CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Given a national stage, the Carolina Panthers made a pretty good case to be included among the NFL's top teams.
Running all over Tampa Bay with their emerging tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, the Panthers seized control of the competitive NFC South with a 38-23 win over the Buccaneers on Monday night.
Williams rushed for a career-high 186 yards and two touchdowns, Stewart added 115 yards and two more scores and the Panthers set a team record for yards rushing for the second time in a month.
And this time it was against a team that came in having allowed only one rushing TD all season.
The Panthers (10-3) grabbed control of the division, moving one game ahead of the Buccaneers (9-4).
Copyright AP - Associated Press
