The Carolina Panthers jumped back into first place in the NFC South on Sunday after a dramatic 23–20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. The victory pushed Carolina to 8–7, keeping its playoff hopes alive.
Statistically, Carolina delivered one of its most balanced and efficient performances of the season. Bryce Young stayed poised under pressure, throwing for 191 yards and two touchdowns, including a precision strike to Tetairoa McMillan and an acrobatic escape-and-fire touchdown to Ja’Tavion Sanders. Ryan Fitzgerald hit the 48-yard go-ahead field goal with 2:20 left, setting the stage for the defense to finish the job. Rookie safety Lathan Ransom provided the decisive moment, intercepting Baker Mayfield with 41 seconds remaining, sealing Carolina’s eighth win — their highest total since 2017.
Carolina’s defense held firm for most of the afternoon, limiting explosive plays and forcing long drives. They sacked Mayfield twice and held him to 145 passing yards, reinforcing their grip on the NFC South lead while keeping the playoff path in their control.
However, shaky kickoff coverage repeatedly gave Tampa Bay short fields. Costly penalties and dropped passes—especially a wide-open seam route missed by Xavier Legette—threatened to derail the effort.
Despite those mistakes, the Panthers closed out one of their biggest wins of the year. With three weeks left, the division title is once again within reach—and Carolina now controls its postseason path.
