CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – The Carolina Panthers deserved the boos that chased them off the field at halftime. Even Steve Smith’s stomach was turning.

By the second half, he was feeling better, the Panthers got it turned around – and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were feeling all the worse for it.

Jake Delhomme threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Keyshawn Johnson for the go-ahead score in the third quarter and Julius Peppers had three sacks and recovered a fumble as the Panthers beat the Buccaneers 24-10 on Monday night to end a two-game losing streak.

Smith was seen repeatedly vomiting into a garbage can on the sidelines, once after a long catch in the first half. But he stayed in the game, catching eight passes for 149 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter that sealed it.

Rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski threw two interceptions and lost a fumble for the Buccaneers (2-7), who committed turnovers on four of five possessions in the second and third quarters to blow a 7-0 halftime lead in their third straight loss.

Forced to wait 15 days to play again after allowing 25 fourth-quarter points in a loss to Dallas, the Panthers managed only three first downs and 98 yards in the first half.

Their drives in that half went: punt, fumble, punt, punt, punt, interception.

Fans, upset with the play-calling and the Panthers inability to run, showed their displeasure early and saved the loudest boos as the Panthers walked off the field at halftime with only three first downs against a team missing three defensive starters to injury, including Simeon Rice.

Carolina scored on four of their first six drives in the second half – but then, the Buccaneers made it easy for the Panthers to come back.

Gradkowski’s third turnover of the game, a fumble forced by Chris Draft and recovered by Peppers, gave Carolina the ball at the Tampa Bay 44.

Delhomme then found Smith for a 21-yard catch-and-run, setting up Delhomme’s 4-yard TD pass to Keyshawn Johnson. It gave Carolina it’s first lead, 10-7 midway through the third quarter.

Carnell “Cadillac” Williams fumbled on the next possession and Mike Minter recovered at the Tampa Bay 16. Four plays later Brad Hoover’s 5-yard touchdown run put Carolina up 17-7.

It marked the eighth time in nine games the Panthers held the lead going into the fourth quarter, unlike on three previous occasions, the Panthers held on.

Peppers, going up against second-year pro Jeremy Trueblood after the season-ending injury to Kenyatta Walker, took over the NFL lead with 11 sacks.

AP-ES-11-13-06 2344EST