The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a win, and they need it soon. So what better opportunity than the 1-10 Carolina Panthers?
No win comes easy in the NFL, but the Panthers are fresh off firing their head coach in Frank Reich and have the current worst record in the league. The Bucs are on a losing skid, dropping six of their last seven, and this game should be a crucial one given that it is an NFC South rival and the Bucs are just one game back from the division lead.
Here is how Bucs Wire’s staff sees this matchup going for Tampa Bay:
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To be frank, no game is assured for the Bucs the way they’ve been playing as of recent — even against the 1-10 Carolina Panthers. Tampa Bay has had a hard time beating teams close recently, but it did manage to handily defeat a bad team like the Titans at home a few weeks ago. That being said, the Panthers have a new head coach and some defensive weapons like Jaycee Horn and Jeremy Chinn returning, so it won’t be an easy outing for a Bucs offense that doesn’t tend to score more than 20 points and a Bucs defense that acts as a sieve in the passing game. I think the Bucs get back on track (of a sort) against a Panthers team this bad, but it’ll be tight.
Bucs 21, Panthers 17
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Contrary to Todd Bowles’ proclamations, the 2023 season has indeed snowballed on the Bucs. After losing six of the last seven games, Tampa Bay could at least taper off the boulder of ice that has become their season by beating the lowly Carolina Panthers. Bryce Young has struggled all season, which cost head coach Frank Reich his job just 11 games into his first year in Carolina. While Young could get a small albeit temporary boost with the coaching change, the Panthers offense is one of least talented in the NFL and should still be overmatched by a Bucs defense down its starting linebackers.
Bucs 20, Panthers 16
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
It’s do-or-die for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs (4-7) return home and take on the Carolina Panthers (1-10). While both teams haven’t had the type of seasons they’ve expected, it’s been much worse for the Panthers. Carolina recently fired its head coach Frank Reich, and the team has looked completely dysfunctional under rookie QB Bryce Young. The Panthers have one of the worst offenses in the league and, still, are unlikely to gain any sort of traction against the Bucs’ horrible defense. Baker Mayfield should lead the way against Carolina, and I expect Tampa Bay’s offensive focal points (C. Godwin, M. Evans, R. White) will have big days on Sunday.
Bucs 24, Panthers 17
