Buccaneers vs Panthers, let’s talk about it.
Football is a game of inches, but it’s also a game of quarters. Let’s dive into a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of some Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ football. The Buccaneers are in the dreaded position of ‘no longer controlling their own destiny.’ With the postseason still within their reach, the Buccaneers needed a win and some help when they took the field against the Carolina Panthers. How would Todd Bowles’ group play with their season hanging on by a thread of some Nike moisture-wicking fabric?
First Quarter:
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
The Buccaneers’ offense has been consistent this season. When they get the ball first, they read through a beautiful script. Tampa started with the ball and stayed true to themselves, starting out with back-to-back Bucky Irving runs. The team’s offensive demonstration included a healthy dose of Bucky Irving, Baker Mayfield finding Mike Evans, and even a Payne Durham sighting. Mayfield and Evans capped the drive off in the back of the end zone for their 10th touchdown connection of the year. 7-0, Bucs.
As good as Tampa’s offense has been on their opening drive this year, the team’s defense hasn’t provided that same consistency— Certainly not in a positive light. Carolina’s first drive was every bit as good as Tampa Bay’s. Adam Thielen has looked like Fred Biletnikoff against the Bucs this season and fittingly, he came away with six Carolina Panther points to start the game.
With the game tied at seven, Baker Mayfield began the next drive with Mike Evans. Evans’ sliding catch over the middle initialized what would lead to a Tampa Bay field goal. 10-7, Buccaneers.
Second Quarter:
Beginning with a Carolina punt, second quarter action got underway with Tampa Bay’s next touch, which resulted in the home team’s third straight scoring drive— Second consecutive Chase McLaughlin field goal.
After a Carolina three-and-out, Tampa Bay wasted no time. A drive that started with Sean Tucker and finished with Mike Evans’ second score of the day, had back-to-back Bucky Irving explosions sandwiched in between. With the crowd chanting Bucky’s name, the Buccaneers took a 20-7 lead on a Baker Mayfield to Mike Evans fade— Giving Evans his second score of the day.
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
One more three-and-out and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the ball back, with Bucky Irving needing just six yards to reach 1,000 yards— a feat that hasn’t been accomplished by a Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ running back since Doug Martin in 2015. As the first half neared the two-minute warning, the Bucky Irving experience reached the 1,000-yard threshold— A very earned credential on what projects to be an extremely accomplished résumé. Irving finished his quest to a 1,000-yard rookie season, however, it was a different rookie who finished the drive— A Baker Mayfield touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan gave Tampa a 27-7 lead.
20 points might have been too large a halftime advantage and after an exchange of punts, Todd Bowles’ defense saw to it that Tampa wouldn’t have that issue. With just a single timeout remaining, Bryce Young blazed down the field— Deciding not to stop at just a field goal, Young once again found Fred Biletnikoff for a touchdown. 27-14, Buccaneers.
Third Quarter:
Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Carolina’s offense had first dibs but it was Tampa Bay’s offense that struck first, with an opening drive that mirrored the success of Tampa’s opening drive at the start of half number one. The Bucs pounded Carolina’s defense for better than 90 yards on a drive that finished with Payne Durham standing alone in the end zone holding Baker Mayfield’s fourth touchdown pass. 34-14 became 41-14 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ special teams provided one of Joe Tryon-Shoyinka’s most memorable plays as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. Tryon-Shoyinka blocked a punt which fellow linebacker J.J. Russell scooped up and toted to the end zone.
Fourth Quarter:
Leading by 27, Baker Mayfield and Bucs did not place their foot near the brake. The team left the starters in and those starters went to the end zone again. Jalen McMillan, already the recipient of one Baker Mayfield touchdown pass on the day, became the receiver on the end of his career-high fifth touchdown pass. 48-14, Buccaneers.
Sunday’s final quarter trickled away like the Sunday afternoon rain, with Tampa Bay’s backups mowing over Carolina’s defense in a four-minute drill lead by Sean Tucker. The Buccaneers won the battle of time of possession colossally (41:11-18:49) and won by a convincing 24 points on the scoreboard.
The Buccaneers have secured themselves a winning record for the 2024 season and for the moment have regained their place in the playoffs.
For more Bucs coverage check us out here:
@Bucs_Nation(X)
@Will_Walsh_NFL(YouTube)