Carolina Panthers avenge their heartbreaking Week 13 loss
Looking back on the Carolina Panthers' heartbreaking loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium in Week 13 is hard. It's a game they had in the palm of their hand but let slip away in the closing moments.
This is one fans chalked up as a moral victory. But compared to Carolina's losses against the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay is not that elite level of team. This was a game that Carolina should have won and everyone — including those on the opposite sideline — knew it.
Carolina dominated proceedings for three quarters and the game should have been out of sight. But a mixture of poor officiating and self-inflicted wounds meant things were close late. In what was a predictable turn of events, the Panthers' run defense fell apart late before the overtime fiasco.
It was another harsh lesson for Canales' relatively young squad to take on board. They are learning what it takes to win. Sometimes they get over the line. Others they don't. It's finding the right middle ground and staying composed in key moments that separate the contending teams from the also-rans.
Despite Carolina winning a week ago, Tampa Bay is an eight-point favorite at home as they look to keep up the pressure on the Atlanta Falcons ahead of their Sunday Night Football test at the Washington Commanders. As for the Panthers? Dave Canales must have his men ready to avenge the defeat from a few short weeks ago.
Bryce Young has the opportunity to continue his progression, and he faces a suspect pass defense riddled with injuries. If the Panthers can avoid the costly individual errors that occurred in the first meeting with Tampa Bay, they can play spoiler and further hand the NFC South advantage to the Falcons.