The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished off the 2023-24 NFL regular season with a 9-0 win over the Carolina Panthers. With the win, the Buccaneers clinched the NFC South for the third year in a row.
The Buccaneers struggled, but despite that, they shut out the Panthers (Carolina’s second week in a row going scoreless). If the Buccaneers were to lose, the New Orleans Saints would have won the NFC South. How did Tampa Bay do it?
Tampa Bay’s Struggle to the Finish Line
The Buccaneers were coming into Week 18 off a 23-13 loss to the Saints. In that game, Tampa had turned the ball over four times and saw starting quarterback Baker Mayfield suffer an injury. His injury was a rib injury that happened on a sack.
Mayfield was a limited participant in practice throughout the week, but he was officially active and started the game against Carolina. However, he clearly played hurt and did not play his best. He threw the ball 32 times, completing 20 passes for just 137 yards and no touchdowns.
Mayfield’s leading receiver was Chris Godwin, who caught six passes for 51 yards and no touchdowns. Fellow star receiver Mike Evans caught just three passes for 22 yards. However, despite the lowly stat line, Evans was open multiple times, but Mayfield missed him.
Mayfield is in his first season with Tampa Bay after signing as a free agent. In his one season, he set career highs. He passed for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. “I’ve been through a lot but I’ve had a lot of help along the way,” said Mayfield.
The Buccaneers scored all of their points thanks to kicker Chase McLaughlin. He kicked two field goals in the second quarter, including a 57-yarder heading into halftime. His third field goal, giving the Buccaneers a two-score lead, came with 10:18 left in the game.
MORE: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Depth Chart
The main reason the Buccaneers were able to win the game was their defense. “I can’t say enough about our defense. Luckily Antoine Winfield Jr. stepped up when we needed him again. He’s a stud,” said Mayfield. The defense forced two turnovers, including one that stopped a touchdown in the first half.
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Tampa Bay’s defense limited Carolina to just 199 total yards, with only 68 passing yards. The Panthers were 2/12 on third down, but did convert both of their fourth-down attempts. The Buccaneers, on the other hand, were 6/16 on third down and attempted no fourth-down plays.
“It’s great to win three straight, especially how people counted them out. I’m happy for the fans. I’m happy for the players, the coaches, the management, the scouting department. They worked so hard to get everything done,” said head coach Todd Bowles.
The Buccaneers’ season has been no easy ride. After starting the season 3-1, the team went 1-6. However, December hit and the team got hot, going 4-1 in the month of December. “Nobody turned on each other,” said Bowles. “When everybody counted us out, we didn’t.”
The Buccaneers own the NFC’s fourth seed and will host the fifth seed. Their opponent will come down to whoever loses the NFC East. Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys can still win the division, with the Cowboys having the upper hand. Whichever team loses will get the fifth seed, heading to Tampa Bay for the Wild Card.
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