The Carolina Panthers were confident after beating the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16. It didn't take long for that to evaporate at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Dave Canales saw his team take a heavy loss upon his first return to Raymond James Stadium after taking the top job in Carolina. The Panthers were second-best throughout, looking lethargic and having no answer for the Buccaneers on both sides of the football.
This leaves the Panthers at 4-12 heading into their regular-season finale at the Atlanta Falcons. Some players will be eager to get this game out of the way ahead of prolonged rest during the offseason. Others need to keep fighting to improve their chances of an extended stay.
Big changes are coming to Carolina's playing personnel this offseason. This lackluster outing exposed their lack of sufficient depth, which general manager Dan Morgan must rectify effectively when the recruitment period commences.
That's for the future. For now, here are two winners and five losers from Carolina's dismal defeat to the Buccaneers.
Winners and losers from Carolina Panthers' defeat at the Buccaneers
Loser No. 1
Raheem Blackshear - Carolina Panthers RB
The Carolina Panthers placed starting running back Chuba Hubbard on injured reserve, ending his exceptional 2024 campaign ahead of time. With veteran Miles Sanders and second-round rookie Jonathon Brooks also on the shelf, this represented Raheem Blackshear's big opportunity to impress.
Blackshear's been a key contributor as a kick returner this season without featuring much in the ground game. The Panthers allowed him to start, but it wasn't the impact anybody had in mind.
There was hesitancy and a lack of physical presence compared to Hubbard. Bryce Young didn't look for Blackshear as a pass-catching option out of the backfield, highlighting a lack of trust in the player to produce the goods.
The former undrafted free agent gained just 20 rushing yards on eight carries. Blackshear quickly became an afterthought once the game got away from Carolina, but he could get another audition in Week 18 given the lack of legitimate running back options at the team's disposal.