The Panthers will keep their postseason hopes alive if they defeat the Buccaneers on the road in Week 17.
They started the game playing like it.
Quarterback Sam Darnold hit tight end Tommy Tremble for a 17-yard touchdown pass, giving Carolina an early 7-0 lead.
The score capped a six-play, 75-yard drive that took just 3:21 off the clock.
Darnold was 4-of-4 for 60 yards on the possession. He started it off with a play-action pass that went 24 yards to receiver D.J. Moore.
The Panthers had five first downs on the possession and didn’t face a third down. They did get some help with a defensive pass interference penalty on Antoine Winfield that put Carolina at the 17-yard line.
Darnold hit Tremble for the touchdown on the next play.