Sportscasting | Pure Sports
Home / NFL / NFL Fans Respond To Carolina Panthers Falling to Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Missing Another NFC South Title Opportunity

NFL Fans Respond To Carolina Panthers Falling to Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Missing Another NFC South Title Opportunity

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Updated –
We publish independently audited content meeting strict editorial standards. Ads on our site are served by Google AdSense and are not controlled or influenced by our editorial team.
NFL Fans Respond To Carolina Panthers Falling to Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Missing Another NFC South Title Opportunity

All the Carolina Panthers can do now is watch the NFL on television Sunday.

For the second straight week, the Panthers failed to clinch the NFC South championship, falling 16-14 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a mistake-prone, Week 18 outing at a rainy Raymond James Stadium.

The 8-9 Panthers can still clinch their first divisional title since 2015 if the Atlanta Falcons (7-9), winners of three consecutive games, beat the New Orleans Saints (6-10), winners of four in a row, Sunday. If the Saints win, the Buccaneers, who entered Saturday having lost seven of their last eight games, would clinch their fifth straight division title.

“We found a way to win,” Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield told ESPN. “Tough divisional opponent. We did everything we could today. We’ll sit back and see what happens.”

The Panthers found a way to lose.

Lacking execution early, the Panthers could not overcome at least three crucial officiating calls that Panthers coach Dave Canales described on Panthers.com as calls “that could have gone either way.”

A fumble on a fourth-quarter flea flicker play also could end up costing the Panthers their first playoff appearance since 2017.

X (Twitter) users responded to the Panthers blowing their second straight opportunity to clinch the division …

Following the Dec. 28 loss to the visiting Seattle Seahawks, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young said he would “flush” the outing in 24 hours. Young returned to work Tuesday with a pep in his step …

Saturday’s establishing shot …

The Week 18 matchup meant something, just not everything …

After establishing the running game early and Mayfield converted a key first down off a scramble and threw an opening-drive touchdown pass to tight end Cade Otton, his first score on 53 receptions this season …

Mayfield celebrated as if to say: “This is our house” …

Dominating the first quarter, the Buccaneers opened up a 10-0 lead on Chase McLaughlin’s 29-yard field goal at 1:57 of the first quarter. The Bucs compiled 130 yards on 19 plays, while the Panthers produced zero yards on four plays. The Panthers finished with just seven plays over the opening 15 minutes …

The Panthers’ offense started generating momentum in the second quarter, scoring on a Tommy Tremble 8-yard TD pass from Young …

On the first run of the second half, Panthers running back Rico Dowdle surpassed 1,350 scrimmage yards, earning a $1 million bonus. Dowdle will be a free agent this offseason …

The Buccaneers were playing with two 21-year-old rookie cornerbacks. One of them, Jacob Parrish, made Young pay for a floating pass. It was the second of his career …

The Panthers endured an odd call early in the second half. On what appeared to be a backward pass, an erroneous whistle stopped a live play and they eventually were forced to punt. Young was not happy …

Another questionable call occurred on Tetairoa McMillan in the middle of the third period. Coming off the line, the rookie wide receiver engaged in a hand fight with a defender playing man-on-man coverage. McMillan caught a 31-yard pass, but was called for offensive pass interference …

Here is the pool report from referee Brad Allen, covering the two questionable calls …

Trailing 16-7 in the fourth quarter, the Panthers attempted a comeback until a “total debacle” occurred when Dowdle slipped and lost control of a flea-flicker attempt. Young had a chance to recover the fumble, but couldn’t corral it. Canales spoke on the play during his post-game press conference, via The Charlotte Observer …

Young hit wide receiver Jalen Coker for an 8-yard touchdown with 2:25 remaining. In 12 of his 14 NFL wins, Young is credited with fourth-quarter comebacks, the most since 2023. Sunday, though, ended up another missed opportunity …

Final score: Buccaneers 16, Panthers 14 …

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  
All posts by Jeff Hawkins
Other News