The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ final two games of the season are must-wins if they are to make the playoffs—with a bit of help. Traditionally, division games are tough, and they need overtime in their first meeting with the Carolina Panthers this season.
On paper, it looked as though the Buccaneers could be in for another nail-biter as the regular season winds down. Fast forward to zeroes on the clock at the end of the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers had a dominant 48-14 win over the Panthers to hold up their end of the deal in hopes of making the playoffs. Here are five takeaways from the Bucs lopsided victory.
Bucky Irving is a star
No longer a “star in the making,” Bucky Irving is a bonafide star. Entering Week 17, Irving led the entire NFL in yards after contact per carry, averaging 4.20 on his 152 rushing attempts. Leading the team with 113 yards and 20 carries, Irving stepped on the gas and never looked back. The Bucs rookie became the first Buccaneers rookie running back to go over the 1,000-yard mark since Doug Martin in 2015. It’s a shame that the NFL’s season awards seem to be exclusive to quarterbacks; otherwise, Irving makes a strong case.
When Baker is on, he is on
Throwing five touchdowns (t-career high) and eclipsing 350 yards, Baker Mayfield displayed that when he is on, he is undoubtedly one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. Nine players caught a pass from Mayfield during the Bucs route of the Panthers, who finished the game completing 27/32 attempts, with a 153 passer rating. Mayfield showed the patience, poise, and playmaking skills that fans have grown accustomed to in Tampa. Even though he is a dark horse in the conversation, Mayfield’s five touchdowns and 359 passing yards against the Panthers keep him in the race.
The secondary continues to hurt the team
The Buccaneers’ secondary has been their Achilles heel for the vast majority of the season. Led by the NFL’s third-ranked offense, the Bucs should not have been looking into the playoffs from the outside. Panthers quarterback Bryce Young may have thrown for just 204 yards on the day, but the long-standing issue has been how he was able to get those yards, connecting with wide-open receivers more often than not. Should the Buccaneers make the playoffs, Todd Bowles will need to shore up the defense to ease the pressure on the offense that has forced them to play nearly mistake-free in order to win games.
Mike Evans is as reliable as ever
No matter the route, the coverage, the quarterback, or the season, Mike Evans is as reliable as he’s ever been. He caught eight of nine targets for 97 yards. Evans’s consistency throughout the day opened up the offense’s playbook, allowed Mayfield to spread the ball, and never let the Panthers load the box, which was a huge net positive for Irving on the ground. Despite being double-teamed, Evans connected with Mayfield all over the field- from 34 yards to two-yard touchdown receptions. Ol’ Reliable will need just 85 yards against the New Orleans Saints in Week 18 to go over the century mark for the 11th straight season.
Jalen McMillan steps up big
Since Chris Godwin went down with a dislocated ankle, all eyes were on Jalen McMillian to step up. There have been flashes of living up to those lofty expectations throughout the season, but he couldn’t quite get there. Ending his day catching all five targets for 51 yards and two touchdowns, McMillian stepped up in a big way and was on full display in the Buccaneers Week 17 win.