Monday Night Football got a dog last week — two 4-7 teams playing for, well, nothing. This week it gets a jewel — a game between two likely playoff squads that will go a long way toward determining the NFC South winner.

Tampa Bay has gone 6-1 since QB Jeff Garcia regained the starting job, including last week’s 23-20 win over New Orleans. The Bucs pounded Carolina, 27-3, in the teams’ first meeting, and that means Tampa Bay could all but clinch the NFC South by beating Carolina again. That would put the Bucs a game up with three to play, plus they would hold the tiebreaker, plus they have an easier closing schedule than Carolina. If Tampa Bay can beat both Carolina and Atlanta in its next two games, the Bucs should end up with the No. 2 playoff seed in the NFC behind the N.Y. Giants.

It won’t be easy to win Monday night, though. RB DeAngelo Williams scored four TDs last week for Carolina in the Panthers’ dramatic 35-31 win. The Panthers are 6-0 at home and have started to put some points on the board. “We had 35 this past week, 28 the week before — we’re scoring a few points, and we’re going to need every single one of them against Tampa,” Panther QB Jake Delhomme said.

Panther coach John Fox likes to say that people always remember what you do in December. This could be one of those memorable games, as these teams have a long history against one another and have turned into fairly bitter rivals.

The Panthers are 6-0 at home and have stayed remarkably healthy most all season. WR Steve Smith, DE Julius Peppers and MLB Jon Beason are all turning in Pro Bowl-caliber seasons. QB Jake Delhomme had a spotty November, but he did lead the winning TD drive against Green Bay with under two minutes to go and is 7-2 in his career as a starter against the Bucs.

Tampa Bay LB Barrett Ruud was a key part of the Bucs’ wonderful defensive effort in their 24-point win over Carolina earlier this season. Delhomme couldn’t find anyone deep in that one, got picked off three times (all on tipped balls) and Carolina didn’t run the ball well enough. Williams has improved dramatically since that first meeting, however, and enters this game as one of the hottest backs in the league.

The Panthers’ problem right now is an unlikely one. Their defense, once ranked No. 2 in the NFL in points allowed, has dropped to No. 7 after the team has given up 22, 45 and 31 points in its past three games. They had trouble last week against a mobile QB in Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, and Garcia has long hurt Carolina with his penchant for scrambling. RB Warrick Dunn also ran for 115 yards in that first meeting and will get a big dose of carries again in this one.

Get ready to stay up late if you want to see the outcome — this one will likely go down to the wire. But the Bucs have lately been the more consistent squad.

Tampa Bay by 3