The Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinched the NFC South with an exhilarating 30-24 comeback win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 17. En route to the team's second-straight division crown on New Year's Day, Tom Brady connected with Mike Evans on three touchdowns and Anthony Nelson had a crucial strip sack in the fourth quarter that spurred the club to a playoff berth. The Bucs improved to 8-8 after punching their ticket to the postseason, making next week's final game of the 2022 gauntlet in Atlanta virtually meaningless.
Offensive Evolution
Coming into the Week 17 matchup, a deficiency in the Bucs' offense had been explosive plays downfield (25th in the league). Tampa Bay had one touchdown play of 20-plus yards all season long and against the Panthers, the deep ball returned. Tom Brady was masterful from the pocket, with Mike Evans serving as the beneficiary. Brady had his best performance of the year, completing 34 of 45 passes for 432 yards, three touchdowns through the air and one on the ground for a passer rating of 127.3. On the aforementioned quarterback sneak, "Brady" chants erupted inside Raymond James Stadium by an enthusiastic crowd. Evans became the offensive catalyst, taking advantage of single coverage on the outside vs. the Panthers' use of Cover 1. He finished the game with 10 catches for 207 yards and three touchdowns – a franchise record. In the process, Evans surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the year, extending his streak of consecutive seasons with 1,000 receiving yards to nine – becoming the first NFL player to begin his career with such a streak and joining only two Hall of Famers to have accomplished the feat in their respective careers: Jerry Rice and Tim Brown.
After missing Evans early downfield on the first drive, Brady made a concerted effort to get Evans the ball regardless. The ensuing result was one of the greatest games by a receiver in league history. Whether Evans getting vertical down the right sideline or Chris Godwin and Russell Gage Jr. taking advantage of cushion in zones as the Panthers' defensive backs left too much space/did not challenge at the line of scrimmage, Brady exploited. The Bucs had missed opportunities to start the game that squandered the chance for a lead, but once again, the team rallied. The offensive line provided Brady the allotted time to step up in the pocket and the Panthers had no answers for No. 13.
Just before the two-minute warning in the second quarter, Brady lobbed a deep pass down the right sideline to Evans in stride for a 63-yard touchdown. Otton chipped Brian Burns on the play which kept a clean pocket around Brady and Evans quickly got north, running right past Keith Taylor to trim the deficit, 14-7. His second of the day came in a critical moment. Brady led a methodical 90-yard, 15-play drive including run-after-catch passes including a reverse to Julio Jones off a counter pull to the left side of the formation, a dart to Godwin sitting in zone, a play-action to Evans on a slant post and a fourth-down conversion to Gage out of the flat. However, the promising drive ended with a Ryan Succop blocked 26-yard field goal attempt. The Panthers then tacked on a score of their own, as Darnold connected with Shi Smith in the end zone. Mike Edwards jumped the dig route by Tommy Tremble and Darnold placed the ball over his head to a wide-open Smith, extending their lead. The Bucs answered on the following three-play drive as Brady hit Evans on another go route, this one for 57 yards. C. J. Henderson stopped in press and Evans created quick separation, trimming the deficit to 21-16 in the fourth. After a Carolina punt, Tampa Bay went up-tempo and accumulated another lengthy drive, this one covering 92 yards, culminating in a 30-yard Evans' score. With a subtle stutter step off his release, Evans accelerated against Henderson, showing off his straight-line speed for another touchdown. His play pulled the Bucs to within three, 24-21. The tandem spearheaded the team's offensive revitalization on Sunday, building momentum for the playoffs.
Defensive Rally
Carolina took the opening possession 75 yards for a touchdown, ending with a Tommy Tremble touchdown off a corner route to the flat, aided by D.J. Moore's misdirection. The visiting team made it a 14-0 game in the second quarter with a Sam Darnold 24-yard strike to Moore. Just before the half mark, the Bucs' defense stepped up. Following a mishandled snap, Devin White closed quickly on Darnold and recovered the dropped football at the Carolina 17-yard line. Tampa Bay could not take advantage with seven but came away with three off a Succop 22-yard field goal. Early on in the ballgame, Tampa Bay's heavy run front in order to limit D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard resulted in positive pass looks for Carolina, benefiting Moore. However, the unit made adjustments and held the Panthers' scoreless in the third quarter.
After both teams traded scores in the fourth, outside linebacker Anthony Nelson forced a turnover with a strip sack of Darnold and Vita Vea recovered at the Panthers' six-yard line. Rookie Ikem Ekwonu was left on an island with Nelson, who took advantage. Nelson caused consistent pressure on Darnold during the tilt, along with his counterpart, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. The tandem has played most of the defensive snaps for the previous three games due to injuries, solidifying the front. Nelson recorded his third-straight game with at least 0.5 sacks and his second-straight recording a strip-sack. Additionally, he has forced three fumbles in the last four weeks – the most in the NFL during that stretch. Vea's return bolstered the unit as he provided push up the middle on passing downs - allowing the outside linebackers to get home -and clogged holes on rushing downs. Overall, the Bucs held the Panthers' to just 74 rushing yards; a team that had posted a franchise-best 320 yards on the ground against Detroit in Week 16. The defense's imposition allowed Brady and the offense the chance to come from behind with late-game heroics.
Clutch Camarda
Up 30-24, punter Jake Camarda saved an otherwise catastrophe from materializing on the field. Under 30 seconds to go in regulation, a low snap off the Bucs' punt forced Camarda to scramble to pick up the ball. Not only did he recover, which did not allow the Panthers to take over at midfield, but Camarda raced around and still managed to get the punt off which landed at the two-yard line. The Bucs ended up having to re-kick due to an ineligible man downfield penalty (fair caught at the Carolina eight-yard line) but Camarda's athletic play ultimately saved the team's season and kept their playoff hopes alive.
