Bucs bounce back with huge 20-14 road win over Panthers

Defense stands tall again, Jameis Winston responds with a turnover-free performance.

After a disappointing Week 1 loss at home, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers bounced back in a huge way Thursday night, taking down the Carolina Panthers 20-14 in front of a national audience.

For the second straight week, the Tampa Bay defense showed up in a big way, keeping the Panthers out of the end zone and coming up with multiple fourth-down stops, including the game-ender in the final minutes with Carolina knocking on the door.

Bucs cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III forced Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey out of bounds just short of the line to gain on 4th-and-1 at the Tampa Bay 2-yard line, sealing the Bucs' first win of the 2019 season.

After throwing three interceptions in Week 1, including a pair of pick-sixes that turned out to be the difference on the scoreboard for the Bucs, Jameis Winston turned in a fantastic performance Thursday night. While his 16-for-25 for 205 yards and one touchdown line might not look earth-shattering, it was Winston's ability to avoid any turnovers that helped Tampa Bay earn a key win against their first division rival of the season.

Wide receiver Chris Godwin was the star on offense for the Bucs, hauling in eight passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, while Mike Evans bounced back from an illness-impacted performance last week to catch four passes for 61 yards. Running back Peyton Barber tailled 82 yards on the ground, out-rushing McCaffrey, who was held in check all night long by the Tampa Bay defense.

The defensive MVP for Tampa Bay on Thursday night was outside linebacker Shaq Barrett, who is quickly proving himself to be a free-agent bargain. The former Denver Broncos pass rusher sacked Panthers quarterback Cam Newton three times, and was kept from a fourth by an egregious holding penalty. Defensive tackle Vita Vea also created constant pressure on Newton up the middle, impacting multiple throws.

The Bucs have allowed just one offensive touchdown through eight quarters now, and new head coach Bruce Arians has earned his first victory with the Bucs despite the short week.