The Carolina Panthers entered Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a chance to strike another body blow on their faltering division rivals in the battle for NFC South supremacy. What happened was anything but.
Head coach Dave Canales' squad didn't look ready to play. They seemed complacent, thinking they could just turn up and win. Tampa Bay took full advantage, running riot over Carolina at Bank of America Stadium from start to finish.
It was a complete embarrassment. It was unacceptable, and Canales had no answers after the game.
This demands a big response. Unfortunately, they have little time before their trip to the Green Bay Packers for Thursday Night Football.
That's for the near future. For now, here are two winners and six losers from Carolina's humiliating defeat.
Winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers' humiliating defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Loser No. 1
Carolina Panthers run defense
We'll put all this together in one. The Panthers' run defense improved after giving up 291 rushing yards to the Chicago Bears, but it returned to old habits against the Buccaneers.
With edge rusher Jaelen Phillips out and Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield playing through a dislocated thumb, the Buccaneers relied heavily on the ground attack. This wasn't a big shock, but the Panthers simply couldn't live with it.
The defensive front lost the trench battle. The corners were hesitant, and three Buccaneers' rushers went over 50 yards. They racked up 258 rushing yards and three touchdowns, controlling the clock and dominating throughout.
Getting run out of your own building like this is a bad look. And it's the second time it's happened this season.
Loser No. 2
Robert Hunt - Carolina Panthers OL
The Panthers have a big Robert Hunt problem. He is getting paid like one of the league's best interior linemen, and he is not delivering the goods. And this was another woeful outing when much more was expected.
Hunt's regression is alarming. He looks sluggish off the snap, and his recovery skills have deserted him. This was another poor performance in a disappointing season from the Pro Bowler, who won't have right tackle Taylor Moton to depend on moving forward.
This is a problem. The Panthers don't really have the luxury of benching Hunt, but if he cannot raise his play over their remaining 11 games, general manager Dan Morgan will have a big decision to make when the 2027 offseason arrives.
Hunt has no guaranteed money beyond 2026. The Panthers are cash-strapped, so they might save money by cutting or trading the right guard if improvements don't arrive.
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