carolina's Fox is 6-3 versus both the Buccaneers and Gruden as a head coach.