Who were the big winners and losers from another disappointing loss for the Carolina Panthers in Week 13 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
The Carolina Panthers are in the midst of one of their worst seasons in franchise history. That's saying something considering the organization has never had back-to-back winning years and hasn't gone above .500 since David Tepper took ownership.
Their latest loss came at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - their 11th reverse from 12 contests in 2023. Frank Reich wasn't around to oversee the operation after being fired, but the interim regime was unable to overcome the same old failings.
Carolina's problems run much deeper than the recently departed head coach - but fans already knew that. It's going to take a long time to build the Panthers back to prominence, with landmark changes across the board potentially coming again once the campaign concludes.
That's for the future. For now, here are five winners and losers from Carolina's defeat in Tampa Bay.
Loser No. 1
Thomas Brown - Carolina Panthers OC
There were some slight improvements on offense as Thomas Brown reassumed play-calling duties. More pre-snap motion was evident right out of the gate and more rollouts were called for quarterback Bryce Young. The power running attack that made the Carolina Panthers so successful under Steve Wilks also came to the fore.
Their early momentum quickly faded. When the time came for a crucial third-and-one with the result hanging in the balance, Brown called two passing plays - the second of which was intercepted.
Considering how Chuba Hubbard was running the football, that should have been the play. And it should have come with Young under center rather than adopting those needless shotgun plays in short yardage.
Winner No. 1
Chuba Hubbard - Carolina Panthers RB
There were very few positives to take from this one. The Carolina Panthers couldn't muster enough fight to prevent quarterback Baker Mayfield from getting one over on his former employers, which was extremely disappointing with renewed optimism that their coaching changes could bear immediate fruit.
Chuba Hubbard was one of the Panthers players to emerge with any semblance of credit. The running back continues to display the traits normally associated with long-term starters at the position, going over 100 rushing yards with two trips to the end zone thrown in for good measure.
Hubbard is running far more physically these days. The former fourth-round selection deserves endless praise for working on contact balance, with his extra experience also improving his vision to spot gaps and burst through them accordingly.
The Oklahoma State product was written off by most after an underwhelming rookie campaign in 2021. Hubbard wasn't ready for prominent reps so soon, but he's steadily progressed since then and has taken his game to completely new heights this time around.
Not many within the Panthers locker room can say with any confidence what their future with the team beyond 2023 will look like. But if Hubbard keeps this up over the next five games, his spot should be assured under a different coaching regime.
Loser No. 2
Brian Burns - Carolina Panthers OLB
Brian Burns has cut a frustrated figure this season. Not getting a new deal from the Carolina Panthers despite showing up throughout camp was just the start - swiftly followed by constant losing and getting no help whatsoever from any other pass-rusher on the rotation.
Opposing teams can actively key in on Burns without fear of anyone else doing significant damage. With their Week 13 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers getting away from them, these emotions boiled over when he was ejected for throwing a punch following an extra-point play.
Burns stated after the contest another offensive lineman had said something out of line early on that saw the red mist descend. But the Panthers managed to find a route back into the game, so not having the former first-round pick out of Florida State to call upon was a blow.
One could argue that Burns wasn't doing a lot when on the field. But he at least takes up the majority of attention in the hope others can make their mark.
No matter what was said, Burns shouldn't have reacted in this way. He's someone others are looking to for inspiration and this was a microcosm of the lack of discipline across the franchise this season.
Winner No. 2
Donte Jackson - Carolina Panthers CB
Donte Jackson's been an easy target for the fanbase amid the team's struggles. It was a late afternoon for the Carolina Panthers to forget overall, but the cornerback turned in a tremendous display in difficult circumstances.
Jackson seemed to be all over the field in a bid to help the cause. The former second-round selection was assured in coverage more often than not, made impactful plays against the run, and brought the sort of energy most of his teammates lacked.
That didn't stop veteran wideout Mike Evans from having an exceptional day en route to his tenth-straight season accumulating more than 1,000 receiving yards. Others within the secondary were responsible for conceding big plays to a constant thorn in Carolina's side, which negated an outstanding performance from Jackson.
Aside from one or two blips, Jackson's upturn in production since the bye week is something the Panthers desperately needed. What it means for the player's future beyond the current campaign is anyone's guess, but he won't be short of suitors if he's released with a post-June 1 designation that comes with a saving of more than $10 million.
C.J. Henderson and Jaycee Horn didn't cover themselves in glory, but they've been missing for a while. The same cannot be said of Jackson, who can look back on his efforts with pride.
Loser No. 4
Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers QB
Hope was once again renewed for quarterback Bryce Young. Frank Reich and Josh McCown were gone, so working closer with the likes of Jim Caldwell and Thomas Brown had many tipping the No. 1 overall pick to finish his rookie campaign on the front foot.
As it turned out, Young struggled to find the consistency needed against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There were flashes of what he might be able to do with better weapons, but hesitancy and doubt are creeping into his game that wasn't evident during his college days at Alabama.
Young is almost too eager to have his long-awaited statement game. But at the same time, he needs to start taking more risks with nothing much to play for other than pride right now.
This is the best time for Young and the Carolina Panthers to experiment. To gamble in tight windows. To determine the difference between being open in the NFL compared to the acres of space his Crimson Tide wideouts created.
There's visible dejection where Young is concerned. He's not used to losing or performing poorly, which makes this offseason an immensely important one for the player and whoever is in charge of roster building.
The Panthers made a substantial commitment to get Young from atop the 2023 NFL Draft. An immediate return on their investment hasn't materialized, but there's nothing to suggest expectations cannot be met if the recruitment is centered on his progression in Year 2.