Written by Clark Gerber, contributing writer for WRAL Sports.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Carolina Panthers
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Charlotte, N.C.

The Carolina Panthers have a record of 2 wins and 14 losses. Their chances of making it to the playoffs have disappeared several weeks ago and they are recovering from their first game without scoring in 21 years.

On Sunday, they will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the opportunity to secure an NFC South championship and a spot in the playoffs if they win.

Regarding the motivation behind this Week 18 game, one would assume that the Bucs have the upper hand. However, according to Panthers interim head coach Chris Tabor, that is not the situation.

Tabor stated that there is a significant amount of importance involved. He mentioned that if the goal is to make it to the playoffs, then it is crucial to know how to defeat other teams in the playoffs.

“I comprehend the significance of the record and can empathize with your perspective of it being a meaningless game. However, I do not see it as such. This game represents both my name and theirs, which holds great importance to me. Ultimately, that is all that truly matters.”

For a number of the athletes, a strong performance can lead to job stability for the upcoming season – whether it’s with the Panthers or another team. Quarterback Bryce Young likely doesn’t have to be concerned about his job security, but he is aware that this will be his final opportunity to play with this particular group and aims to finish on a positive note.

According to Young, there is constant activity during the offseason, regardless of location. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on the present and giving their best effort, without being distracted by previous or upcoming events.

In the final game, Young has the opportunity to break a franchise record, but unfortunately it is not a positive one. This season, the rookie has been sacked 59 times, just three shy of the Panthers’ record set by Steve Beuerlein in 2000.

After a sack last Sunday, Young was in pain as he left the field, but he recovered quickly and returned for the next offensive drive. Despite his smaller build and the number of hits he has taken, it is impressive that Young hasn’t missed a single play since sitting out in Week 3 due to a shoulder injury.

According to Tabor, Young is clearly physically resilient and a tough opponent. He has a winning mentality and despite taking hits, he quickly bounces back and continues on.

“The keys to the game for the Panthers and Buccaneers are crucial factors that will determine the outcome of their match.”

In their past 383 minutes of game time, the Panthers have only held the lead for 10 seconds since Week 10 against the Bears. This pattern is unsustainable and Carolina must establish a strong start in order to control the game instead of constantly trying to catch up.

Mike Evans, the star receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was a major contributor in their previous matchup against the Carolina Panthers. He had 7 receptions for 162 yards and a 75-yard touchdown, which ultimately made the difference in the game. In his last seven games against the Panthers, Evans has had an average of 7.7 catches, 118.7 receiving yards, and 8 total touchdowns. The Buccaneers have won 5 out of those 7 games. The Panthers must prevent Evans from having a similar performance again.

3. Make it ugly The Panthers do not want to get into a shootout, or anything close to it. The Buccaneers are 8-2 this season when scoring 20-plus points, and 0-6 when held under that. Both of the Panthers’ wins came in low-scoring slugfests, so that’s the style that seems to favor them. If Carolina can hold Tampa Bay to less than 20 points, they’ll have a chance.

Numbers to know

• This season, the Panthers have an average of only 4.1 yards per play and 0.226 points per play. These numbers are significantly lower than any other team in the NFL.

• The difference in points for the Panthers when playing away is -124 (-13.8 per game), while they have a somewhat better difference of -47 (-6.7 per game) when playing at home. On the other hand, the Bucs have a slightly higher difference when playing away (+10) compared to when they are at home (+4).

• This season, Baker Mayfield has thrown a total of 28 passing touchdowns in 16 starts, which is the highest number in his career so far. However, he has also thrown 10 interceptions. In comparison, last year he only had 6 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in 7 starts while playing for the Panthers.

• The Buccaneers have a record of 5 wins and 1 loss against teams with a winning percentage below .500 this season. However, they have only won 3 games and lost 7 against teams with a winning percentage above .500.

• Rachaad White only needs 85 more rushing yards to reach 1,000 yards for the season, which would make him Tampa’s first player to achieve this since 2015 (Doug Martin). In the last game against Carolina, he had 84 rushing yards.

Source: wralsportsfan.com