The Carolina Panthers do not have much to lose in their matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bryce Young and his squad is no longer in the running for postseason contention so they could just take the opportunity to learn from other squads. But, this does not work for very competitive players like Brian Burns. The ruthless defender did not just want to lay his hands on Cody Mauch, he wanted to throw fists.

 

You heard and saw that correctly! Brian Burns just delivered a punch to Cody Mauch's helmet. Thankfully, the Buccaneers guard was not facing the direction of the Panthers linebacker. Else, he would have gotten hit straight into the face.

The two teams got into the altercation before the halftime even struck. This costs the Panthers a lot because one of their best defenders will no longer be playing in the remaining two quarters of the game. Before getting ejected, Burns had just contributed a single solo tackle but it usually takes him a while to heat up for the Bryce Young-led Panthers.

But, other players are stepping up in the secondary. Marquis Haynes Sr. is leading the way with four solo tackles while having one that is assisted. He is also the only Panthers defender that has recorded a sack so far. Xavier Woods also came up big by recording an interception while also notching two assisted tackles.

There is still a lot of time left on the clock. Will the Panthers be able to get their second win of the season?