Carolina Panthers vs. Bucs: Prediction, best bets, and more
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers vs. Bucs: Prediction
- Carolina Panthers 21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28
Things are still a work in progress for the Carolina Panthers after coming into the 2020 season with a new-look roster and a coaching staff who got their first taste of NFL play-calling last week.
It might be worth keeping that in mind during the first few weeks of the campaign. Things might get worse before they get better. But the NFL is a results business and owner David Tepper will undoubtedly want to see a return in his huge investment sooner rather than later.
That is for the future. Today, the pressure to deliver is on the Buccaneers.
Another defeat would spark big questions about their ability to make a Super Bowl run. But if they win in the manner expected, it should alleviate some concerns about the direction that the organization is heading in under Tom Brady and Bruce Arians.
Carolina can keep this one closer than people think. But everything needs to go right for them to win.
Not having Kawann Short on the defensive front is a big blow. And it remains to be seen just how healthy No. 1 cornerback option Donte Jackson is after going to the sidelines in Week 1 with an ankle injury in the first quarter.
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Taking everything into consideration means that picking the Panthers to pull off such an upset at this stage of their development would be foolish. However, stranger things have happened in the NFL and if they can put some pressure on Brady, it might just give them a chance.