The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have done enough to stay in the chase for a postseason spot, but they can’t afford a slip-up.
The Carolina Panthers will try to knock an opponent out of playoff contention for the second week in a row when they visit the Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon at Tampa, Fla.
“We understand where we are,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. “It’s great to be playing December football. We just have to take care of ourselves and look up at the end and see where we’re at.”
The Buccaneers (8-7) are tied with the Atlanta Falcons atop the NFC South, but even if Tampa Bay wins out, there’s no guarantee the team will claim the division because Atlanta owns the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series.
“We’re in playoff mode,” Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “We’ve got to take care of business or we have no shot.”
The Panthers (4-11) snapped a four-game losing streak by winning their home finale by defeating Arizona 36-30 in overtime last week. That outcome doused the Cardinals’ playoff prospects.
“It has been my hope all year to build a brand of football that we’re proud of,” first-year Carolina coach Dave Canales said.
Now it’s a chance for Canales to disrupt the plans of his former team. He was Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator before taking the job with the Panthers.
The Buccaneers won the first meeting with the Panthers this season, 26-23 in overtime Dec. 1 in Charlotte. Carolina scored a go-ahead touchdown with 30 seconds left, but Chase McLaughlin’s 51-yard field goal on the final play of regulation extended the game, and then McLaughlin’s 30-yarder in overtime won it.
Mayfield threw for 235 yards in that game, while Carolina quarterback Bryce Young passed for 298.
Tampa Bay lost 26-24 at Dallas last weekend, halting a four-game winning streak that included three lopsided victories. Mayfield’s 303 yards in the air against the Cowboys marked his most passing yards in a seven-game stretch.
For the Panthers, six of their last seven games have been decided by six points or fewer, with three of the games going to overtime.
“We got to make sure that our bodies are right for this weekend, especially going down to Tampa, where it’s going to be a little warmer down there,” Canales said.
Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard’s 152 rushing yards with two touchdowns, including the winner in overtime, provided highlights in the Arizona game. He’s up to 1,195 rushing yards for the season.
“Just the example of consistency, of hard work, Panthers football, our style, all that stuff, personified,” Canales said. “I know if Chuba was up here, he’d be giving all the love to the big boys up front.”
In the first game vs. Tampa Bay, Hubbard was limited to 43 yards rushing on 12 carries.
The Panthers have had a revised practice schedule this week. Offensive tackle Taylor Moton (knee) and cornerback Jaycee Horn (hip) have been nursing injuries and missed time early in the week.
Perhaps of bigger curiosity for the Panthers is the status of rookie receiver Xavier Legette (hip/wrist), who missed the Arizona game but hopes to play again by the season’s end. Canales said Legette was moving well earlier in the week, and the receiver was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, so that is encouraging news for the team ahead of the Tampa Bay game.
The Buccaneers could have safety Jordan Whitehead (pectoral muscle) back on Sunday following a stint on injured reserve.
Tampa Bay will close the season next week at home against New Orleans, while the Panthers will have another chance to impact the divisional standings by finishing at Atlanta.
–Field Level Media
