The Carolina Panthers close out their home campaign in Week 16 when they welcome the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Bank of America Stadium. This brings the curtain down on another indifferent series of fixtures in Charlotte, with the team not securing success in front of their fans since Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints.
This is still a good time to be playing the Buccaneers given their injury problems. But it’s not like Carolina possesses any sort of confidence on their 2-9 run after a 3-0 start that came with obvious delusions of grandeur in hindsight.
Matt Rhule’s position as head coach is reportedly safe for now according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports and Joe Person of The Athletic. However, things change quickly in the NFL and the former Baylor man won’t want further pressure to mount with a poor end to the campaign.
Sunday’s game might also be the final chance for fans to see Cam Newton suit up on home soil. So it promises to be an emotional afternoon one way or another.
Will Sam Darnold play in Week 16?
All signs point to Sam Darnold playing some part. Carolina activated the troubled quarterback for the first time since Week 9 and Rhule stated this week they do have a plan in place to get the former USC star some reps.
Just how well received this will be is another matter. But for some unbeknown reason, Rhule seems happy to move forward with a two-quarterback approach for the time being.
Panthers Injury Report vs Bucs Week 16
D.J. Moore is expected to play despite not practicing much this week. Derrick Brown also returns to the lineup after coming off the reserve/COVID-19 list, but Carolina will be without the services of starting center Pat Elflein, which could be a major issue.
Here is Carolina’s full injury report for Week 16:
- WR D.J. Moore – Questionable (hamstring)
- OT Cam Erving – Questionable (calf)
- DT Phil Hoskins – Questionable (back)
Here is Tampa Bay’s injury report for Week 16:
- CB Jamel Dean – Questonable (illness)
- WR Mike Evans – Out (hamstring)
- DE/OLB Jason Pierre-Paul – Out (shoulder)
- CB Richard Sherman – Questionable (Achillies)
- S Antoine Winfield Jr. – Out (foot)
Odds, Spread, Over/Under & Betting Pick Week 16
WynnBET’s Week 16 NFL odds have Carolina 10.0-point underdogs at home. The money line odds are +350 for the Panthers (bet $00 to win $350), with the Buccaneers currently sitting at -440 (bet $440 to win $100).
The over/under set by WynnBET is 43.0, which is available at -110 (bet $110 to win $100) in both directions.
This is an important game for Carolina as they look to finish their 2021 home schedule on a positive note. Although tipping them to win is a bit bold, given Tampa Bay’s injury complications all over the field, it would be an extreme disappointment if they didn’t cover the 10.0-point spread.
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What Channel is the Panthers Game On Week 16
The game today will be broadcast on FOX at 1 p.m. EST.
Panthers vs Bucs Live Stream
Today’s game can be streamed live on Fubo TV.
Panthers Next Game and Schedule
Carolina’s next game is on Sunday, January 2 at the New Orleans Saints. This is their penultmate game of the 2021 season, with a trip to Tampa Bay in Week 18 their final engagement before the offseason period.