North Charlotte Today

The Carolina Panthers are preparing for their second encounter this month with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game, scheduled for Sunday, marks the conclusion of a two-game series between these divisional rivals. Their previous meeting in Week 13 ended with a narrow 26-23 overtime victory for the Buccaneers.

In that game, Chuba Hubbard recorded his third-lowest rushing output of the season at 43 yards, while Bryce Young delivered his best performance so far with 298 passing yards. Currently, the Panthers hold a record of 4-11 after an emotional overtime win in their home finale. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers are at 8-7 and tied for first place in their division. However, following a close 26-24 loss to the Cowboys, they no longer control their playoff destiny.

As both teams prepare for another face-off, changes within the NFL mean each game can present new challenges and opportunities.

Carolina's Chau Smith-Wade reflected on facing running back Bucky Irving: "Yeah, in college," he laughed. "It was Bucky Irving." This comment comes after Irving ran impressively against Smith-Wade's defense when he played for Oregon against Washington State. This season, rookie Irving has accumulated 920 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 168 carries.

Baker Mayfield's receiving options have seen shifts due to injuries throughout the season. Mike Evans remains a key player despite missing three games and is close to reaching another 1,000-yard season with his current tally at 818 yards and nine touchdowns. Rookie Jalen McMillan has also shown promise with consistent performances recently.

On defense, Tampa Bay boasts one of the top rushing defenses in the league. Defensive tackle Vita Vea continues to be pivotal alongside Calijah Kancey who leads with 6.5 sacks. Safety Jordan Whitehead may return soon as he was designated to practice this week.