BucsGameday Staff Predictions: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers Week 17

Our staff provides their predictions and analysis for Tampa Bay Buccaneers pivotal NFC South rematch against the Carolina Panthers in Week 17.

Dec 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws a pass before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are clinging to the life of their playoff hopes with just two games remaining in the regular season before postseason play begins. However, the Bucs are no longer in control of their own destiny and will need to win out and have the Atlanta Falcons lose along the way to secure the coveted spot in the playoffs.

After taking matters into their own hands against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15, the Bucs didn't quite lay a dud, but they did drop a game to a team not even in the playoff conversation in the Dallas Cowboys. Now, as we head into Week 17, the enigma that is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have to finish the season off against two divisional opponents — starting with the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers and quarterback Bryce Young put up a major fight against the Buccaneers before a heroic play happened in overtime that allowed Tampa Bay to walk away victorious in a much-needed scenario. Things will be a bit different for both sides as the Bucs have some players returning and still out while the Panthers are dealing with some injury issues of their own, including standout running back Chuba Hubbard, who is set to miss the remainder of the season.

With everything on the line for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, here is how our staff here at BucsGameday sees this one playing out against the Carolina Panthers.

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Caleb Skinner (@chsnole)

The Bucs are a mixed bag — something they have been all season, and that replicated itself in Weeks 15 and 16 as the Bucs demolished the Chargers before looking extremely pedestrian in their loss to the Cowboys last week. The Buccaneers have been a resilent group, but what they haven't been is consistent.

This week they get the Carolina Panthers, a team who not long ago gave the Buccaneers their first scare of potentially missing the playoffs. The Buccaneers are now in "must-win" territory and will have to do so against a Panthers team that is looking to play spoiler while Tampa Bay still must hope that the Atlanta Falcons lose from week-to-week.

With recent news that star Carolina running back Chuba Hubbard will miss the rest of the season, I believe the going might just be a bit easier despite the issues that continue to plague the Bucs. The Bucs luckily get to end their regular season at home and that should also help in their efforts to go 1-0.

2024 Season Prediction Record: 7-7

Buccaneers 31, Panthers 17

River Wells (@riverhwells)

The Buccaneers have to win this game against the Carolina Panthers. They know that, and so does Carolina, but Tampa Bay has the advantage of playing this game at home and it's coming off a rough Dallas loss it can try to get over. The Panthers are a scrappy bunch, so this may be a little tough, but I see Tampa Bay taking care of business — and then waiting to see if the Washington Commanders help them out a bit.

2024 Season Prediction Record: 7-7

Buccaneers 27, Panthers 24

JC Allen (@JCAllenNFL)

The Bucs went from being in control of their own destiny to now needing some help after dropping last Sunday's game against the Cowboys. Tampa Bay needs to finish strong now and hope the Falcons drop one along the way to earn their fourth straight NFC South title.

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Their first test just got a little easier. The Buccaneers host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday who will be without two of their best players on both sides of the ball. On offense, Chuba Hubbard is out for the year with a calf strain, while the presence of CB Jaycee Horn out with a hip injury will be missed on defense.

The Panthers are 4-11 but have been playing good football over the last two months, taking the Bucs into overtime in Week 13. For Tampa Bay, this needs to be a get-right game to put them back on track for a hopeful playoff push.

2024 Season Prediction Record: 7-7

Buccaneers 27, Panthers 16

Collin Haalboom (@SI_Buccaneers)

The Bucs need to bounce back from an incredibly disappointing loss in Dallas last week. If they don't, their postseason chances will have evaporated just as quickly as they arose.

The Bucs don't need to just avenge last week's loss to the Cowboys, though. They also need to prove they are a superior team to the rebuilding Carolina Panthers, who lost their first meeting vs. the Bucs in devastating fashion when Chuba Hubbard fumbled the game away in OT.

If the Bucs can't beat the Panthers on Sunday, they don't deserve to play in the postseason.

2024 Season Prediction Record: 9-5

Buccaneers 31, Panthers 17

Kade Kimble (@kadekimble)

In a battle to win the NFC South over the Atlanta Falcons, the Buccaneers need a big win over the Carolina Panthers. Todd Bowles' defense will need to be sharp, but Baker Mayfield's offense will do plenty for a big win.

2024 Season Prediction Record: 10-3 (Excludes Ravens game)

Buccaneers 28, Panthers 19

David Harrison (@DHarrison82)

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The thing about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under head coach Todd Bowles is the lack of consistent play by his team. After throttling the Los Angeles Chargers, confidence was at a high-point, which is why I predicted a letdown against the Dallas Cowboys. Though I still thought the Bucs would win that game, I felt it'd be a down performance. It was worse than I expected.

Coming out of that, this Tampa Bay squad could go either way in this game against the Panthers. I think they win, but I don't have a lot of confidence the 'Carolina Reaper' isn't going to slash the Buccaneers' playoff chances even lower than they already are.

2024 Season Prediction Record: 11-3

Buccaneers 24, Panthers 20

Dustin Lewis (@DustinLewisNG)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers put together a stinker in Dallas last weekend but still have a shot at the postseason. The Buccaneers will return home for their final two games of the regular season after a seven-game stretch that included five matchups on the road.

With that being said, there's no time for Tampa Bay to let its guard down with the Carolina Panthers arriving to town. Carolina ended Arizona's playoff hopes last Sunday and is looking to play spoiler once again. Dave Canales would love to take down his former team in Raymond James Stadium.

Give me the Buccaneers by the slimmest of margins. The offense absolutely has to cut down on the mind-boggling turnovers.

2024 Season Prediction Record: 10-4

Buccaneers 24, Panthers 23

CONSENSUS: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-)

**All Records Exclude Saints Game due to Hurricane Milton**

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