Published: Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009 / Updated: Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009 08:10 AM

Panthers ‘get through' soggy practice for Bucs

CHARLOTTE -- The weather might not have been worse. But Carolina Panthers coach John Fox saw something in his team Wednesday, perhaps just the lift from coming off their first win of the year.

The Panthers, still just 1-3, go to 0-5 Tampa Bay this weekend. They aren't going to be ready for the Florida elements after their last practice — sub-50-degree temperatures, with a steady wind and rain. They stayed on one of their grass fields, as they try to stay off their one artificial surface as often as possible.

“I thought our players' focus was really good,” Fox said. “We can get some rain in Tampa. It was a hard sell to convince them that it would be 45 (degrees). But it was good to work in the conditions as far as the ball handling and those types of things.

“We'll just take each day at a time. Today, we were able to manage to get through it.”

TRULY SPECIAL: Punter Jason Baker was named NFC special teams players of the week, though he offered not much more than a shrug when congratulated.

“Must have been a light week,” Baker joked.

Baker, who's had a tough first month, rebounded with two punts inside the 20, a gross of 44.8 yards and a net of 44.0. It's his first career player of the week award.

Of course, he got his biggest boost when safety Quinton Teal was able to push Redskins cornerback Byron Westbrook into a fourth-quarter punt, causing a fumble which was recovered by Panthers special teamer Dante Wesley. Teal laughed when asked if he got half the award, saying “that was all hang-time, man.”

The fact that Teal was even on the punt team was a result of starting safety Chris Harris getting back on the field after a knee injury, since Teal was starting and not available for all his normal special teams duties the first three weeks.

INJURY UPDATE: Rookie kick returner Mike Goodson returned to practice, after missing last week with a concussion suffered in Dallas. Whether he retains that job after Kenny Moore's game-changing 55-yard return last week remains to be seen.

The only player to miss practice Wednesday was running back Jonathan Stewart (Achilles), who continues to go easy in practice, while playing the games.

Linebackers Jon Beason (knee), Na'il Diggs (rib), James Anderson (concussion), defensive tackle Nick Hayden (toe) and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn (shoulder) were limited.

EXTRA POINTS: The Panthers filled their practice squad by signing defensive tackle Terrance Taylor, who was Indianapolis' fourth-round pick this year out of Michigan.