Happy New Year, CSR! The Panthers will face off against the Bucs in what could be their last game of the 2025 season, in a second dance that sees both teams vying for a playoff spot. Of course, the results of the Falcons-Saints game could render these results moot, but both teams should be going in for a win as that is their best chance of making the playoffs under their own power. The Panthers defense played their butts off against the Seahawks in their most recent game, however an anemic performance
by the Panthers offense eventually led to the Panthers falling 27-10, in a game where they sacked Sam Darnold 3 times, picked off one pass and recovered a fumble off a sack. The Panthers mostly held Seattle’s passing game in check until the 4th quarter, but struggled against the run game as the game went on, allowing 163 yards on 36 carries for 4.5 YPC and 2 TDs. This week, the Panthers defense is facing a Buccaneers offense that very much has its back against the wall, having lost a bunch of games and not doing enough on offense to end the season. Let’s dive in.
- Force turnovers in an away playoff game setting. Baker Mayfield has been prone to turnovers in his last several games, throwing at least 1 pick in 6 of his last 7 starts. While the Bucs attempted to run the ball more against the Panthers last time (26 passes vs 33 runs), they got away from that last week in another must win game against the Dolphins (44 passes vs 16 runs) as the Dolphins got up by two scores going into half time. The Panthers should be again seeing a more balanced approach by the Bucs, but continuing to add to their timely turnovers over the last few weeks would likely make the Bucs more one dimensional, which would bode well for both the defense and this offense.
- Limit the running attack. As previously stated, based on the Buccaneers offensive woes over the last several weeks, you’d expect Bucky Irving to be a lot more involved. Last time around, Bucky led the team with 19 carries for 71 yards and 3.7 YPC. You have to replicate that. Rachaad White busted off a 39 yard rush in that instance, but for the most part the Panthers kept the running backs in check. In a game where the Bucs will be playing at home, desperately looking for a win, they may elect to lean on running the ball more, especially if they are dealing with a one score game script which has been the theme of most of Carolina’s 2025 football.
- Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson need to lock in. The Panthers cornerback tandem has mostly been good this season, and they were just that against the Bucs in their first game. None of their receivers eclipsed more than 40 yards on the day, perennial Panthers pain and agony player Mike Evans only caught 5 passes for 31 yards and their sole passing game score. With Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan all coming into the game basically fully healthy, the Panthers secondary will need to lock in again. This is going to be a close game, so limiting explosive passing plays will make a huge difference.
What are you looking for from the defense on Saturday, Panthers fans?
