The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers, 16-14 at Raymond James Stadium in Week 18. In order to lock up the NFC South division, the Bucs need a Falcons’ loss to the Saints on Sunday. Overall, Baker Mayfield completed 16-of-22 attempts for 203 yards, a touchdown and a pick.<\/p>\n
The Buccaneers capped off their opening nine-play, 74-yard drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Cade Otton. On the play before, Otton settled into the zone and Mayfield hit for a 10-yard gain. On the Panthers’ ensuing drive, Antoine Winfield Jr. broke up a third-down pass intended for Xavier Legette, forcing a punt. Tampa Bay’s second possession culminated in a 29-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin following an incompletion to Emeka Egbuka in the end zone on third down.<\/p>\n
On the next sequence, Mayfield’s pass intended for Emeka Egbuka was intercepted by Christian Rozeboom and returned 20 yards to the Tampa Bay 19-yard line. The Panthers capitalized with a three-play, 19-yard scoring drive that ended in an eight-yard Tommy Tremble touchdown. On the following drive for Carolina, Jacob Parrish intercepted Bryce Young’s pass intended for Tetairoa McMillan at the Tampa Bay 42-yard line. The rookie had sticky coverage and high-pointed the ball as it arrived to shift the momentum to the Bucs. The Bucs were unable to cash in with seven and settled for a McLaughlin 36-yard field goal to make it a 13-7 game. On the drive, Mayfield made a critical scramble on third down and as his legs were wrapped by a defender, he side-armed a dart to Otton for a 22-yard gain.<\/p>\n
Out of the half, Ryan Fitzgerald’s 54-yard field goal attempt was no good, keeping it a 13-7 game. Early in the fourth, McLaughlin kicked a 48-yard field goal after Mayfield was stopped short of the first on a third-down scramble. On the Panthers’ subsequent drive, Lavonte David recovered the fumble off a botched flea flicker at the Tampa Bay 29-yard-line. The Bucs marched down the field but after Otton’s catch was ruled incomplete on third, which would have set up fourth-and-one, Tampa Bay went for a field goal and McLaughlin’s 38-yard attempt was blocked.<\/p>\n
The Panthers responded with an eight-play, 72-yard scoring drive that ended in an eight-yard Jalen Coker touchdown, courtesy of a 40-yard gain by McMillan.<\/p>\n
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