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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Josh Freeman threw two touchdown passes and rookie LeGarrette Blount ran for a score to lead the surprising Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-16 victory over the struggling Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Freeman threw TD passes of 8 yards to Arrelious Benn and 20 yards to Kellen Winslow for the NFL's youngest team.

Blount scored on a 17-yard run that finished a long second-quarter drive as the Bucs (6-3) rebounded from a six-point loss to Atlanta that knocked them out of first place in the NFC South.

Cadillac Williams put the game out of reach with a 45-yard TD burst on third-and-10 late in the fourth quarter.

Rookie Jimmy Clausen made his fourth start at quarterback for injury-riddled Carolina (1-8), which got 100 yards rushing from fourth-string running back Mike Goodson.

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