Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield missed his third straight game on Sunday, but the team is hoping that his absence from the lineup will be ending soon.
Mayfield’s dislocated right thumb has also kept him off of the practice field since he was injured in Week 3, but he tested his ability to throw the ball last week and head coach Todd Bowles said at a Monday press conference that the current plan is for Mayfield to be involved in practice this week.
“He’s supposed to practice Wednesday,” Bowles said. “We’re gonna take a good look at him there, and we’ll kind of evaluate him during the week and see how he does.”
Jalon Daniels has started while Mayfield has been on the bench and the Bucs have gone 1-2 in those games. Bowles said the team will construct a game plan that takes into account the uncertainty about who will start in Carolina.
“I think you have to,” Bowles said. “Both will be in the meetings, obviously. Both will be in the meetings and we’ll see how the week goes before we decide who it is.
Daniels was 22-of-43 for 164 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in Sunday’s overtime loss to the Steelers.
Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble punctuated his second touchdown of Sunday’s 25-14 win over the Eagles by turning toward and pointing at defensive back Cooper DeJean.
Tremble’s move drew a flag for taunting and it came a play after DeJean picked up a personal foul of his own. DeJean and Tremble’s fellow tight end Mitchell Evans got into it after a Chuba Hubbard run and DeJean was penalized for picking Evans up and slamming him to the ground.
After the game, Tremble explained that he was trying to stand up for his teammate.
“I just thought that earlier personal foul was just kind of egregious, and so it was uncalled for, something that didn’t need to happen,” Tremble said, via the team’s website. “I shouldn’t have retaliated. That wasn’t cool for me to do.”
The ensuing extra point was no good, so the 15 yards hurt the Panthers and they would have hurt a lot more had it been a closer game. Tremble will likely feel a little more pain via a fine from the league, but Sunday was a net positive for him and the team.
The Eagles played without quarterback Jalen Hurts on Sunday, and they missed him.
Philadelphia had 11 drives, with eight ending in punts and another on downs late. The Eagles put together only two scoring drives of 78 and 69 yards.
The Panthers ran away with a 25-14 victory. Carolina is 3-2, and Philadelphia is 2-4.
Adding injury to insult, the Eagles lost running back Carson Steele (shoulder), defensive tackle Nolan Smith (concussion) and outside linebacker Jordan Davis (ankle) during the game.
The Panthers outgained the Eagles 399 to 222 as Chuba Hubbard ran for 120 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries.
Bryce Young was 20-of-39 for 281 yards and two touchdowns. Tommy Tremble scored on touchdown catches of 12 and 19 yards. Jalen Coker caught six passes for 97 yards, and Tetairoa McMillan added six receptions for 86 yards.
Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee went 26-of-45 for 215 yards and a touchdown. Dameon Pierce had 12 carries for 35 yards and a touchdown. DeVonta Smith caught seven passes for 75 yards.
The Panthers led 10-0 before the Eagles made things interesting.
Tanner McKee, starting for Jalen Hurts, led Philadelphia on a 10-play, 78-yard drive with Dameon Pierce scoring on a 2-yard run with 2:42 remaining in the first half.
Carolina leads 10-7 at halftime.
On their touchdown drive, the Eagles benefited with a 22-yard defensive pass interference penalty on rookie Will Lee, who pulled down Dallas Goedert’s pants. It was Lee’s second DPI, and set up Pierce’s touchdown run.
The Panthers have outgained the Eagles 178 to 110, with Bryce Young going 12-of-21 for 162 yards and a touchdown. Tetairoa McMillan has five catches for 79 yards.
McKee is 13-of-23 for 94 yards, with Goedert catching four passes for 38 yards.
The Eagles are struggling without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts.
They trail the Panthers 10-0 with 8:08 remaining in the second quarter.
Bryce Young hit tight end Tommy Tremble for a 12-yard score, completing a five-play, 35-yard drive. Eagles punter Braden Mann’s 23-yard punt set up the Panthers with good field position.
They faced a second-and-20 after an intentional grounding penalty on Young, but got a first down on the next play when Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis was called for roughing the passer.
The Panthers scored on the next play.
The Panthers have outgained the Eagles 143 to 74, with Young going 9-of-16 for 128 yards and a touchdown.
