It was an early morning for Bucs fans watching their Week 6 matchup from the States, but it was the Bucs who appeared groggy as they struggled in all three phases of the game, dropping a back-breaking divisional matchup to the Carolina Panthers 37-26.

On Tampa Bay’s first play from scrimmage Jameis Winston was intercepted by cornerback James Bradberry on a pass intended for Mike Evans, setting up a Carolina for a 49-yard field goal and an early three-point lead.

The slow start continued throughout the first quarter, but fortunately Tampa Bay’s defense held the Panthers to negative two yards on their first two offensive drives before Ryan Smith pinned Carolina inside their one one-yard line. The tide then began to turn as Kyle Allen led a 12-play, 99-yard drive that ended in six points as Christian McCaffrey punched in a short touchdown on fourth-and-goal from inside the one-yard line and Carolina led 10-0.

The Bucs offense stalled again, punting after their second three-and-out of the day, when Smith struck with his second big play of the day. Smith punched the ball out of Ray Ray McCloud’s grasp on the return attempt and it was recovered by linebacker Kevin Minter, leaving just 37 yards between Tampa Bay’s offense and the end zone. Following a 30-yard gain on a screen pass to tight end O.J. Howard, Ronald Jones punched in a five-yard touchdown and suddenly the Bucs were within three.

Another three-and-out from Carolina and Tampa Bay took over at their own 15-yard line with a chance to drive and take their first lead of the day, but following a sack on second-and-nine, Winston’s arm was hit and he again turned the ball over, this time on an interception to former Buc Javien Elliot.

Carolina would again take advantage of a Winston turnover as it took just four plays to find pay dirt on the heels of a screen pass that McCaffrey took 25 yards, leaving three potential tacklers in his wake for another touchdown.

Tampa Bay’s offense then finally looked as if they were coming to life. Starting at their own 25, the Bucs moved the ball down the field to the Panthers’ 10-yard line, with three passes going to Evans, when Winston’s already poor play began to snowball. Winston was sacked on the next two plays and fumbled each time, the first of which was recovered by Ryan Jensen at the 19-yard line and the second finally winding up in Carolina’s possession, with Bruce Irvin coming up with the ball.

Both teams would each exchange another punt and Tampa Bay would enter the locker room at halftime trailing 17-7. By the end of the half Winston had already taken six sacks, losing three turnovers in the form of a fumble and two interceptions.

The second half was largely much of the same, with two punts and and a Carolina field goal before Winston gave away his third interception on the day, this time at the hands of a roaming Luke Kuechly. The play was returned to the Tampa Bay eight-yard line. One play later, the Panthers extended their lead to 27-7 on a touchdown pass to Curtis Samuel.

The Bucs would add three points on a 54-yard touchdown from Matt Gay but Carolina would predictably respond with another long drive, going 75 yards and ending in another touchdown pass to Samuel.

Tampa Bay answered with a touchdown to Cameron Brate and the tipped two-point conversion was hauled in by Evans, leaving a sliver of hope as the deficit was shaved to two possessions. Despite then forcing two consecutive punts on defense the Bucs couldn’t rise to the challenge, with a three-and-out and a fumbled punt off the hands of Bobo Wilson that led to a short field and three more points for Carolina.

In true Bucs fashion, Tampa Bay did their best to mount a last-minute comeback. Dare Ogunbowale added a three-yard touchdown with 3:09 remaining, Winston converted another two-point conversion on the ground and the defense made the critical stop as the Bucs trailed by just 11. Winston would eventually throw his fourth interception on fourth-and-10.

The Panthers would miss a field goal and with one final, desperate chance, Tampa Bay would drive down the field and Winston would end his day the way it started with an interception in the end zone and a single kneel down from Allen ended the game.

In one of his most disappointing games as a Buccaneer, Winston finished the day with 30 completions on 54 attempts for 400 yards, one touchdown and a career-high five interceptions en route to a 37-26 defeat at the hands of the Carolina Panthers