The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have struggled to an unexpected 1-5 start in the 2026 season, but the potential saving grace is that they still have all six of their games against NFC South opponents to play. That starts in Week Seven, when the Buccaneers head to Charlotte to take on the 3-2 and division-leading Carolina Panthers.
Carolina is also the defending NFC South champs after they won a three-way tiebreaker with the Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons last season. The Bucs and Panthers split a pair of contests in the final three weeks of that campaign and the rivalry is surely still fresh on the minds for both teams as it gets renewed on Sunday, October 25 at Bank of America Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast locally by FOX.
The Buccaneers were hoping to turn their rousing win in Dallas on Thursday night in Week Five into a streak, and they appeared to be headed in that direction when they took a 16-3 lead into the fourth quarter against Pittsburgh on Sunday. However, Jalon Daniels was intercepted twice in that period and the Steelers scored on four straight possessions to take a 19-16 lead. The Bucs rallied to send it into overtime on Chase McLaughlin's 53-yard field goal, but the Steelers scored a touchdown on the opening possession of overtime and the home team couldn't quite respond. Tampa Bay's defense was in control for three quarters and finished the game with a season-high five sacks, two by emerging young pass rusher David Walker.
The Panthers won with relative ease in Philadelphia in Week Six against an Eagles team missing quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver Devonta Smith. Bryce Young threw for 281 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions and the Panthers' defense held Philadelphia's depleted offense to 222 yards. Young continues to build on his promising 2025 campaign and has now thrown for 11 touchdowns against two interceptions and 309.8 yards per game this season. Running back Chuba Hubbard has once again emerged as the lead back for Carolina and is coming off a 120-yard, one-touchdown performance in Philly.
The Buccaneers and Panthers have met 51 times prior to next week's tilt. If the Buccaneers can secure a victory, the series will be knotted in a 26-26 all-time tie.
