The Buccaneers have lost six of their last seven games, but the home stretch looks considerably easier than the road behind, starting with a home game against the Carolina Panthers. With just one this season, the Panthers are one of the worst teams in the league and have already moved on from head coach Frank Reich. That does not mean the Bucs are assured victory, as they are far from flawless themselves.
Few would argue that the Panthers have one of the least talented rosters in the NFL, particularly on offense. 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young has looked nothing like the top pick of the draft, and the rest of the offense has done next to nothing to help.
By most metrics, the Bucs are the superior team, but they have struggled with consistency all season. Even head coach Todd Bowles appears baffled how baffling and pervasive the team’s mistakes have been (via Fox Sports’ Greg Auman):
Todd Bowles acknowledges mistakes keep happening, but says they're happening from different people in different situations each week. "It shouldn't be. It's things we've done every day, we've done right hundreds of times, and at a certain point in time, it doesn't get done."
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) November 27, 2023
The self-inflicted wounds guarantee that every Bucs game will, at minimum, be interesting. Carolina is flawed enough that Tampa Bay has a better-than-average chance of getting back into the win column.
Here are three keys to victory for the Bucs in their home game against the Panthers: