Head Coach Jon Gruden

(On the loss) "Obviously very disappointed in the loss. Carolina [is] a very physical team and I think they proved that today."

(On Kenyatta Walker's penalties) "Obviously, we have to be able to change the snap count against a team that rushes the passer like this. Using a different snap count sometimes is the only way, it is the only way you can do that. I am very disappointed obviously in that series. It's a 10-7 game; we do have good field position, but what can I say, it happened and my response obviously was probably what most Buccaneers fans response was, it wasn't good."

(On Anthony Davis' injury) "We don't know yet. He will get evaluated tonight. We are concerned, obviously, and we can just update you when we get the hard facts on this."

(On whether turnovers played a role in today's game) "Turnovers certainly did. I think the fumble early in the game set up Carolina for a score. The interception to start the second half, we had a good drive going. Those are big plays in the game. Once again, we don't get a turnover ourselves. I think two weeks in a row we have been unable to get a turnover. That combined is a huge factor in winning and losing. We didn't start very well defensively. We picked it up a bit in the second half. Offensively, we've got to do a much better job; create running lanes to run through and pass protection. That goes without saying."

(On Carolina getting through the offensive line) "They got to us with the three-man rush, a four-man rush, with their games. This is a very good front in Carolina. It's well-documented. They are very good and they got to us today. We did not do a good enough job. Our inability to get anything going running the football, I think two weeks in a row our longest run has been six or seven yards, so that combined made it a tough day today."

(On the running game) "Obviously, we are not blocking well enough. We're not calling the right plays. We are trying three tight ends, two tight ends. We are trying draws and traps. We're just not getting it done right now running the football and clearly that is a big reason why we are behind in the down-and-distance, and when you get way behind in the down-and-distance it is tough sledding for any quarterback, let alone a young one."

(On how Chris Simms played today) "I thought he did a better job. I thought he started quite well. He was eight-and-10 out of his first thirteen throws and had a couple of pretty good drives, stopped one with a fumble and one with successive penalties. He had our team in the half. We had a good drive to start the third quarter until the interception and I thought he did some good things. He showed growth today. It is not going to be an easy process, but there is going to be some things he did learn from. He took a lot of hits today; a lot of hits today and that is not good."

LB Derrick Brooks

(On where this team is at after a division loss like that) "Well, we're in second place. Atlanta and Carolina are tied for first and we're one game behind them."

(On the mindset after this loss) "The mindset now, obviously is see the situation, be real, we are in second place, one game back, but we're no means out of it. I guess it's a little down because of the way we lost. It appears we got dominated. We're a defense, really as a team that does not give up 34 points and today, we did. Right now, we have a lot of young guys in this locker room and I have to do the best I can to get their spirits up, rely on my leadership. The most disappointing thing is, we had a good week of practice and today we didn't show up. One mistake after another and before you know it we're down. We just have to pick ourselves up and come back. As I say, it could be a whole lot worse then where we are at. So, I'm going to do the best I can to get their heads back up tomorrow and get ready for Washington."

WR Michael Clayton

(On eliminating mistakes) "You got to go back to the drawing board. I don't know exactly what it is [that] you have to do to eliminate those plays. What caused it, obviously, is the big thing in focus. As a receiver, you have to, no matter what kind of traffic you are in, you have to keep your eye on the ball. I made that mistake. I feel like I never dropped as many balls in my life. I'm disappointed about that and I have to go back and work harder on that. It's just, as an offense we stay together because this is the time when Chris [Simms] needs us, we need Chris. We need our offensive linemen. Our offensive linemen need us. We need everyone to be on the same page. And our defense is the main focal point right now that is pushing us to get there. And we have to get there as an offense."

(On if he is shocked how quickly things turned around) "No, it's never expected, I would say, but it happens. And when it happens you have to handle it in the right way. And like I said, this is no way going to keep us down from what we are trying to accomplish this year. The season is halfway done. We've had a lot of great games, division games are coming up. This is when you turn it up a notch. Obviously, we had created some mistakes. Carolina played a heck of a game and we just have to eliminate those mistakes and come out and play hard."

WR Joey Galloway

(On Chris Simms' performance) "I never really know what's going on behind me. That's not a judgment or assessment that I'll make. We'll all watch film tomorrow and everyone will watch himself on tape and make assessments then and correct our mistakes."

(On 50-yard TD reception) "I think everyone would like to see more of that. Sometimes those plays are there, sometimes they are not. It's really a better throw by him than anything else. He out-threw the safety and we were able to get behind him and score."

(On if the team is going in a different direction than it was a few weeks ago) "I feel like we just lost to Carolina and we have a lot of mistakes to correct and that's it. We'll come in tomorrow and try to get better and we'll prepare better than we've prepared before for this next game."

QB Chris Simms

(On the overall game) "We just got beat by a better football team. We actually moved the ball decently on offense throughout the day and made it a 10-7 game; (we) kind of hurt ourselves with some penalties and then I'd say again we came out in the second (half), we start downing the ball, I throw the pick for a touchdown and that put our team in a real tough position right from that spot."

(On whether he felt better this week than last week) "I felt a lot better this week, I must say. Again like I said, throwing the ball we had some success early, we just hurt ourselves. Then again, with a great defensive line like that, you get down 34-7 or 24-7, it's going to be tough."

(On turnovers and fumbles) "Fumbles happen. Interceptions happen. You just have to try and limit them. I still think it would have been a whole different game if I didn't throw the interception in the second half."

(On the interception) "The guy just drove on the ball, a really good gamble. We were just throwing a real quick out and he came underneath the receiver and got it and you guys saw the rest."

(On whether the Panthers were the best defense they faced to date) "Yes, they were pretty good. Honestly, though, I don't know how many sacks we ended up with. I thought the offensive line pass protected really well; I really did. I felt like I had good lines to throw the ball. Like I said, when you are down 24-7 and they know we're not going to be running the ball a whole lot, they can tee off and get some cheap ones I guess."

RB Carnell Williams

(On the differences in the game from the first three weeks of the season) "It's hard to say. I mean, teams are better prepared. They're walking an extra safety down and as an offense we just aren't getting it done, as a whole. [The running backs] aren't making the right reads and people aren't staying on their blocks, different little things like that. We are in a slump right now and we are definitely going to come out of this."

(On if there are still holes being opened by the offensive line) "It's tough, man. [There is] an extra defender in the box. I mean, I'm not here to say there aren't holes because, you know there is running room. We, as a whole, just have to keep pushing, just keep getting it."

(On if turnovers hurt the team) "With me fumbling, Chris [Simms] throwing the interception, we can't have that as an offense. Turnovers [will] kill you."

(On if offense still has confidence in QB Chris Simms) "We definitely still have that confidence. We know the kind of talent we have, for one. As a whole, we just have to give [Simms] more time and just rally around him. We know he's a young guy and, you know, we just have to give the guy more time."

CAROLINA PANTHERS QUOTES

Head Coach John Fox

(On if it can get any better) "We're half way, we're six and two. To be able to come on the road knowing your division, I think is huge. It was a big game for us and our guys responded well."

(On if it was therapeutic for the Panthers coming to Tampa) "We know we're in for a dogfight every time we come here and today was no different and fortunately we were on the right side of it today."

(On total domination for the Panthers today) "Well, we got out of here with a win and at the end of the day that's what we're trying to do. Again, this is a tough Buccaneer football team that we have to play a little bit down the road."

(On what impressed him the most today) "I thought defensively we were a pretty solid team, most of the afternoon. We got caught kind of mooning on a long ball there in the first half and after that I thought we came back and played pretty aggressive defense. Offensively, I think we threw the ball for the most part pretty consistently. We still have some work on our running game, especially in a four-minute situation like we were in."

(On the pressure he put Simms under) "He's a young quarterback. I think, a very capable quarterback, and that was something that we were planning on doing coming into the game. First off, trying to stop the run and then trying to put pressure on the quarterback, which we try to do every week."

(On if sacks help Julius Peppers' confidence) "Everybody always talking about sacks early in the season with Julius and when the 16-game schedule is over, he has plenty, at least in our opinion. Sometimes they come and sometimes they don't, but he got a couple today so it helped all of us out."

(On if he considers this a statement game in the NFC South) "No, It's what it is. We're 8-2 at the halfway point and we still have a whole half. It's like how nobody remembers halftime scores. Same way with this season. We hit our target of 6-2 after the halfway point and now we have to get ready for next week against the Jets."

RB Stephen Davis

(On the game) "We did a real good, good job. I mean, offensive line did a great job. Coach (Jim) Skipper did a good job of getting us prepared this week. Everybody just went out and played hard in all phases of the game."

QB Jake Delhomme

(On what he thought of today's game) "I think we are starting to play better now. To come out the way we did I think that was big. The first drive we took about five-and-a-half minutes off the clock. We didn't punch it in, but we got three. The defense came up with some huge turnovers today. I was a little disappointed that our red zone production wasn't a little bit better, we've been better at that. They had something to do with that, though. But it was a big win."

(On domination on both sides of the ball) "We did some good things. You never want to say domination; that is a real good football team, I think they played hard. We are going to have to meet up with them again."

(On if this was a statement game) "I don't know if you want to say it's a statement game but I think it's a step in the right direction. We are starting to take those steps and since the bye week we've put two pretty good games together. Next week we have the Jets, a team with a stout defense, offensively they have some issues with injuries at quarterback. Offensively, we're going to have to run the ball well next week and be effective throwing it."

(On if this is a confident football team at five wins in a row) "I think so but I think this team was confident going into Week One. We're a team that is confident but not a cocky football team. We work hard and we believe we'll go out and play well on Sunday. It's starting to carry over now so hopefully we'll keep it up."

(On the long pass to Proehl, was he the first read) "No, that play depends on coverage, it depends on look, you can go any kind of way on that read. The thing about it is I had protection. I mean I got sacked once but other than that I had a great protection when I dropped back to throw the football. I had a lot of time. We had a match-up on a 'mike' linebacker and Ricky was able to just keep on going. That was nice but the key to the play was being able to hold onto the ball that long, then you can hit somebody."

(On if he was aware the Bucs haven't given up more than 17 points all year) "Yes, I was aware. I knew they hadn't given up a lot of points. That was nice that we were able to do that but they are still good and sound. Our defense gave us a short field a bunch and the interception to make it 24-7 really propelled us from there."

CB Chris Gamble

(On winning five straight and how that boosts confidence) "We just try to get ready, prepare each week. Just watch a lot of film. You know, that's about it, just get ready for next week, come out with a good performance like we did today. You know, just be consistent with what we do."

(On the first touchdown by the defense this year) "I mean, we're just trying to come up with big plays, you know. We get a lot of fumbles, we get a lot of sacks. We need to make more big plays back there, get interceptions and try to score every time you can. That's what we're trying to do, just try to be the best secondary in the league."

DE Julius Peppers

(On his prediction before the game) "Just to come out, play hard and you know, have a great game against these guys."

(On what he sees in Kenyatta Walker's eyes when he lines up across from him) "I don't really look for anything in particular, all that, you know. Those things that happened a few years ago, all that's squashed. We just played. We don't really talk about all that stuff anymore."

(On complete domination in game) "Yeah, we played a great game. We made strides. We made great strides towards going where we want to get to as a football team."

(On silencing critics about a sack) "I could care less about people talking about me not getting sacks and stuff like that because it's a long season and I'll have opportunities to make plays."