Through The Spyglass: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers in Week 17

BucsGameday examines the matchup history between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers and the Panthers' additions in 2024.

Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) looks to pass in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

It's another divisional week for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The Bucs are reeling after a crushing loss to the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football and no longer control their path to the playoffs. Tampa Bay must get help now, and the easiest way to secure a path is by winning out and hoping either the Falcons or Commanders stumble. But winning out won't be easy as the Bucs get set to take on a Panthers team that brought them into overtime and fumbled away a win.

There are plenty of storylines to tie these two teams together. Former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales is the Panthers' head coach, former Panthers QB Baker Mayfield is the Bucs' quarterback and plenty of other players with ties either way in between. But the only storyline that matters is the final one, and that's the box score.

Matchup History

As division rivals, these two teams have played each other quite a bit since the realignment in 2001. Over 48 games the Panthers hold the edge with 25 wins to 23 losses. However, the Bucs have won eight of the last nine matchups, with their latest loss coming in 2022. Tampa Bay beat Carolina 21-18 in a closer game than expected in Week 13 of last season and then beat them in Week 18 in the final game of the season 9-0 to clinch the NFC South title. Their latest matchup went down to the wire as the Panthers took the Bucs into overtime in Week 13, but they came out of it victorious thanks to a heads-up defensive play to swing the momentum.

Looking Back at 2023

The Panthers made a bold move before the draft. Moving from the sixth pick to the first overall selection saw them surrender multiple first-rounders and receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears. With the pick, they selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young to be the new face of the franchise. None of that mattered as the Panthers finished 2-15 with the worst record in the NFL.

What's New In 2024

The biggest change is at head coach where the Panthers brought in former Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales to lead the team. He poached several assistants, naming former Bucs wide receivers coach Brad Idzik as his offensive coordinator and bringing on former Bucs coaches Joe Gilbert and Harold Goodwin as his offensive line coaches. They moved on from veteran edge rusher Brian Burns, trading him to the Giants for a second-round pick and two fifth-round picks.

Carolina spent its second-round picks on receiver Xavier Legette and running back Jonathon Brooks while adding edge Jadaveon Clowney and linebacker Josey Jewell in free agency and trading for receiver Dionte Johnson, who they later traded to the Baltimore Ravens. Their big-ticket signings were on the offensive line in guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, who have helped solidify the interior offensive line and helped Chubba Hubbard, who received a contract extension mid-season, to a career-high 1,195 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns so far this year.

Final Thoughts

The Panthers have been playing some of their best football recently and are coming off a big overtime win over the Arizona Cardinals. Carolina has just three wins over their last seven games, including a four-game losing streak, but what has been impressive is how they are still in most of these games until the very end. Outside of a shellacking by the Cowboys, the Panthers took the Chiefs to the wire, the Bucs into overtime and the Eagles to the last play of the game. Canales and his team will be ready to play on Sunday and will be looking to play spoiler to the Bucs' playoff hopes.

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READ MORE: Buccaneers OC Liam Coen Says Talking to Tom Brady Like 'Talking to Another Coach'

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