Carolina Panthers

On a rainy day in Tampa, the Buccaneers are off to a hot start.

Baker Mayfield fired an 18-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton to cap Tampa Bay’s opening drive, giving the Bucs an early 7-0 lead.

Tampa Bay used a heavy dose of Bucky Irving to start the day, with the running back taking five carries for 24 yards — including a 4-yard run on third-and-2 to move the chains.

Mayfield was 3-of-3 on the first possession for 41 yards, with two of those passes going to Otton. The third was a 13-yard pass on the right sideline to Mike Evans.

Mayfield was also clearly looking to set the tone, lowering his shoulder to finish a 9-yard scramble.

Otton’s touchdown was his first of the year. He previously had the most targets this year without a TD with 72.

As expected, the Buccaneers will have their left tackle back for Saturday’s game against the Panthers.

While he missed last week with a toe injury, Tristan Wirfs is active for the key Week 18 matchup.

Wirfs was listed as a non-participant on Tuesday before he was limited on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Buccaneers will also have defensive lineman Calijah Kancey. He’s active after coming off of injured reserve with a pectoral injury. He has not played since Sept. 15. Kancey — a first-round pick in 2023 — had 7.5 sacks last year.

Receiver Chris Godwin was added to the injury report with an illness, but did not have a change in his game status and is active.

For the Panthers, defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton is inactive after he was listed as questionable with a hamstring injury. Wharton was listed as a full participant on the injury reports this week, but will miss another game. He hasn’t played since Nov. 30.

Carolina’s remaining inactives are receiver Hunter Renfrow, cornerback Robert Rochell, safety Demani Richardson, safety D’Anthony Bell, linebacker Claudin Cherelus, and defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte.

The Buccaneers’ inactives are quarterback Connor Bazelak, cornerback Jamel Dean, linebacker Anthony Nelson, receiver Sterling Shepard, guard Eljah Klein, and defensive lineman Elijah Simmons.

Hours before a critical regular-season finale against the Panthers, the Buccaneers have made an update to their injury report.

Receiver Chris Godwin has been added to the list with an illness. There has been no change in his game status; he is expected to play.

Whether that means he’ll get a full workload remains to be seen. The team isn’t required to disclose that. He could, in theory, be limited in his total snaps based on the illness.

In eight games this season with five starts, Godwin has 32 catches for 352 yards and two touchdowns. He had seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown against Miami in Week 17. That was his first 100-yard game of the year.

All other Buccaneers receivers on the active roster are healthy entering Tampa Bay’s win-or-go-home(-and-maybe-go-home-on-Sunday) showdown for the NFC South crown.

The NFL’s two best rookie receivers will take the field today, with first place in the NFC South up for grabs.

Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan have been the two best rookie receivers in the league all season, and through 16 games, their stats are almost identical.

Egbuka has 62 catches for 930 yards and six touchdowns.

McMillan has 66 catches for 929 yards and seven touchdowns.

Early in the season, Egbuka was the favorite to win the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year award. As the season has gone on, Egbuka’s numbers and his team’s fortunes have declined, while McMillan and the Panthers have improved, and now McMillan is the betting favorite to win rookie of the year.

Only one of them will make the playoffs. If McMillan’s Panthers win or tie today, they win the NFC South. The Panthers would also win the NFC South if the Falcons win tomorrow. For Egbuka and the Buccaneers to win the NFC South, they need to win today and the Falcons need to lose tomorrow.

Egbuka and McMillan can both make a good closing argument today that they deserve to be the offensive rookie of the year. Egbuka’s team, however, will be rooting for another offensive rookie of the year candidate, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, having a big game tomorrow and upsetting the Falcons. A Saints win could earn Shough the rookie of the year award, and Egbuka would likely take that deal.

The Panthers can make the playoffs in 2025, either by beating the Buccaneers on Saturday or by watching the Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday. If that happens, Carolina will be making a very specific type of history.

Via Doug Clawson of CBS Sports, the 8-8 Panthers would be the first team since the 1970 merge to make the playoffs despite having zero wins as the favorite.

The 3-13 Jets also have no wins as the favorite. Obviously, they won’t be making the playoffs. (Again.)

The Panthers aren’t favored in Week 18 at Tampa Bay. If the Panthers win the NFC South, they';; undoubtedly be a significant underdog in the wild-card round, against the Seahawks, 49ers, or Rams.

Carolina victories in 2025 include upset over a pair of NFC playoff teams — at the Packers and at home against the Rams. If the Panthers qualify for the postseason, they’ll have no expectations. They’ll hear talking heads say throughout the week that they’re one of the worst teams to ever make it to the playoffs.

It’s give the Panthers a natural chip on the shoulder, with no pressure whatsoever to win. The No. 5 seed (whoever it is) may look past the Panthers, especially with (if the Bears and Eagles win their wild-card games at home) a rematch coming against the NFC West rival that earns the No. 1 seed (49ers or Seahawks).

Carolina has already beaten L.A., despite being 10.5-point underdogs. While there’s a pretty good chance they won’t catch the Rams napping again, the Seahawks or 49ers could be vulnerable to a Charlotte surprise.

Saturday’s NFC South championship (sort of) between the Panthers and Buccaneers will result (on Saturday or on Sunday) in either the end of a 10-year drought or the continuation of a half-decade run.

If the Panthers win (or if the Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday), Carolina will win the division for the first time since 2015, their most recent Super Bowl appearance. If the Bucs win (and if the Saints win the next day), Tampa Bay will extend their current run as NFC South champs to five.

Carolina last made the playoffs in 2017, with an 8-8 record. That’s also the most recent season in which they won eight games.

If Tampa wins, the division champion (pending Sunday’s game) will have a losing record, and nevertheless host a wild-card game against the NFC’s No. 5 seed.

The Bucs are favored by three, despite sinking to 1-6 since starting 6-2. If they do, it all comes down to what happens on Sunday between the Saints and Falcons.

If Atlanta wins, the division goes to Carolina. If the New Orleans wins, Tampa Bay will have its fifth title in a row.

And then the division champ will be a touchdown-or-so underdog at home the following weekend, against the Seahawks, 49ers, or Rams.

The Falcons have three key offensive players questionable for Sunday’s matchup against the Saints, which could decide the outcome of the NFC South.

Atlanta has listed receiver Drake London (knee), tight end Kyle Pitts (knee), and receiver Darnell Mooney (knee) as questionable for the contest.

However, via Tori McElhaney of the team’s website, head coach Raheem Morris expressed optimism on Friday that all three will be available for the season-ending contest.

London, Pitts, and Mooney were all limited for Friday’s practice.

Additionally, safety DeMarcco Hellams (hamstring) and defensive lineman Sam Roberts (knee/ankle) are questionable. Cornerback Clark Phillips (triceps/illness) and defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus (hamstring) have been ruled out.

The Panthers won’t be getting guard Robert Hunt back for Saturday’s game against the Buccaneers.

Hunt has been out since Week 2 with a biceps injury, but he has been practicing with the team for the last couple of weeks. He was listed as questionable on their final injury report of the week and the Panthers announced on Friday that he will not be activated for the matchup with Tampa.

Wide receiver David Moore (elbow) will also remain on injured reserve. Both players could be activated ahead of a first-round playoff game should the Panthers win the NFC South this weekend.

The Panthers elevated cornerback David Long and linebacker Jacoby Windmon from the practice squad on a temporary basis.

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has no injury designation for Saturday’s NFC South showdown with the Panthers.

Mayfield (right shoulder/knee) had a second consecutive full practice on Thursday.

The Bucs, though, will not have starting cornerback Jamel Dean (shoulder) or outside linebacker Anthony Nelson (knee). Both were ruled out after missing practice all week.

Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey could return this week after tearing a pectoral muscle in Week 2 and undergoing surgery. The team opened his 21-day practice window on Dec. 24.

Kancey is questionable.

“He’s definitely in play,” coach Todd Bowles said Thursday, via Jenna Laine of ESPN. “Obviously we’d have to make some [roster] moves to get there to make that happen. He had a good week. ... He had a very good two weeks. ... If he plays, he’ll definitely be on a snap count.”

Left tackle Tristan Wirfs (toe) will return after missing last week’s game against the Dolphins. He has no injury designation after a second consecutive limited practice.

With one week remaining in the regular season, the playoff field is almost set, as 12 teams have clinched playoff berths. But the playoff seeds remain in flux. Here’s a list of the teams remaining in contention for each playoff seed, and how they can earn those seeds.

NFC

1. Seahawks or 49ers. The winner of Saturday night’s Seahawks-49ers game in San Francisco will determine who gets the No. 1 seed in the NFC. If the teams tie, the Seahawks will be the No. 1 seed.

2. Bears or Eagles. If the Bears win or the Eagles lose, the Bears are the No. 2 seed. If the Bears lose and the Eagles win, the Eagles are the No. 2 seed.

3. Eagles or Bears. The team that doesn’t get the No. 2 seed gets the No. 3 seed. The Eagles are resting their starters and effectively conceding the No. 2 seed to the Bears and preparing to be the No. 3 seed.

4. Panthers or Buccaneers. If the Panthers beat or tie the Buccaneers on Saturday, the Panthers are the No. 4 seed. If the Panthers lose but the Falcons win on Sunday, the Panthers are also the No. 4 seed. If the Buccaneers win and the Falcons lose or tie, the Buccaneers are the No. 4 seed.

5. 49ers or Seahawks or Rams. If the Seahawks lose on Saturday, they are the No. 5 seed. If the 49ers lose on Saturday and the Rams lose on Sunday, the 49ers are the No. 5 seed. If the 49ers lose on Saturday and the Rams win on Sunday, the Rams are the No. 5 seed.

6. Rams or 49ers. If the Rams lose or the 49ers win, the Rams are the No. 6 seed. If the 49ers lose and the Rams win, the 49ers are the No. 6 seed.

7. Packers. The Packers are the only team that has clinched its playoff seed. The Packers are the No. 7 seed in the NFC regardless of anything that happens in Week 18.

AFC
1. Broncos or Patriots or Jaguars. If the Broncos win or the Patriots and Jaguars both lose, the Broncos are the No. 1 seed.

If the Patriots win and the Broncos lose, the Patriots are the No. 1 seed.

If the Jaguars win and the Broncos and Patriots both lose, the Jaguars are the No. 1 seed.

2. Patriots or Broncos or Jaguars. If the Patriots and Broncos both win, the Patriots are the No. 2 seed. If the Patriots and Jaguars both lose, the Patriots are the No. 2 seed. If the Broncos win and the Jaguars lose, the Patriots are the No. 2 seed regardless of what the Patriots do.

If the Broncos lose, the Patriots win and the Jaguars lose, the Broncos are the No. 2 seed. If the Broncos lose, the Patriots lose and the Jaguars win, the Broncos are the No. 2 seed.

If the Jaguars win, the Broncos lose and the Patriots win, the Jaguars are the No. 2 seed. If the Jaguars win, the Broncos win and the Patriots lose, the Jaguars are the No. 2 seed.

3. Jaguars or Broncos or Patriots or Texans. If the Jaguars, Broncos and Patriots all win, or the Jaguars tie, thie Jaguars are the No. 3 seed. If the Jaguars and Texans both lose, the Jaguars are the No. 3 seed. If the Broncos win, the Patriots win and the Texans lose, the Jaguars are the No. 3 seed regardless of what the Jaguars do.

If the Broncos lose and Patriots and Jaguars both win, the Broncos are the No. 3 seed.

If the Patriots lose and the Jaguars win, the Patriots are the No. 3 seed.

If the Texans win and the Jaguars lose, the Texans are the No. 3 seed.

4. Steelers or Ravens. If the Steelers beat or tie the Ravens on Sunday night, the Steelers are the No. 4 seed. If the Ravens win, the Ravens are the No. 4 seed.

5. Texans or Jaguars or Chargers or Bills. If the Texans and Jaguars both win, the Texans are the No. 5 seed. If the Texans, Chargers and Bills all lose, the Texans are the No. 5 seed. If the Jaguars win and the Chargers and Bills lose, the Texans are the No. 5 seed regardless of what the Texans do.

If the Jaguars lose, the Texans win and the Bills lose, the Jaguars are the No. 5 seed. (There are also scenarios that see the Jaguars as the 5 seed based on the strength of victory tiebreaker with the Chargers.)

If the Chargers win and the Texans lose, the Chargers are the No. 5 seed. If the Chargers win and the Jaguars lose, the Chargers could also get the No. 5 seed based on clinching the strength of victory tiebreaker over the Jaguars.

If the Bills win, the Chargers lose and either the Texans or Jaguars lose, the Bills are the No. 5 seed.

6. Chargers or Jaguars or Texans or Bills. If the Chargers, Texans and Jaguars all win, the Chargers are the No. 6 seed. If the Chargers and Bills both lose, the Chargers are the No. 6 seed. If the Texans win and the Bills lose, the Chargers are the No. 6 seed regardless of what the Chargers do.

If the Jaguars and Chargers both lose, and the Texans and Bills both win, the Jaguars are the No. 6 seed.

If the Texans lose and either the Bills lose and Chargers win, or the Bills win and Chargers lose, the Texans are the No. 6 seed.

If the Bills win, the Chargers lose and the Texans and Jaguars both win, the Bills are the No. 6 seed. If the Bills win, the Chargers win and the Texans lose, the Bills are the No. 6 seed.

7. Bills or Jaguars or Texans or Chargers. If the Bills lose, the Bills are the No. 7 seed. If the Chargers, Texans and Jaguars all win, the Bills are the No. 7 seed regardless of what the Bills do.

If the Jaguars lose and the Texans, Chargers and Bills all win, the Jaguars can be the No. 7 seed if the Chargers clinch the strength of victory tiebreaker over the Jaguars.

If the Texans lose and the Chargers and Bills both win, the Texans are the No. 7 seed.

If the Chargers lose and the Bills win, the Chargers are the No. 7 seed.