Subscribe
Follow Us
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored a huge 26-23 win in Charlotte over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday to boost their chances of winning the NFC South division.
But before that, the Buccaneers dealt with a big injury scare in the third quarter concerning quarterback Baker Mayfield, who had to leave the Carolina game momentarily after hurting his ankle. The former No. 1 NFL draft pick suffered an apparent lower-body injury when fellow ex-NFL top pick and Carolina linebacker Jadeveon Clowney accidentally stepped on Mayfield's ankle.
Mayfield later exited into the sidelines, with the Buccaneers sending backup quarterback Kyle Trask to the game. Fortunately for Mayfield and the Bucs, he did not seem to suffer a serious injury as he was able to return to the field just two plays later. After the game, Mayfield admitted that during the moment, he initially feared that he sustained an Achilles injury.
“Honestly, it scared the daylights out of me,” Mayfield said after the game about the injury, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). “I’ve seen some people pop their Achilles before and they say it feels like you get cleated in the back. Obviously not knowing what had happened, I thought that’s what I did. It was a little painful but I got taped up again and went back out there.”
As for his performance, the former Oklahoma Sooners star did not put up a strong showing, as he went just 21-for-33 for 235 passing yards and a touchdown with two interceptions while also getting sacked four times for a loss of 31 yards. Still, the Buccaneers survived their quarterback's subpar outing, thanks in large part to running back Bucky Irving, who burned rubber for 152 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. Tampa Bay's defense also made its presence felt, with the Panthers collecting just 19 first downs and going only 1-for-4 in the red zone.
Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers are in position to win the NFC South
The Buccaneers' victory against Carolina was Tampa Bay's second in a row and sixth overall in the 2024 NFL regular season. With the Atlanta Falcons losing on Sunday to the Los Angeles Chargers and with the Bucs beating the Panthers, Tampa Bay has succeeded in tying Kirk Cousins and company atop the NFC South division standings with each team sporting a 6-6 record.
After losing four games in a row heading into a Week 11 bye, the Buccaneers took advantage of a soft two-game schedule against the New York Giants and the Panthers to get back in the thick of the race in the NFC South, as they also watch the Falcons flounder. But the job is far from done for Tampa Bay, which will look to sustain its momentum and extend the win streak to three games when the Buccaneers welcome the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14 at Raymond James Stadium in Florida.
