View photos of the Buccaneers' Week 16 game against the Panthers.
WR Chris Godwin
Bucs vs Panthers
Bucs vs Panthers
Bucs vs Panthers
QB Jameis Winston
CB Robert McClain
P Bryan Anger
CB Robert McClain
S Isaiah Johnson
RB Charles Sims
RB Charles Sims
DT Gerald McCoy
OL Caleb Benenoch
WR Adam Humphries
TE Cameron Brate
RB Charles Sims
RB Peyton Barber
RB Peyton Barber
RB Peyton Barber
WR Adam Humphries
Bucs vs Panthers
S Chris Conte
DT Gerald McCoy
DT Gerald McCoy
QB Jameis Winston
WR Mike Evans
RB Doug Martin
RB Doug Martin
DT Clinton McDonald and LB Kendell Beckwith
Bucs vs Panthers
LB Kwon Alexander
Bucs vs Panthers
Bucs vs Panthers
LB Devante Bond
QB Jameis Winston
WR Chris Godwin
WR Chris Godwin
WR Chris Godwin
K Patrick Murray
DE William Gholston
WR Adam Humphries
WR Adam Humphries
DE William Gholston, LB Kendell Beckwith and S T.J. Ward
DT Gerald McCoy
DT Gerald McCoy
CB Brent Grimes
LB Kwon Alexander
S Chris Conte and LB Kwon Alexander
LB Kwon Alexander
LB Kwon Alexander
CB Robert McClain and LB Kwon Alexander
WR Mike Evans
QB Jameis Winston
WR Mike Evans
QB Jameis Winston
QB Jameis Winston and WR Bobo Wilson
WR Bobo Wilson and QB Jameis Winston
S T.J. Ward
LB Lavonte David and DE Ryan Russell
LB Lavonte David
LB Lavonte David and DE Ryan Russell
WR Freddie Martino
WR Freddie Martino
WR Freddie Martino
WR Freddie Martino
WR Freddie Martino
WR Freddie Martino
RB Charles Sims
QB Jameis Winston and WR Freddie Martino
S T.J. Ward and DT Gerald McCoy
LB Kwon Alexander, DE Ryan Russell and DE Will Clarke
RB Doug Martin
WR Chris Godwin and QB Jameis Winston
OL Caleb Benenoch and QB Jameis Winston
OT Kevin Pamphile and QB Jameis Winston
WR Mike Evans
QB Jameis Winston
RB Doug Martin
QB Jameis Winston
TE Cameron Brate
TE Cameron Brate
CB Robert McClain
DT Gerald McCoy and DT Clinton McDonald
The first half went largely score-for-score between the Bucs and Panthers.
After forcing a fumble by Bucs' quarterback Jameis Winston, Carolina opened scoring with a field goal on their first drive. Kicker Graham Gano was good from 25 yards after Tampa Bay safety Chris Conte came up with a big third down tackle of Panthers' quarterback Cam Newton at the Bucs' 7-yard line.
The Bucs matched the Panthers with a field goal of their own on their next possession. Kicker Patrick Murray was good from 31-yards after a big drive that saw 39 yards from running back Peyton Barber and got the Bucs' ground game involved.
After trading a field goal apiece, making the score 6-6 in the second quarter, the first touchdown of the game was scored by Carolina on a 65-yard punt return by Damiere Byrd. Bucs' defensive end Will Gholston blocked the extra point to hold Carolina to 12 points.
Tampa Bay was able to tack on three more before the half expired, going into the locker room only down 12-9.
Linebacker Kwon Alexander would come up with an interception on the Panthers' first drive of the second half, returning it for 25 yards to the Tampa Bay 45-yard line.
The drive led to the Bucs' first touchdown of the day, as quarterback Jameis Winston scrambled away from pressure to connect on an 18-yard pass to wide receiver Bobo Wilson for the score. It was Wilson's first NFL touchdown of his career and put the Bucs up 16-12 with 10:27 left in the third quarter.
The Panthers would get as close as the Bucs' 12-yard line before being forced to settle for a field goal. Kicker Graham Gano was good from 30 yards to cut Tampa Bay's lead to 16-15.
The Bucs answered with a field goal of their own on their next possession. They got down in a goal-to-go situation but were backed up by a sack on Jameis Winston, as Panthers' defensive end Julius Peppers dropped him for a 13-yard loss. Kicker Patrick Murray was able to convert a 26-yarder to put Tampa Bay up 19-15 at the start of the fourth quarter.
On third down and 3 at the Tampa Bay 39-yard line, defensive end Ryan Russell got the second sack of the day on quarterback Cam Newton, forcing the Panthers to punt with 9:07 left in the game.
The Bucs would try a 51-yard field goal on their next possession but it would go just right. With 3:05 left in the fourth, Carolina got the ball back down 19-15, leaving it up to the Bucs' defense to get the stop.
Unfortunately, Carolina would get a first-and-10 at the 1-yard line and after fumbling the snap, quarterback Cam Newton punched it in for the score, putting the Panthers up 22-19 with :35 left to play.
Tampa Bay got the ball back but Jameis Winston fumbled the ball as he was sacked on the first play of the drive, effectively ending the game. Tampa Bay fell in another heartbreaker 22-19.
