Bucs (8-8) at Panthers (2-14)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
TV: Fox
Spread (BetMGM): Buccaneers by 5.5
Buccaneers’ keys to victory: Despite nearly being written off after his failed stint with the Panthers in 2022, QB Baker Mayfield is one of the best stories of the NFL season. Given Carolina’s struggles against opposing ground attacks, Mayfield and the Tampa Bay offense should run through RB Rachaad White. White paced the Bucs’ Week 13 win over the Panthers with 84 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. On the flip side, Tampa Bay’s usually stout run defense must have more answers for Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard, who rushed for 104 yards and two scores in that matchup.
Panthers’ keys to victory: As far as who Carolina must defend, start with WR Mike Evans. He has racked up 369 yards and four touchdowns in his last two games against the Panthers. QB Bryce Young also has to shake off his painful performance in Jacksonville in Week 17 – he threw for all of 112 yards. He may have a good opportunity to do so while facing the most generous pass defense in football. Look for Young to involve WR Jonathan Mingo, who went for a season-high 69 receiving yards last time against Tampa Bay.
Matchup to watch: Buccaneers OLB Yaya Diaby vs. Panthers LT Ikem Ekwonu. Ekwonu has struggled in pass protection all year and is fresh off getting beaten by Jacksonville’s Josh Allen. So Diaby has a chance to enhance his Defensive Rookie of the Year case.
Who wins? The Buccaneers are shooting for a division title while the Panthers just got shut out by the Jaguars.
Buccaneers, 23-17