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In the only overtime game of Week 13, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers knocked off the Carolina Panthers by a score of 26-23 to get back to .500. However, given the way the game played out, many felt that the game should not have gone into overtime after what appeared to be a touchdown for Panthers receiver Adam Thielen in the second quarter was ruled incomplete.
With Panthers fans prepared to riot after the game, NFL replay official Mark Butterworth gave his reasoning behind the call that went to a review but still resulted in an incomplete pass.
“The ruling on the field was incomplete, and the officials were giving the bobble signal,” Butterworth said via Joe Person of The Athletic. “As we looked at available views, there was an initial bobble while the receiver was in the air. He did get control, which is the first part of the catch process. He did get a knee in bounds and as he is going to the ground, the third act would be surviving the ground.
“As he goes to the ground and turns over, there was no shot showing that he maintained possession throughout completing the process of the catch. As he is rolling over, you can see at least one hand come off the ball. So with an on-field ruling of incomplete, we would have to show that he had control to award him a touchdown.”
Per Butterworth's explanation, had the ruling on the field been a touchdown, Thielen's catch likely would have counted. Instead, the Panthers were forced to kick a field goal and take a three-point lead into halftime.
Panthers lose second straight three-point game
After beginning the year with such uncertainty, Carolina has now lost two straight games but has to be pleased with what they have accomplished. During the second half of the season, the Panthers have seemingly turned their season around and are 2-2 in their last four games after a rough 1-7 start. Despite the consecutive defeats, the Panthers have now lost to two of the premier teams in the league by just a combined six points.
In his second stint at quarterback, Bryce Young has gone 2-3 in his last five starts. The former No. 1 overall pick appeared to be doomed after he was benched for veteran Andy Dalton earlier in the year, but he has since taken the best form of his young career.
Although there are no moral victories in the NFL, it is hard for Dave Canales and the Panthers to not be encouraged by what the team has produced since their bye week. However, with five games remaining in 2024, the team's schedule will not get any easier. Only one of Carolina's final five opponents has a losing record after Week 13.
