The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers, 16-14 at Raymond James Stadium in Week 18. In order to lock up the NFC South division, the Bucs need a Falcons' loss to the Saints on Sunday. Overall, Baker Mayfield completed 16-of-22 attempts for 203 yards, a touchdown and a pick.
The Buccaneers capped off their opening nine-play, 74-yard drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Cade Otton. On the play before, Otton settled into the zone and Mayfield hit for a 10-yard gain. On the Panthers' ensuing drive, Antoine Winfield Jr. broke up a third-down pass intended for Xavier Legette, forcing a punt. Tampa Bay's second possession culminated in a 29-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin following an incompletion to Emeka Egbuka in the end zone on third down.
On the next sequence, Mayfield's pass intended for Emeka Egbuka was intercepted by Christian Rozeboom and returned 20 yards to the Tampa Bay 19-yard line. The Panthers capitalized with a three-play, 19-yard scoring drive that ended in an eight-yard Tommy Tremble touchdown. On the following drive for Carolina, Jacob Parrish intercepted Bryce Young's pass intended for Tetairoa McMillan at the Tampa Bay 42-yard line. The rookie had sticky coverage and high-pointed the ball as it arrived to shift the momentum to the Bucs. The Bucs were unable to cash in with seven and settled for a McLaughlin 36-yard field goal to make it a 13-7 game. On the drive, Mayfield made a critical scramble on third down and as his legs were wrapped by a defender, he side-armed a dart to Otton for a 22-yard gain.
Out of the half, Ryan Fitzgerald's 54-yard field goal attempt was no good, keeping it a 13-7 game. Early in the fourth, McLaughlin kicked a 48-yard field goal after Mayfield was stopped short of the first on a third-down scramble. On the Panthers' subsequent drive, Lavonte David recovered the fumble off a botched flea flicker at the Tampa Bay 29-yard-line. The Bucs marched down the field but after Otton's catch was ruled incomplete on third, which would have set up fourth-and-one, Tampa Bay went for a field goal and McLaughlin's 38-yard attempt was blocked.
The Panthers responded with an eight-play, 72-yard scoring drive that ended in an eight-yard Jalen Coker touchdown, courtesy of a 40-yard gain by McMillan.
TOP PERFORMERS đ
Buccaneers:
- Passing: QB Baker Mayfield: 16/22 for 203 yards - 1 TD & 1 INT
- Rushing: RB Bucky Irving: 26 rushes for 85 yards
- Receiving: TE Cade Otton: 7 catches for 94 yards - 1 TD
- Defense: CB Jacob Parrish: 2 total tackles & 1 INT
Panthers:
- Passing: QB Bryce Young: 24/35 for 264 yards - 2 TD & 1 INT
- Rushing: RB Rico Dowdle: 7 rushes for 10 yards
- Receiving: WR Tetairoa McMillan: 4 catches for 84 yards
- Defense: LB Christian Rozeboom: 8 total tackles & 1 INT
