It’s GAME DAY at Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux – Come watch Bucs football all season long!
BUCCANEERS vs. PANTHERS
WHEN: Sunday, January 1, 2023 | WHERE: Raymond James Stadium | KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m. ET | TV: FOX
PLAY-BY-PLAY: Kevin Burkhardt | ANALYST: Greg Olsen | SIDELINE: Erin Andrews
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: Can’t Bet Against Brady With The Playoffs On The Line
Bucs RB Leonard Fournette and QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today
I can’t do it. I can’t bet against Bucs quarterback Tom Brady with a chance at the playoffs at stake in Sunday’s home finale against the Panthers. Brady hasn’t played well at times this year, especially down the stretch this season when he’s had two interceptions in each of the last three games. But he’s also the reason for some late-game heroics in last-second wins against the Rams, Saints and most recently the Cardinals, this season. Brady’s legacy is about winning division titles – he’s won 19 in his career – and that’s what is on the line on Sunday. Much more often than not Brady rises to the occasion when it matters the most. At 7-8 the Bucs have painted themselves into a corner with a must-win against the Panthers on Sunday, and I think Brady delivers.
Of course he’ll need some help. Left tackle Donovan Smith has to return from a foot injury and battle Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns to keep Brady clean and upright. And Brady will need Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to play their best football on Sunday. Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White have to convert short yardage situations through the air or the ground to prevent three-and-outs and drive down the field for scores.
Defensively, the Bucs got three takeaways in Arizona and might need that many to beat the Panthers. Stopping D’Onta Foreman, Chuba Hubbard and Carolina’s potent ground game will be a challenge, and the return of Vita Vea should help. Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting will have to tackle well if Carlton Davis III can’t go, and make sure those Carolina backs down take long runs down the sidelines like they did in a 21-3 win in Week 7. The Bucs find a way to win a close one, as they’ve done seven times this year. Tampa Bay makes it eight on Sunday, and claims their eighth division title in franchise history in the process.
REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 23, Panthers 20
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 6-9
Matt Matera: Bucs Mess Around Again, But Win It Late
Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: The Bucs start out looking good on one of their first drives but have to settle for a field goal. Then all of a sudden, with the exception of a couple of glimpses of hope, their offense can’t move the ball and quickly ends drives. On the flip side, the defense keeps the Bucs in the game until they make one big mistake and it blows their lead. What happens next? Well, it’s Tom Brady to the rescue with a late game drive … again.
We’ve seen this story over and over. And in the moment it’s a thrilling feeling. But after it’s done, you view it just like how you felt after watching the sequel to your favorite movie – underwhelmed. This time it’s a little different, though, as the Bucs have a division to win. The Bucs lost embarrassingly to this team last time, where they only scored three points. Surely, you’d think Brady and the offense can improve this time around. They’ll get more of Rachaad White, but the passing game to others like Chris Godwin, Russell Gage and Julio Jones has improved. It’s still just too far and between.
The number one goal for the Bucs defense has to be stopping the Panthers’ run game of D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard. They’ll need all hands on to do so with Vita Vea and Akiem Hicks up front and Lavonte David and Devin White playing their best at inside linebacker. Tampa Bay must force Sam Darnold to keep throwing the ball, and if they can do that, they have a good chance at winning. This won’t be like the Bengals game for the Bucs. If they jump out to a similar first half lead, the Panthers won’t be able to come back. I just think it’ll be a defensive struggle once again, leading to some Brady theatrics.
MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 19, Panthers 17
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 7-8
JC Allen: Bucs Secure Division in Close Win
Panthers WR D.J. Moore and DB Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: USA Today
Let’s keep the positivity rolling. I’m betting on the Bucs again to win and capture their second consecutive division title. This isn’t going to be a cake walk by any means with the current state of the offense. Though the Bucs seem to finally be “healthy” on both sides the of the ball with no one ruled out for the match up. They still haven’t found their identity and have struggled to eek out their last two wins at the end of regulation and overtime.
The offense is getting Donovan Smith back after missing two games. His return will put the Bucs offensive line at full strength for the first time since Week 9. Ryan Jensen returned to practice on Wednesday and though he won’t play should give the line an emotional boost. The Bucs have all of their skill players healthy and ready to go but will need to have better execution moving the ball down the field. The Panthers defense held the Bucs to just three points in their first meeting. That offensive output won’t win Tampa Bay the division crown.
The Bucs defense will need to put the pressure on early against Sam Darnold who has a tendency of seeing ghosts if he rattled early and often. It appears the Bucs will be full strength in their secondary for the first time since the beginning of the season. Running backs Donta Foreman and Chubba Hubbard torched the defense in Week 7 for 181 yards on the ground and 37 through the air. The Bucs are 5-1 when Vita Vea and Akiem Hicks on the field together, allowing just 88.9 yards a game compared to 141.2 yards and a 2-7 record when one or both is missing. The Bucs will need to put together four quarters of consistent play if they want to secure the division.
ALLEN’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 20, Panthers 17
ALLEN’S SEASON RECORD: 5-10
Bailey Adams: Bucs Fail To Make It Easy On Themselves Yet Again
Bucs NT Vita Vea and LB Lavonte David – Photo by: USA Today
It’s all on the line for the Bucs this Sunday. As dreadful as this up-and-down season has been at times, Tampa Bay can repeat as NFC South champions with a win over the Panthers at Raymond James Stadium. A loss, though, would mean that the Bucs are going to need some help in Week 18 if they want another division crown and a home playoff game. And as much as I’d like to say this is set up for Todd Bowles’ team to cruise and lock up the South with a week to play, this may actually be one of the tougher games to call this season.
Despite its 6-9 record, Carolina has proven to be a pretty tough out under interim head coach Steve Wilks. The Panthers are 5-5 since he took over and despite trading Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers, they still run the ball exceptionally well. Look no further than last week, when they ran for a team-record 320 yards against the Lions last week. And the last time these two teams met was the same week of the McCaffrey trade, which mattered very little as Carolina ran for 173 yards in a 21-3 win in Charlotte.
As crazy as it sounds, the 6-9 Panthers have been a better team than the Bucs as of late. Tampa Bay needed yet another late comeback — and overtime — to beat the four-win Cardinals last week. They’re going to need both of their tackles to play and they’re going to have to protect Tom Brady much better in addition to creating more running room for Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White. They’ll also need to shut down the run and make Sam Darnold beat them. Unfortunately, I have a bad feeling they’ll struggle to do those things and Sunday be the latest downturn in this roller coaster of a season. And that’ll make Week 18 really nervy.
ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Panthers 24, Bucs 16
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 9-6
Josh Queipo: Bucs Scrape By To Division Win
Bucs OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Panthers RB D’Onta Foreman – Photo by: USA Today
Bucs fans, don’t assume this will be easy. The Panthers have an interim head coach in Steve Wilks and their starting their third different quarterback this year in Sam Darnold. They traded away their best offensive player in Christian McCaffrey, but it doesn’t matter. The Panthers are playing the best football of the season right now and have a chance to win the NFC South with a win over the Bucs today and a victory in New Orleans next week.
That should scare Tampa Bay and you after this team started off 1-5. If Carolina is able to establish its running game like it did earlier in the season against the Bucs with 173 yards on the ground it could lead to a disappointing home loss for the good guys. By the way, the Panthers ran for 320 yards in a big win over the Lions last week.
But this is the only path to victory I see for Carolina. If the Bucs can stop the Panthers rushing attack I don’t see them being able to put up many points. But the Bucs, troubled as they are, have the pieces to win in multiple ways. And despite Tampa Bay having a worse point differential on the season, I see them pulling this one out in a very similar fashion to the Cardinals game – ugly.
QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 20, Panthers 13
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 10-5
