The 7-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 7-7 Carolina Panthers put first place in the NFC South on the line in Week 16 when the Bucs visit Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game is scheduled for Sunday, December 21, with kickoff at 1:00 p.m. ET. This is the first of two times that the Buccaneers and Panthers will do battle over the last three weeks of the regular season.
Here are some additional numbers to know about the state of the Buccaneers and their 15th game of the 2025 campaign:
2
The number of wins the Buccaneers need in the final three weeks to clinch a record fifth straight NFC South title. A two-game sweep of the Panthers would obviously accomplish that mission, but Tampa Bay would also win the division with a split against Carolina and a Week 17 win in Miami, regardless of how the Panthers fare against Seattle that same day. If both teams finish 9-8, the Buccaneers would win the division on the tiebreaker based on record against common opponents.
10
The number of field goals from 50 yards and beyond that Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin has made in 2025…in 10 attempts. McLaughlin made his 10th one against Atlanta in Week 15, drilling a 52-yarder on Thursday night. With the Dallas Cowboys' Brandon Aubrey subsequently missing twice from beyond 50 yards against Minnesota on Sunday, McLaughlin ascended to the top spot in NFL history in terms of success rate on field goal tries of 50 or more (42 of 49, 85.7%).
27
The number of starts missed this season by the Buccaneers' anticipated starting five on the offensive line: left tackle Tristan Wirfs, left guard Ben Bredeson, center Graham Barton, right guard Cody Mauch and right tackle Luke Goedeke. Bredeson and Mauch are on injured reserve and will not play again in the regular season. Last year, that fivesome combined to miss just six starts as the Bucs ranked in the NFL's top five in points scored, total yards, passing yards and rushing yards.
33
The number of forced fumbles that Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David has recorded in his career, after notching one on Thursday night against the Falcons' Darnell Mooney. That is the most in franchise history, leading Derrick Brooks and Simeon Rice by eight each. It is also the third most among active NFL players behind only the Steelers' T.J. Watt (36) and the Chargers' Khalil Mack (35). Davis is the only player to rank in the top 10 in this category among active players who is not an edge rusher or a defensive lineman.
106
The number of fourth-quarter points the Buccaneers have allowed this season, including a combined 22 in the most recent losses to New Orleans and Atlanta. The Buccaneers have only scored 69 points in the fourth quarter on offense, a deficit of 37 points. Tampa Bay has allowed 13 or more points in the fourth quarter on four different occasions this season.
125.6
The number of rushing yards per game the Carolina Panthers are averaging behind the duo of Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard. That ranks ninth in the NFL. Carolina is 5-1 this season in games in which it creates 125 or more rushing yards. Tampa Bay's rush defense, meanwhile, ranks 10th in the NFL, allowing 101.4 yards per game.
254
The number of receiving yards produced by the Bucs' receiving quartet of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka in Week 15 against Atlanta, out of the team's total of 277 passing yards in the game. That was the first time that all four of those receivers were available to play in the same game. That foursome accounted for 81.3% of Baker Mayfield's targets against Atlanta, 84.2% of his completions and 91.7% of his passing yards.
