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TAMPA — Who better to get the Panthers' running game back on track than the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart both went over 100 yards for the first time this season, and the two combined for 76 yards on 15 carries in grinding out the last drive, with Williams scoring with 29 seconds left for a 28-21 win at Raymond James Stadium.

"I'm sure everybody in the stadium knew what we were going to do," Williams said of the last drive. "My hat's off to the O-line, the wide receivers, the fullbacks and the tight ends, because they did a great job out there. Sometimes, they had nine in the box, and we're still getting 7-8 yards, because they were just moving guys out there."

The 267 rushing yards is the second-most in team history, second only to the 299 yards the Bucs gave up the last time the teams played last season.

The Panthers (2-3) led 21-7 in the third quarter, but let the Bucs (0-6) tie the game with a 97-yard kickoff return by rookie Sammie Stroughter and a 26-yard interception return by safety Tanard Jackson.

Carolina won despite another rough outing by quarterback Jake Delhomme, who came in with an NFL-high eight interceptions and threw two more, including Jackson's pick late in the game. Delhomme threw for just 65 yards, his lowest in his 85 games with the Panthers going back to 2003.

"We need to be more precise in the passing game. I don't think there's any doubt," Delhomme said. "We're lucky it didn't come back to bite us today."

After Jackson's interception tied the game, the Panthers turned to their running game to keep the ball out of the Bucs — and Delhomme's — hands. On a 16-play drive that took 8:04 off the clock, Carolina ran 15 times, the only pass a 4-yard pass for receiver Steve Smith's only reception of the day.

"We're about winning games. It's not about one guy," coach John Fox said. "We're not trying to get style points. We're just trying to win. Sometimes you have to do different things to do that."

The defense got to watch as the Panthers ran 12 straight times without being dropped for a loss, with one run of six straight carries for at least 5 yards.

"I knew they were going to go down and score," linebacker Jon Beason said. "It's demoralizing (for a defense). You get winded. It's a heavyweight boxing match. They're throwing punches, and every time we're getting 5-6 yards a pop, it's like they're connecting. It wears you down, and eventually, they broke."

The last time the two teams met, Williams and Stewart combined for 301 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-23 Panthers win in December. That gave the backs confidence, despite limited success in the first five games.

"We hadn't been really successful all year running the ball, and we stuck to our game plan today," Williams said. "When it came down to it, we put it on the o-line to get us to the promised land."

Carolina has won two straight after an 0-3 start, and the Panthers now go to Buffalo, which is coming off a 16-13 overtime win over the New York Jets.

Tied at the half, Carolina got two third-quarter touchdowns, with Delhomme finding Jeff King for a 1-yard score after an interception by Thomas Davis, and Stewart scoring from 26 yards out for a 21-7 lead.

Carolina's Dante Wesley was ejected in the second quarter after leveling Bucs punt returner Clifton Smith before the ball arrived, knocking him out of the game with a concussion. Wesley said he timed his hit poorly but meant no harm to Smith.

Carolina 0 7 14 7 — 28
Tampa Bay 7 0 7 7 — 21

TB—Williams 20 run (Andrus kick)
Car—D.Williams 20 run (Kasay kick)
Car—King 1 pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick)
Car—Stewart 26 run (Kasay kick)
TB—Stroughter 97 kickoff return (Andrus kick)
TB—Jackson 26 interception return (Andrus kick)
Car—D.Williams 1 run (Kasay kick)
A—62,422.

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs — Car 22, TB 12
Total Net Yards — Car 322, TB 245
Rushes-yards — Car 48-267, TB 25-124
Passing — Car 55, TB 121
Punt Returns — Car 1-34, TB 1-6
Kickoff Returns — Car 3-59, TB 4-167
Interceptions Ret. — Car 1-24, TB 2-28
Comp-Att-Int — Car 9-17-2, TB 11-17-1
Sacked-Yards Lost — Car 1-10, TB 4-26
Punts — Car 3-40.7, TB 4-40.8
Fumbles-Lost — Car 1-1, TB 5-1
Penalties-Yards — Car 3-30, TB 5-40
Time of Possession — Car 32:21, TB 27:39

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING
Carolina — D.Williams 30-152, Stewart 17-110, Delhomme 1-5.
Tampa Bay — Williams 16-77, J.Johnson 8-45, Ward 1-2.

PASSING
Carolina — Delhomme 9-17-2-65.
Tampa Bay — J.Johnson 11-17-1-147.

RECEIVING
Carolina — Muhammad 3-27, D.Williams 2-20, King 2-8, Rosario 1-6, Smith 1-4.
Tampa Bay — Stroughter 3-65, Winslow 3-29, Bryant 2-37, Clayton 1-9, Ward 1-5, Graham 1-2.

MISSED FIELD GOALS
Carolina — Kasay 52 (BK).
Tampa Bay — Andrus 43 (SH).