The Bucs failed to capitalize on a win-and-in scenario last week at home, which meant their Week 18 game against the two-win Panthers in Carolina was win-or-go-home.

It certainly wasn’t a pretty effort or the type of performance you would expect from a team on the verge of clinching its division, but the Bucs did get the job done in the end, beating the Panthers 9-0 to win their third straight NFC South title and secure a playoff spot for the fourth consecutive year. They will now host the NFC East runner-up on Super Wild Card Weekend.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

After a clunker last week against New Orleans, Tampa Bay wanted to start fast in Carolina. But that didn’t happen. It was a slow start for both offenses, as the Bucs failed to score an opening-drive touchdown for the 17th time in 17 games before the Panthers did the same.

The opening quarter featured zero points, 84 total yards and five punts between the two teams, with both defenses coming up with big third-down plays. Yaya Diaby picked up another sack to end Carolina’s first drive, then Devin White came through with a tackle for loss to end the second. After Tampa Bay got the ball back, it was Yetur Gross-Matos sacking Baker Mayfield to force a third Jake Camarda punt.

Early in the second quarter, the Panthers looked to have the game’s first points. On a 3rd & 4, Bryce Young connected with D.J. Chark for what should’ve been a 43-yard touchdown. Instead, Antoine Winfield Jr. – days after being heinously snubbed from the Pro Bowl – came racing over to knock the ball loose right before Chark crossed the goal line. Jamel Dean recovered the fumble in the end zone and though it took a replay review, the officials did get the call right and the Bucs kept the game scoreless.

Mayfield and the offense failed to capitalize on the turnover, though, and the two offenses kept trading three-and-outs until the midway point of the second quarter.

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: USA Today

Tampa Bay then went down and got the game’s first points. A couple of chunk runs by Rachaad White and a 20-yard pass from Mayfield go Cade Otton got the offense deep into Panthers territory for the first time, but the drive ultimately stalled at the 24-yard line. It was a disappointing end to the drive, but a 36-yard field goal from Chase McLaughlin gave Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead with 4:13 to go in the first half.

The Buccaneer defense forced another three-and-out and set the offense up with a chance to run a two-minute drill and extend the lead before halftime. But Mayfield and the offense continued to look as bad as they have at any point this season, going three-and-out in a mere 12 seconds thanks to three straight incompletions. The Panthers responded with a three-and-out of their own that took only 41 seconds off the clock.

So, with one more chance before halftime, the Bucs offense went to work. Only it was some of the strangest sequencing of play calls possible and the drive went just 17 yards in nine plays and 1:11. But luckily for the visitors, McLaughlin has a cannon for a leg. He knocked through a 57-yard field goal – tying a season- and career-long – as time expired to give Tampa Bay a 6-0 advantage through 30 minutes.

Between the two offenses, the first half included just 238 total yards, a 2-of-15 mark on third downs and 10 punts.

The third quarter was much of the same for both sides, as they traded punts to start. But a 29-yard punt return by Ihmir Smith-Marsette got the Panthers into good field position midway through the quarter then the offense started to move the ball.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

One third-down conversion and then a fourth-down conversion from Young to Adam Thielen set up a first down at the Tampa Bay 30-yard line, but the defense stood tall from there. Of course, it was Antoine Winfield Jr. coming through with a third-down sack – his sixth of the season – to set up a 52-yard field goal attempt. Matthew Wright pushed it wide left, keeping it a 6-0 Bucs lead as the third quarter came to an end.

Bad ankle and all, Mayfield scrambled for a key third-down conversion early in the fourth quarter. He got a great block from Rachaad White on the play, but then it was Chase Edmonds getting the Bucs down the field. A four-yard run followed by a 21-yarder got Tampa Bay to a first down at the Carolina 21. But the drive stalled at the 15, thanks to a Brian Burns third-down sack. McLaughlin came through again for the visitors, though, connecting on a 39-yard field goal to make it 9-0 with 10:18 to go.

On their next possession, the Panthers moved the ball again on the Bucs defense. They converted another fourth down early in the drive, then looked to score a long touchdown only to have it called back due to an illegal formation penalty. That was extremely costly as, one play later, Joe Tyron-Shoyinka got to Young for a sack-fumble that was recovered by Greg Gaines. With 6:18 to go, the Bucs had the ball and a two-possession lead.

The Buccaneer offense went to work on the clock from there, finishing off a 9-0 win and a three-peat as NFC South champions.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

It was a difficult day for a banged-up Baker Mayfield, who finished 20-of-32 for just 137 yards. Mike Evans was held in check, catching three of his eight targets for 22 yards. With a six-catch, 51-yard day, Chris Godwin managed to surpass the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the fourth time in his career, while Rachaad White ran for 75 yards on 19 carries and finished just 10 rushing yards shy of 1,000 for the season.

The offense totaled only 228 yards on the day, but three Chase McLaughlin field goals proved to be enough. Antoine Winfield Jr. was a significant reason why, saving a touchdown with a forced fumble early on before a third-down sack later in the game led to a longer field goal attempt that Carolina missed.

The Bucs defense held the Panthers to a 2-of-12 mark on third down and 199 total yards. It was the franchise’s first shutout win since Nov. 21, 2010, when Tampa Bay beat San Francisco 21-0.

With the win, the Bucs finished the regular season 9-8, a one-game improvement on last year’s 8-9 record. They clinched a third straight division title and their ninth-ever. As the No. 4 seed in the NFC, they will host either the Cowboys or Eagles next weekend at Raymond James Stadium in the first round of the playoffs.