BUCS at PANTHERS

WHEN: Sunday, December 1, 2024 | WHERE: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC) | KICKOFF: 4:05 p.m. ET | TV: FOX

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Chris Myers | ANALYST: Mark Schlereth | SIDELINE: Jen Hale

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Gene Deckerhoff | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: T.J. Rives

Game day is approaching, and it’s time for the Pewter Report staff to make its weekly game predictions and offer up our game preview of this week’s matchup. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.

Scott Reynolds: Bucs Win In A High Scoring Game

Bucs OC Liam Coen – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Panthers are more formidable than there are three and eight record indicates. Before losing a close game to Kansas City at home last week, Carolina won back-to-back games against New Orleans and the New York Giants over in Munich. The Panthers are playing hard for Dave Canales right now and I don’t think this is going to be an easy game. The Buccaneers are the better, more talented team so they should prevail.

Tampa Bay also has the better offensive play caller in Liam Coen. He has proven to be an upgrade over Canales in Tampa Bay. Coen‘s offense has already scored 30 points or more six times this year. By comparison, the 2020 Buccaneers scored 30 points or more eight times during the regular season with Tom Brady at the helm. in 2021, Tampa Bay had 10 games in which the team scored 30 points or more. It’s crazy to think that with six games left Coen‘s offense can actually top that franchise record.

I don’t think the Panthers defense can stop the Bucs offense when it is clicking on all cylinders like it was last Sunday in New York. For that reason, I think Tampa Bay wins a high scoring game similar to the game between the Panthers and Chiefs last week in Carolina.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 30, Panthers 26
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 7-4

Matt Matera: Bucs Eventually Wear Out The Panthers

Regardless of the records, divisional games seem to always be tougher not matter who the opponent is. The Bucs playing at the Panthers adds an extra element given that it’s a matchup between Todd Bowles and Dave Canales, who was Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator last season before becoming the Panthers head coaching this year.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Tampa Bay is certainly happy with their newest offensive coordinator, Liam Coen. He’s taken the offense to new levels where the run game is a top 10 unit and they’re scoring 30 points a game when they have most of their players healthy. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is playing at a Pro Bowl level. He’ll have plenty of time to throw the ball given the lack of pass rush by the Panthers and Bucky Irving and company should be able to run it as their leisure. The offense will be why the Bucs win.

The Panthers have shown that they’re not pushovers anymore, and that’s why it won’t be easy. I’m not convinced the Bucs have figured it all out on defense. If Bryce Young finds the flaws in Tampa Bay’s pass defense, it’ll make for a long afternoon. However, the interior of the Bucs’ d-line of Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey can take over games. I’m also intrigued by Mike Edwards getting more playing time and potentially getting an interception for the defense. If the Bucs stop Carolina’s run game and make them one dimensional,  Tampa Bay will score enough and pull away when they need to.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 31, Panthers 23
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 6-5

Bailey Adams: Bucs Win Back-To-Back Games And Get To .500

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey and Panthers QB Bryce Young – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Panthers have been playing better football lately, and Bryce Young has begun making some of the plays you would expect a No. 1 overall pick to make. But I think the Bucs will get the job done on Sunday in Carolina and get back to .500 at 6-6 before heading home for a Week 14 matchup with the Raiders next week.

I believe in this Tampa Bay offense and while I think Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and Cade Otton will do enough to drive the passing game, it’s the Bucs run game that has me most confident about this matchup. The Panthers are ranked dead-last against the run, and Bucky Irving and Rachaad White lead a top-10 rushing offense that I think will lead the way to another 30-point performance.

Todd Bowles’ defense put together a much-needed performance against the Giants last Sunday, only allowing seven points. I don’t think there will be a repeat of that type of dominance, but I do think they’ll be able to create enough pressure on Young and force him into some mistakes. Chuba Hubbard may have a nice day, but as long as he doesn’t run wild, I like the Bucs to do enough on defense to complement a big day offensively.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 30, Panthers 17
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 7-4

Josh Queipo: Bucs Win To Move to 2-2 In Division Play

Bucs OLB YaYa Diaby and Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Panthers, despite their poor record, will likely be a tougher out than many expect. The offense is starting to turn a corner. They have scored 20 or more points in three straight games. Behind a talented offensive line and a newly paid running back in Chuba Hubbard, their running game is 6th in rush EPA/play since week eight. And last year’s number one overall pick Bryce Young looks as if he may have turned a corner after an impressive shootout against Kansas City last week. Head coach Dave Canales’ vision for Carolina’s offense is starting to round into form. And against a defense that has struggled this season that could be problematic.

On the other side of the ball, the Panthers are still a poor defense allowing points to run like a sieve. Their pass rush rivals Atlanta’s for the worst in the NFL. Per Next Gen Stats their pressure rate on the season is a league-worst 26.1%. Against the Bucs’ impressive offensive line, it will be difficult for them to get pressure on quarterback Baker Mayfield and force bad decisions.

The Bucs may allow some scores, but I doubt Carolina can play clean enough on offense to keep up in a likely shootout environment.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 34, Panthers 24
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 6-5

Adam Slivon: Bucs Avoid A Trap Game, Continue Winning Ways Against Panthers

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: USA Today

When looking at what the Bucs’ trap game could be down the stretch coming off the bye week, I predicted that it could be this Sunday against the Panthers in Carolina. Coming off two straight wins, the Panthers put up a lot of fight in a close 30-27 loss to the Chiefs. While Kansas City has let teams stay in games throughout this season, first-year head coach Dave Canales’ squad has fight and they have been playing inspiring football as of late.

Canales has coaxed better performances from Bryce Young, who had one of his better games this past week. Operating with a rag-tag receiving corps, Young has looked more comfortable since being re-inserted into the starting lineup and it is a unit that has relied heavily on Chuba Hubbard’s rushing success.

The Bucs’ defense is coming off one of their best defensive performances of the season, albeit against a third-string quarterback in Tommy Devito. How they perform will be a key measuring stick the rest of the way, and a priority for them will be containing Hubbard and limiting Young’s ability to get into a rhythm. With the Panthers possessing two solid tackles, it will take Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey to wreak havoc up the middle to force the issue. Not having Tykee Smith and Jordan Whitehead hurts, but expect to see a lot of Christian Izien and Mike Edwards in their place. Who knows, perhaps one of them can force a takeaway.

Conversely, Baker Mayfield has efficiently distributed the football and the offense returned to its high-scoring ways with Mike Evans back. Carolina’s defense lacks a lot of true high-end talent, but they still possess some key contributors in Jadeveon Clowney and Jaycee Horn.

Ejiro Evero’s unit held Tampa Bay to 21 and nine points in two games in 2023 and could give Mayfield and Co. some issues. As opposed to last year though, he is healthy, and as long as the offense remains balanced, so should the scoring output. Overall, the Bucs are the more talented team on both sides of the ball, and I predict they get out to an early lead and pull away with a divisional win that gets them back to .500 at 6-6.

SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 27, Panthers 17
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 7-4