Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Bucs: Our predictions, TV channel, best bets
This isn’t a playoff game.
But in Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, with so much on the line, it might just feel like one.
The Carolina Panthers (7-7) host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) at 1 p.m. Sunday in Charlotte in a game that will not only determine the temporary leader of the NFC South, but will also loom large come Week 18. Fans can catch the game on FOX.
What exactly is on the line? You’ve heard it before, but a refresher:
- The Panthers make the playoffs if ... they sweep the Bucs (who they play Weeks 16 and 18) OR they beat the Bucs once and beat the Seahawks in Week 17, with the Dolphins beating the Bucs in Week 17, too.
- The Bucs make the playoffs if ... they win any two of their final three games.
So it’s hard to overstate the importance of this one.
The Panthers are coming off a frustrating, last-second loss to the New Orleans Saints — one that came thanks to some untimely penalties and a secondary that head coach Dave Canales called “totally disjointed” down the stretch.
The Bucs, meanwhile, have lost five of their last six, including a pair of head-scratching divisional losses — the latter of which provoked a curse-laden postgame press conference from head coach Todd Bowles.
So who will win?
Here’s a one-stop shop for the basics about this game you should know, which includes score predictions, betting lines and broadcast information.
How to watch and listen to Panthers vs. Bucs
As previously mentioned, FOX is the network carrying this important contest. You’ll hear from Chris Myers on the play-by-play, with Mark Schlereth as the analyst and Jen Hale as the sideline reporter.
Fans also have three options for radio:
- WRFX The Fox: That’s Anish Shroff, Luke Kuechly, Jake Delhomme and Kristen Balboni on the call, according to the Panthers’ game release. You can hear it on 99.7 FM in Charlotte; check the Carolina Panthers Radio Network for more listings.
- ESPN Radio: Steve Levy, Harry Douglas and Jeff Darlington.
- Spanish Radio: WXNC 97.3 FM or 1060 AM, with Jaime Moreno and Antonio Ramos.
Panthers-Bucs inactives
Panthers inactives list: WR Hunter Renfrow, LB Trevin Wallace, S Demani Richardson, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, LT Ikem Ekwonu, TE James Mitchell, DT Tershawn Wharton.
Bucs inactives list: QB Connor Bazelak (third QB), TE Devin Culp, G Elijah Klein, WR Sterling Shepard, DL Elijah Simmons, LB Anthony Walker, S Rashad Wisdom.
Bettling lines to watch for Carolina-Tampa Bay game
The Panthers are 3-point underdogs to the Bucs this week, according to FanDuel Sportsbook as of Sunday morning. As a result, Panthers moneyline odds (-154) outweigh Bucs moneyline odds (+130). The over/under for the contest is 45.5.
The Panthers are 8-6 against the spread this season. The Bucs are 5-9.
Here are three other bets you might find compelling:
- Mike Evans — Alternative Receiving Yards: He’s become known as the Panthers-slayer, and with a clean bill of health and so much at stake, Evans should shine. FanDuel doesn’t have him at plus-money until he gets to 70-plus yards, so the sportsbooks agree with us. His odds: 70+ yards (+112), 80+ yards (+162) ... 125+ yards (+750).
- Jalen Coker — Anytime Touchdown Scorers: Coker has hit his stride in this offense as of late; he’s scored a touchdown in each of his last two games. We think that trend could continue Sunday. His odds: Anytime touchdown (+310), first touchdown (+1500) and last touchdown (+1400).
- Bryce Young — Alternative Passing Yards: The Bucs are pretty vulnerable against the pass — they allow 246.9 passing yards a game (30th in NFL) — so this one might be on Young’s shoulders. That plus his solid play as of late makes it so sportsbooks are predicting a pretty productive day out of him. His odds: 175+ yards (-270), 200+ yards (-140), 225+ yards (+132) and 250+ yards (+225).
At long last ... our game predictions
Our panel of predictors has imitated, more or less, the teams of the NFC South this season. That is to say: It’s unclear if anyone wants to win the title. Columnist Scott Fowler, however, officially claimed the crown last week by virtue of his competitors falling short. He sits at 8-6. Reporters Mike Kaye (4-10) and Alex Zietlow (3-11) are racing to the bottom.
Fowler: Bucs 23, Panthers 16. Baker Mayfield only won a single game when he was an unimpressive Carolina starter, but somehow he’s 5-0 when playing AGAINST the Panthers. For the Panthers to pull off this upset, they’ll need to score at least in the mid-20s. With Tampa Bay relatively healthy following a mini-bye (and Mike Evans’ return is huge), it feels like this will be too tough a task.
Kaye: Bucs 24, Panthers 20. The win-loss-win-loss streak comes to an end. It’s hard to trust the play-calling following the loss to the New Orleans Saints. The Panthers know what’s on the line, but they also knew last week, too. It’ll be close; I just have trouble trusting a positive outcome after a defeating one on the road.
Zietlow: Panthers 38, Bucs 35. This prediction goes against conventional wisdom, but then again, conventional wisdom doesn’t seem to apply to these Panthers. This group, after all, has yet to lose back-to-back contests since Weeks 1 and 2. I think they win this one to make Week 18 interesting — and yes, that’s even with motivated Baker Mayfield and future Hall of Famer Mike Evans in good form. Why not?
This story was originally published December 21, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
