Experts don't like the Panthers chances in NFC South tilt with Buccaneers

The experts aren't picking Carolina to win this weekend.

Nov 24, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) with guard Damien Lewis (68) on the field in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The picks are in for this week's matchup between the Carolina Panthers, who are somehow not all that far behind the division leaders, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers are more of a contender at this stage, but at 5-6, they can ill afford to lose any more games. The experts don't think they'll start that this week against Carolina. Here's how they picked the game.

Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: Buccaneers 30, Panthers 21

Cluff writes: "Baker Mayfield went 24-for-30 for 294 yards in the win against the Giants. Did Tampa Bay get its mojo back in that win?"

Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Buccaneers 24, Panthers 20

Iyer writes: "Once again, the NFC South is getting tighter with all four teams, including the Falcons, looking like little separates them. The Panthers have gotten an offensive spark from Bryce Young growing quickly in Dave Canales' system. Canales' knowledge of the Bucs keeps it interesting, as Carolina once again comes through vs. the number at home."

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Buccaneers 28, Panthers 17

Prisco says: "The Bucs seemed to get back on a good track last week, but this game might be tougher than expected. The Panthers pushed the Chiefs last week in a loss. Bryce Young was better than he's been, but I think the Tampa Bay defense will be good in this one as the Bucs start stacking victories. "

Bill Bender, Sporting News: Buccaneers 26, Panthers 18

Bender predicts: "The Panthers are 2-1 S/U and their past three games have been decided by three points or less. Does that mean an upset is possible against the NFC South rival Buccaneers? Probably not. Tampa Bay is 3-2 S/U on the road with a pair of overtime losses, and Baker Mayfield has 10 TDs and four interceptions in those games."

Marcus Mosher, The 33rd Team: Buccaneers 27, Panthers 23

Mosher writes: "The resurgence of Bryce Young has made the Carolina Panthers more fun to watch, and this is suddenly a good game on Sunday afternoon. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are just one win behind the Falcons in the NFC South, but they’ve already lost both games to Atlanta. The Buccaneers will need to surpass them in wins to earn the division title, but it’s possible considering their upcoming schedule. That starts with getting a win against the scrappy Panthers, who will be a tough out for every team left on their schedule. Take the Buccaneers to win, but be careful about the point spread here."

Our prediction: Buccaneers 32, Panthers 26

The Carolina Panthers have seemingly come out of nowhere to become a competitive, albeit still bad, football team. Bryce Young's resurgence has been a huge part of that. If he and Dave Canales could take the shorthanded offense against the Kansas City Chiefs defense and pour in a career outing, then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are unlikely to slow them down.

Unfortunately, the Panthers defense is still historically bad. They're averaging over 30 points per game given up, and the Buccaneers offense is rolling lately. I do believe this one could be a close one again, perhaps even headed to overtime where the Panthers find themselves unable to stop Bucky Irving on the ground en route to a walk-off loss for the second week in a row.

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