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As the NFL regular season approaches its thrilling conclusion, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers find themselves at a pivotal juncture. With only three games left, their path to the playoffs demands at least two victories. This Sunday, a win against the Carolina Panthers would mark a significant stride as these NFC South adversaries vie for the division title.
The stakes are high as both teams step into week 16, each sporting a 7-7 record. However, the Buccaneers hold a slight edge thanks to their superior performance against common opponents, which serves as a tiebreaker in this closely contested race.
Both teams enter week 16 of the season with a 7-7 record with the Bucs holding the tie breaker because of record against common opponents.
This week’s 16 matchup is the first of two games the teams will play against one another in the span of the final three weeks of the season.
On the injury front, the Bucs are as close to full strength as they have been all year. Quarterback Baker Mayfield will have his full arsenal of receiving weapons at his disposal. Defensively, the Bucs are expecting to get rookie cornerback Benjamin Morrison back for the first time since their Nov. 16 loss to the Bills.
And fans will get a blast from the past in the game on Sunday. Jason Pierre-Paul will suit up and play for the Bucs after being elevated to the active roster on Saturday afternoon. JPP has not played an NFL game since 2023 and has not played for the Bucs since 2021.
Kickoff from Charlotte is at 1 p.m. on Fox.
