Who experts and pundits are taking in Bucs vs. Panthers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing their first NFC South rival since Week 7 on Sunday, and it’s a game they have to win.

The Bucs are set to play the Carolina Panthers for Week 13, and Tampa Bay miraculously remains just one game back from the NFC South lead. A win over the Panthers would be big to maintain that gap if the team has any hopes for competing for the division title after losing six of its last seven matchups.

Here is how experts and pundits from numerous publications and websites see the matchup between Tampa Bay and Carolina going:

(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

USA TODAY Week 13 picks

Jarrett Bell: Bucs

Chris Bumbaca: Bucs

Lorenzo Reyes: Bucs

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Bucs

Nate Davis: Bucs

Safid Deen: Bucs

Tyler Dragon: Bucs

Victoria Hernandez: Bucs

(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

NFL.com Week 13 picks

Ali Bhanpuri: Bucs

Brooke Cersosimo: Bucs

Dan Parr: Bucs

Gennaro Filice: Panthers

Tom Blair: Bucs

Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Week 13 picks

Stephania Bell: Bucs

Matt Bowen: Bucs

Mike Clay: Bucs

Jeremy Fowler: Bucs

Dan Graziano: Panthers

Kimberley Martin: Bucs

Eric Moody: Bucs

Lindsey Thiry: Bucs

Jason Reid: Bucs

Sam Wickersham: Bucs

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

CBS Sports Week 13 picks

Pete Prisco: Bucs

Will Brinson: Panthers

Jared Dubin: Bucs

Ryan Wilson: Panthers

John Breech: Bucs

Tyler Sullivan: Bucs

Dave Richard: Bucs

Jamey Eisenberg: Bucs

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

MMQB Week 13 picks

Albert Breer: Bucs

Mitch Goldich: Bucs

Claire Kuwana: Bucs

Gilberto Manzano: Bucs

Conor Orr: Bucs

John Pluym: Bucs

Matt Verderame: Bucs

(Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images)

Bill Bender: Bucs 28, Panthers 20

The Panthers fired Frank Reich on Monday, the end of an era that produced a 1-10 record this season. Chris Tabor is the interim coach, and there is always the opportunity for a play-up moment for the franchise. Tampa Bay has lost six of seven games, but four of those losses have been of the one-score variety. They reverse that trend here.