Panthers punch playoff ticket with 22-19 win
The Carolina Panthers assured themselves of a playoff berth with a win over the Buccaneers…
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued taking their NFC South opponents down to the wire in rematch games. A week after missing a game tying field goal as time expired versus Atlanta, the Carolina Panthers nearly lost at home. Instead, a Buccaneers missed field goal left three minutes for quarterback Cam Newton and the Panthers offense to mount a comeback.
After gaining much of the needed yardage through the air, Carolina was knocking on the door of the end zone with just over one minute remaining. Three plays later the Panthers needed a defensive penalty and ensuing first down, converted by the slimmest of margins, to get a fresh set of downs with 35 seconds remaining.
Newton took the next snap, bobbled the football and literally dribbled it into the end zone on a designed quarterback run up the middle to put Carolina back on top by three. The Buccaneers needed another game tying field goal but quarterback Jameis Winston fumbled his second snap of the game and Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers recovered to seal the victory.
The win guarantees Carolina a wild-card berth at minimum and if the Buccaneers can knock off New Orleans, the Panthers claim the NFC South title with a win over Atlanta next week. If not, it appears the Panthers are headed for a third game with the Saints in the playoffs.
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Newton led all rushers again for Carolina, finishing with 52 yards and the late touchdown. Wide receiver Brenton Bersin, who saw a lot of action due to Russell Shepard being inactive and a Damiere Byrd injury, led the team through the air with three catches and 45 yards.
Despite allowing multiple big plays, the defense held Tampa Bay to field goal attempts a majority of the time while creating three fumbles and six sacks. Peppers recovered twice when Winston lost the football in addition to Bryan Cox.
Carolina also benefitted from a 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Byrd prior to the half. The longest such return in franchise history and first since the 2011 season sparked the Panthers to a 12-9 halftime lead.
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With an even 10 points scored by both teams in the second half, it was enough for the victory as Carolina advances to the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.