Game 15

Bucs (7-7) at Stinking Panthers (7-7)

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

TV: FOX (WTVT-TV Channel 13, locally). friend of JoeBucsFan.com Chris Myers, “Stink” Mark Schlereth and Jen Hale. For a national TV map of where the game will be broadcast via your local CBS affiliate, click here.

Streaming: Paramount+, NFL+. (Geographic restrictions may apply; subscription may be required).

Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network WXTB-FM 97.9 in the Tampa-St. Petersburg region (Transmisiones de radio en español en WTMP-FM 96.1 y WMGG-AM 1470 en Tampa). Additional stations throughout Florida on the Buccaneers Radio Network can be found here. The game will also be broadcast on SiriusXM Channel 380 (Buccaneers Radio Network feed).

Weather: This isn’t much of a surprise coming from the good folks of AccuWeather.com. Good football weather in Charlotte today. Tailgaters will bask in sunshine and a bit cold at 47 degrees. But the day will warm up and by kickoff it should be in the mid-50s. And it will keep rising. By the end of the game, downtown Charlotte should be blanketed in 60-degree sunshine. There will be a decent breeze throughout the game.

Odds: Per Hard Rock Bet, as of Saturday, Bucs -2.5 (-120); over/under 45.5 (-110); moneyline -155.

Referees: Shawn Smith and his gang will work today’s Bucs-Bills game. If the Bucs want to use Bucky Irving’s superior success last year against the Stinking Panthers, this is the game to do it. Smith’s outfit has the fewest holding/false start penalties of any referee gang this season, per Sharp Footall Analysis. And, Smith’s outfit loves to call 15-yard/automatic first down penalties. Apparently, they don’t like defenses as they are third in the league throwing flags for unnecessary roughness. Carolina’s defense is among the lowest teams in the league for penalties resulting in first downs for the opposing offense.

Injuries:

(The NFL does not include players on injury reports who are not on a team’s active 53-man roster. Players on injured reserve or the practice squad are not on a team’s active 53-man roster.)

Outlook: For Joe, this is simple: Stop the run and run the ball. We know Stinking Panthers coach Dave Canales loves to run and run and run some more. And he’s got decent running backs. Only four times this season Carolina failed to run for 100 yards in a game. The Stinking Panthers are 1-3 in those four games and the lone win came in overtime against the Dixie Chicks. The Bucs have a decent run defense, No. 8 in the NFL. game.  So stop the run and the worst the Bucs should be is in overtime. The way Joe looks at it, he would much rather take his chances on an inconsistent runaround midget quarterback than get pounded into submission. Carolina QB Bryce Young has thrown for over 200 yards in a game three times. Flipping the coin, last year in two games, Bucky Irving ran through the Stinking Panthers like he was Emmitt Smith. Bucky ran for 152 yards and 113 yards in the two games he faced Carolina last season. So Joe thinks if the Bucs run the ball well and stop the run on defense, they win the division next week in Miami as the Bucs only need two wins in any combination the next three games to be playoff-bound.  Run to win.

Fun facts: Bucs QB Baker Mayfield passed for 277 yards and two touchdowns in Week 15. Mayfield has a touchdown pass in 13 of his past 14 games. The last time Mayfield faced the Stinking Panthers, he tore them apart for 359 yards with a career-high 5 touchdowns. … RB Bucky Irving is a Carolina killer. Last year in two games against the Stinking Panthers, Bucky ran for 265 yards and averaged just a hair under six yards a carry. … WR Mike Evans went wilding on the Dixie Chicks last week with 132 yards receiving. Last time Evans faced the Stinking Panthers, who he regularly roasts, he had 132 rec. yards in Week 15. Had 8 catches for 97 yards and a pair of touchdown catches. … TE Devin Culp had his first NFL touchdown catch last week, the first from a Bucs tight end since Cade Otton scored against the Chiefs Nov. 4 of last season. … DT Vita Vea has a sack in two of his last three games. … ILB Lavonte David had six tackles, a pass defensed and a forced fumble last week. … S Antoine Winfield has a sack in three of his last four games against the Stinking Panthers. … Stinking Panthers QB Bryce Young has a three-game streak against the Bucs with at least one touchdown pass. … RB Rico Dowdle is on the verge of 1,000 yards rushing for the 2025 season. He currently has 978. … WR Tetairoa McMillan has a touchdown catch in three of his last four games. … OLB D.J. Wonnum had a pair of sacks last week against the slimy Saints. … DL Derrick Brown has just one sack since the end of October. … CB Jaycee Horn is getting hot at the wrong time. Horn had a season-high 7 tackles and 2 passes defensed against the slimy Saints last week. Horn aims for his fourth game in a row against the Bucs with at least one pass defended. He is currently fifth in the NFL this season with five picks.

Heading to Charlotte this weekend, talking @Buccaneers @Panthers showdown tonight on @nflnetwork. pic.twitter.com/pLV7DyUQo5

— Sara Walsh (@Sara_Walsh) December 20, 2025

.@GregCosell breaks down the Buccaneers blitz packages#WeAreTheKrewe

Live on ESPN2 & Streaming on ESPN+.@GregCosell | @DariusJButler | Sal Paolantonio! pic.twitter.com/NYMs1M8y95

— NFL Matchup on ESPN (@NFLMatchup) December 20, 2025