Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines as the dust settles on their shutout loss at the Jacksonville Jaguars?
There is just one game remaining for the Carolina Panthers in 2023. There is one game until attention firmly focuses on another critical offseason for the franchise. For most fans, they're already at that point following one of the most disappointing campaigns in the team's rollercoaster history spanning three decades.
We are stumbling to the finishing line with the dubious distinction of handing over the No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft to rub further salt into the wound. As the team navigates some rough waves, the stories causing conversation include Derrick Brown's potential milestone, advice for Bryce Young, early odds for Week 18, and radio silence following David Tepper's latest embarrassing incident.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Derrick Brown's historic target
Derrick Brown has evolved into the Carolina Panthers' most dominant player. He's a formidable presence on the defensive front. He's making things happen despite being double-teamed constantly. He's also making himself a lot of money with potential contract talks on the horizon this offseason.
According to Anthony Rizzuti from USA Today Sports, the former first-round selection also has an NFL record in his sights. Brown needs just three tackles to break the single-season record for a defensive tackle. Four more would get him to three figures after a sensational campaign.
"After his eight takedowns in Sunday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Derrick Brown is now up to 96 combined tackles on the campaign. That total sits just two behind the single-season NFL record for a defensive tackle, which was set by Miami’s Christian Wilkins in 2022."Anthony Rizzuti, USA Today Sports
This should be incentive enough for Brown to give his all in Week 18 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If he achieves the feat, it's another bargaining chip his representatives can use when it's time to begin extension talks.
Carolina Panthers vs. Buccaneers early odds, how to watch
According to the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, the Carolina Panthers are 5.5-point underdogs at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18. The visitors can wrap up the NFC South with a victory, so the increased urgency rightfully makes them favorites for the clash. This is available at -110 depending on which side of the points spread you wish to wager (bet $110 to win $100).
Anyone looking to bet the Panthers' money line can get decent odds of +200 currently (bet $100 to win $200). Tampa Bay is favored to give quarterback Baker Mayfield a divisional crown versus the team that released him last season at -245 (bet $245 to win $100).
FanDuel Sportsbook is anticipating a relatively low-scoring affair at Bank of America Stadium. The over/under is 37.5 points and can be had at -110 in both directions.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
How to watch:
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The game is also being shown live on FOX and is set to kick off at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
Advice for Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young
One could forgive Bryce Young for looking forward to getting away from football for a short period. The quarterback's endured some significant hardship as a rookie. It's been a toxic environment for the most part, which is a far cry from the bold claims made by the Carolina Panthers about dropping in a quarterback and taking off before the campaign.
Young's first year in a professional environment looks eerily similar to Trevor Lawrence's struggles under Urban Meyer. The former No. 1 overall selection had some words of advice for the Alabama product following his team's win over the Panthers in Week 17 via The Score. This centered on remaining focused and continuing to develop the obvious gifts at his disposal.
"It seems like our rookie years are kind of going similar up until this point. I would just say for him to just stay the course. There's no denying he's a super-talented guy. He has all the tools and tangibles."Trevor Lawrence via theScore
The Panthers need to do their part by surrounding Young with more quality. It's also essential for the organization to bring in the right head coach capable of nurturing his talent. Just how easy that'll be given the way team owner David Tepper's conducted himself in recent weeks remains to be seen.
This leads us to our next topic…
Radio silence from Carolina Panthers and the NFL
The scathing criticism centered on Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper shows no signs of slowing down. The billionaire enraged almost everyone when a video surfaced of him allegedly throwing a drink over Jacksonville Jaguars fans on Sunday before storming out of his suite. Over 24 hours later and with headlines galore, it's been radio silence from everyone people need to hear from.
Perhaps the least surprising is there's been no apology from Tepper. Not from the man himself. Not in a statement via the Panthers. Nothing.
This silence speaks a thousand words. Tepper believes he can do whatever he wants without repercussions. A bully-boy mentality that continues to drag Carolina through the mud into complete embarrassment.
There's been nothing from the league either aside from them stating an awareness of the incident. They need to make investigations before coming to final decisions. Many believe this could result in a hefty fine and perhaps a suspension from game activities. But there's just no telling for sure.
Tepper's petulance, meddling, and mismanagement of the Panthers since buying the organization from Jerry Richardson is not being perceived well in league circles. This latest incident could have bigger implications when it comes to attracting preferred head coaching targets such as Ben Johnson, who's going to get significant interest from elsewhere.
Until something concrete emerges, all we can do is wait.