Buccaneers...20 Panthers...7

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Jeff Garcia didn’t throw an interception for the fourth game in a row and ran for a touchdown, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shut down David Carr, Steve Smith and the Carolina Panthers in a 20-7 win Sunday to move atop the NFC South.

Ike Hilliard caught seven passes for 114 yards and Tampa Bay (3-1) overcame the loss of running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams to a right knee injury to beat Carolina (2-2) for only the second time in nine games.

Carr started in place of Jake Delhomme, who has a strained right elbow, and completed only 19 of 41 passes for 155 yards. He was sacked three times.

Smith was held to five catches for 32 yards. He was seen screaming on the phone to the coaching staff during the third quarter, then spent part of the fourth sitting on the bench with a towel over his head.

The 37-year-old Garcia was 15 for 25 passing for 176 yards and got the Buccaneers on the board with a three-yard scramble on their first possession.

Quoteworthy: “I’m going to be honest. I think the players owe the fans an apology.” -- Kris Jenkins, Panthers defensive tackle