Similar to final yr, the Bucs have gotten by a lot of their 2024 season earlier than assembly the division rival Panthers for the primary time in a season. In 2023, Tampa Bay matched up with Carolina at residence in Week 13 and on the street in Week 18, and it’s an analogous schedule this yr. Solely this time, the Bucs are at Carolina in Week 13 and taking part in host to Dave Canales and Co. in Week 17.
Tampa Bay comes into this recreation at 5-6, needing to beat its former offensive coordinator and his new group to earn back-to-back wins for the primary time since Weeks 1 and a pair of. Doing so would additionally get Todd Bowles’ group again to .500 within the first time in over a month whereas serving to within the playoff push.
All-time, the Panthers have a 25-22 benefit in 47 conferences with the Bucs, however Tampa Bay has gained seven of the final eight contests between the 2 sides. However how have among the Bucs’ key gamers fared in opposition to the Panthers over the course of their careers? Let’s break all of it down.
Baker Mayfield Has A Historical past Of Successful Ugly vs. Panthers
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Picture by: USA At the moment
For Baker Mayfield, who spent a part of the 2022 season in Carolina earlier than ending out the yr in Los Angeles, there’s each good and dangerous information about his historical past in opposition to the Panthers. The excellent news is that he’s by no means misplaced to Carolina, going 3-0 between his time with the Browns and Bucs. However the dangerous information is that he has but to actually play a nice recreation in opposition to this specific NFC South foe. In different phrases, he has a historical past of successful ugly in previous matchups.
His first recreation in opposition to the Panthers got here in 2018 when he was a rookie with the Browns. He was environment friendly in that recreation, going 18-of-22 for 238 yards and a landing. That’s definitely good, but it surely was solely a 26-20 win and really marked his greatest efficiency of the three.
When he got here to the Bucs in 2023, Mayfield continued his successful methods in opposition to the Panthers, serving to his new group sweep one among his outdated ones. However each video games had been ugly. Tampa Bay gained the primary 21-18 earlier than successful the second 9-0. Within the three-point win in Tampa, Mayfield was simply 14-of-29 for 202 yards, a landing and an interception. That efficiency was simply adequate, and the efficiency in Week 18 very fortuitously didn’t value the Bucs the sport and their third straight NFC South title.
In that 9-0 win, Mayfield was 20-of-32 for 137 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He might’ve had a pair (or perhaps a few) interceptions within the recreation, however Carolina couldn’t take benefit and Tampa Bay’s protection shouldered the burden and pitched a shutout. In his three profession wins over Carolina, Mayfield has accomplished 62.7% of his passes for 577 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
So, whereas Mayfield attending to 4-0 in opposition to the Panthers in any means attainable is the principle goal, he’s absolutely seeking to do extra on his half to place the Bucs in place to win comfortably at Financial institution of America Stadium.
Mike Evans Has Been Dominant Towards Carolina
Bucs WR Mike Evans – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
In his illustrious 11-year profession, Mike Evans has seen the Panthers 19 instances. He’s additionally performed the Falcons 19 instances (together with as soon as this yr) and has 20 video games in opposition to the Saints (together with one this yr). So, it’s inside the context of a fair taking part in discipline the place it’s protected to say that Evans has been extra dominant in opposition to Carolina than another NFC South opponent.
Whereas his catch fee is simply over 50% (53.4%), he has 102 catches, 1,480 yards and 11 touchdowns in his profession in opposition to the Panthers. These 102 catches and 1,480 yards are probably the most he has in opposition to any opponent, and the 11 touchdowns are the second-most he has in opposition to any opponent (he has 13 in opposition to the Falcons).
Evans has 4 profession 100-yard video games and two multi-touchdown video games in 19 conferences with the Panthers.
Evans’ greatest recreation within the sequence got here on New 12 months’s Day 2023 when he caught 10 of his 12 targets for 207 yards and three touchdowns, serving to the Bucs beat the Panthers and clinch a second straight NFC South title. He had landing catches of 63, 57 and 30 yards in that recreation, with the second of these two keying a fourth-quarter comeback for Tampa Bay.
Final yr, Evans break up his performances in opposition to the Panthers between good and dangerous. Within the assembly in Tampa, he caught seven of his 12 targets for 162 yards and a landing (a 75-yarder). However within the 9-0 win at Carolina, he was held to solely three catches on eight targets for 22 yards.
Bucs’ Youthful Playmakers Have But To Actually Get Going vs. Panthers
Bucs RB Rachaad White and RT Luke Goedeke – Picture by: USA At the moment
The Bucs would clearly wish to have manufacturing from different playmakers who aren’t Mike Evans, and given Carolina’s dead-last run stopping protection, Sunday is a giant alternative for Tampa Bay’s backfield to paved the way. In fact, Bucky Irving is about for his first profession recreation with the Panthers, however the different younger playmakers on the Buccaneer offense haven’t completed a complete lot to put in writing residence about in the previous few years.
Rachaad White has performed Carolina 4 instances in his profession and has rushed 56 instances for 205 yards (3.7 avg.) and a landing in these video games. He has additionally totaled 13 catches on 16 targets for 74 yards (5.7 avg.). Although to be honest to White, he had two strong video games in opposition to the Panthers when he was a full-time starter in 2023. Within the residence win, he surpassed 100 complete yards, speeding for 84 on 20 carries (4.2 avg.) and including 22 yards receiving on three catches. He additionally scored his lone landing in that recreation.
Within the away recreation, White helped the Bucs put the sport away late and should have even value himself an opportunity at his first 1,000-yard season for the nice of the group closing out the sport and never having to offer the ball again to Carolina. He ran for 75 yards on 19 carries in that 9-0 win, plus he caught all 4 of his targets for 18 yards. So whereas White hasn’t damaged out in opposition to Carolina, final yr was a step ahead.
Elsewhere on the roster, although, there’s not loads of manufacturing from anybody else on offense. Cade Otton has simply eight catches for 111 yards (13.9 avg.) and no touchdowns in 4 video games in opposition to the Panthers, and final yr he had nothing within the residence win and simply two catches for 30 yards within the street win.
Maybe it’ll be some mixture of Irving and White that offers Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans the help they want come Sunday, or possibly it’ll be Otton who has his first huge recreation in opposition to Carolina.
Lavonte David Makes Performs vs. Panthers
Bucs ILB Lavonte David and 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Whereas Vita Vea has solely 2.5 sacks over 11 profession video games in opposition to the Panthers, there’s a member of the Bucs’ entrance seven who has proven up and made performs again and again on this yearly NFC South sequence. That will, after all, be Lavonte David. Whereas his 21 video games in opposition to Carolina are 4 fewer than he has in opposition to Atlanta and New Orleans, the Panthers are one of many group’s he’s been exceptionally productive in opposition to.
David has 174 tackles (106 solo), 6.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 9 quarterback hits, an interception, 4 passes defensed, three compelled fumbles and three fumble recoveries over these 21 conferences with Carolina. The 6.5 sacks and three compelled fumbles are tied for his most in opposition to any group, whereas his three fumble recoveries are probably the most he has in opposition to a single opponent.
Maybe one of the best recreation of David’s profession on this divisional matchup got here on January 3, 2016 when he posted 12 tackles (4 solo), a sack, a compelled fumble and two fumble recoveries. Or possibly it was his efficiency on New 12 months’s Day 2017, which noticed him rack up six tackles (5 solo) and two sacks.
He didn’t have any splash performs within the two contests with the Panthers final yr, however he did complete 18 tackles (10 solo) between these two video games. He’s coming off one among his higher video games of the 2024 season final Sunday, and he’ll look to maintain it going this week when he renews acquaintances with a well-recognized foe. A splash play might go a great distance for Tampa Bay because it seems to be to beat Carolina and get to 6-6 earlier than coming again residence to Raymond James Stadium in Week 14.
Carolina Hasn’t Had An Reply For Antoine Winfield Jr.
Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Panthers may need their fair proportion of nightmares about Antoine Winfield Jr. and what he’s managed to do over the previous few years. Winfield solely got here into the league in 2020, however from the very starting, he was a menace to Carolina.
In truth, Winfield’s greatest recreation in opposition to the Panthers may’ve been his first. That got here on Sept. 20, 2020, and it was solely the second recreation of the younger security’s profession within the NFL. In a 31-17 win, Winfield completed with 11 tackles (eight solo), a sack and a compelled fumble. That will actually show to be an indication of issues to return each by way of what the 2020 second-round decide would deliver to the Buccaneer protection, in addition to what he might do to Carolina.
Over seven matchups with the Panthers, Winfield has 41 tackles (31 solo), 5.0 sacks, six tackles for loss, an interception, three passes defensed, two compelled fumbles and a fumble restoration. He has extra sacks and tackles for loss in opposition to the Panthers than another group within the NFL, and he’s registered a sack in three straight conferences with Carolina. As a part of that sack streak, he had one in each video games in opposition to the Panthers final yr. Within the recreation at Raymond James Stadium in early December, he additionally sealed the sport with a late interception of Bryce Younger.
And it was his play within the season finale that will have gained Tampa Bay the sport and the division, as he tracked down DJ Chark to pressure a fumble simply earlier than he crossed the aim line. That saved the Panthers off the board and loomed massive because the Bucs went on to win 9-0. His sack in that recreation was completely timed, too, because it got here on a 3rd down on the Tampa Bay 25-yard line with the Bucs solely up 6-0. He dropped Younger for a lack of 9, and Matthew Wright went on to overlook a 52-yard discipline aim on the subsequent play.
Don’t be stunned if Winfield has a giant half to play in a possible win for the Bucs this Sunday. Tampa Bay’s protection has been a shell of itself for a lot of this yr, however when No. 31 will get going, he is usually a one-man game-wrecker. It’s time for that aspect of him to reemerge because the stretch run heats up.
