"That guy Steve Smith, he's a nightmare, man," Gruden said during a conference call with reporters Thursday. "He's like Freddy Krueger to me. He scares the [heck] out of me."

Evoking Krueger, the horror film character from the "Nightmare on Elm Street" movie series, was Gruden's way of paying homage to one of the NFL's most spectacular playmakers.

Just last week against the Packers at Green Bay, Smith bailed out the Panthers with dramatic catches for 36- and 54-yard gains in the fourth quarter, setting up two touchdowns to key Carolina's 35-31 come-from-behind win.

"Every film I pick up, he's brilliant," Gruden said. "He makes some of the darndest catches.

"I don't like to see Steve."

Even before speaking with reporters who cover the Panthers, Gruden used the "Freddy" moniker to describe Smith when addressing his players during a team meeting Thursday.

Considering the source, it's a particularly impressive comparison. For years, Gruden has been dubbed "Chucky" after another horror film character because of his intense facial expressions on the sideline during games.

Smith was flattered.

"I think that's a good compliment," Smith said when told about Gruden's comments. "I don't think he said it to throw me off or to get me to relax.

"I appreciate it. I'll just kind of go home and smile and check that off and say, 'Hey, that's pretty cool.' "

Smith has given Gruden plenty of reason to fear the threat he poses in Carolina's passing attack.

Of Smith's 30 career 100-yard receiving performances, five have come against the Buccaneers -- more than any other team.

"He's really hurt us bad in some games," said Gruden, who became Tampa Bay's coach in 2002, Smith's second year in the NFL.

Smith has had five 100-yard days this season and ranks sixth in the league with 958 receiving yards despite missing the first two games.

The Bucs typically like to double-team Smith, rolling a safety over to help a cornerback -- oftentimes Ronde Barber.

Tampa Bay's attempt to keep Smith in check will be one of the primary subplots in Monday night's battle for sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

The mutual respect between Barber and Smith is immense.

"Steve, to me, is the best," Barber said. "He really knows how to outwork guys for the Football and once he catches the ball, he knows how to outwork guys for extra yards. I have as much respect for Steve as anybody in the league."

Because Carolina and Tampa Bay are division rivals and meet twice per season, Smith said he doesn't study as much film preparing to face Barber as he does before playing most other cornerbacks.

"We're very familiar with one another," Smith said. "We have a lot of tendencies playing each other. Sometimes watching film doesn't really benefit me because I have so much experience playing him."

Smith said he also hasn't seen video of his leaping 54-yard behind-the-head catch against Green Bay last Sunday that set up the Panthers' winning touchdown.

He shrugged when asked how he thought it ranked among the best catches in his career.

"I don't really pay attention to that," Smith said. "At the end of my career, I'll look back at them and have a little highlight tape. But, right now, if somebody asked me for a highlight tape of my best plays thus far, I don't even have one."

But Chucky, er Gruden, does.