CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Seen and heard in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' locker room after Sunday's 19-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers:
Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy suffered a hyperextended knee, coach Lovie Smith said. McCoy left the game in the first quarter and did not return. Smith didn't know how serious the injury was, but it's not too much of a stretch to think that McCoy's season probably is over. The Bucs have only two games left, and there's no sense in exposing their best player to further injury.
Smith and quarterback Josh McCown both said they were perplexed by a call by the officials at the start of the fourth quarter. After an initial ruling that McCown had thrown an incomplete pass, the play was reviewed and the ruling was changed to a fumble on a ball that traveled about 15 yards in the air. Smith said the explanation from the officials was that the ball already was out and moving before McCown's arm came through.
Smith confirmed that left tackle Anthony Collins was indeed a healthy scratch. Collins was benched as the Bucs moved Demar Dotson from the right side to the left side. Smith said the move was a coach's decision. He also said Dotson is Tampa Bay's best tackle and the coaching staff wanted a look at him on the left side.
