4 keys to victory for the Carolina Panthers vs. Buccaneers in Week 16
By Noah Bryce
Carolina Panthers must shut down the backup WRs
Speaking of those injuries to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense. With Mike Evans and Leonard Fournette out for an undetermined amount of time, there is every likelihood that the defending champs will be down to only Rob Gronkowski as a proven weapon for Tom Brady to target.
If this happens it will be a Christmas Miracle as far as the Carolina Panthers are concerned. Now we never wish harm on any opponent, no matter who it may be. But a short-handed Bucs team is immensely easier to defeat than one at full strength.
37 catches for 360 yards. That is the total 2021 stat line for the Buccaneers wide receiver core as currently formatted.
Not one player, the entire room.
The loss of a player like Evans alone would make any defense giddy. But the fact that there is no proven replacement behind him since Antonio Brown’s status still up in the air and Chris Godwin is out for the season makes it all the more meaningful of an absence.
Shutting down this inexperienced group of backups and young players is something the Panthers have to accomplish if they want to ever be talked about as one of the leading defenses in the league again.
Win the games you’re supposed to win.
This even applies to the games within the game and the duo of Stephon Gilmore and CJ Hendersen has a lot to prove this Sunday. Avoid stupid mistakes and it should be a long day for Brady trying to find a target with any kind of separation.