Panthers
The Buccaneers did not need their quarterback to do much on Sunday. They needed Bucky Irving to run, their pass rush to arrive, and Carolina to keep handing the ball back. All three happened, and Tampa Bay beat the Panthers 43-13 in Carolina on October 25. It was 33-6 at halftime, and the second half was a formality (ESPN).
Key facts
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Carolina Panthers 43-13 on Sunday, October 25, 2026, in Carolina; the ESPN final reads Tampa Bay 43, Carolina 13 (ESPN).
- Tampa Bay led 33-6 at halftime and did not turn the ball over, while Carolina lost four (two interceptions and two lost fumbles) (ESPN).
- The Bucs ran 49 times for 258 yards (5.3 per carry), with Bucky Irving gaining 106 yards and scoring two touchdowns (ESPN).
- Yaya Diaby had three of Tampa Bay's five sacks, and Calijah Kancey returned a fumble 32 yards for a touchdown (ESPN).
- Baker Mayfield completed 7 of 11 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions (ESPN).
The numbers behind the score are lopsided in the places that matter. Tampa Bay finished with no turnovers against four from Carolina (two interceptions, two lost fumbles), a defensive touchdown, and 322 total yards to the Panthers' 266 (ESPN).
How the game was won
Irving opened the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and Chase McLaughlin kicked a 22-yard field goal early in the second for a 10-0 lead. Then the game turned on a single sequence. At 11:05 of the second quarter, Calijah Kancey scooped up a fumble created by a sack and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown, making it 17-0 (ESPN).
Carolina answered right away. Bryce Young hit tight end Darren Waller for a 50-yard touchdown, though the extra point was blocked. On the conversion that followed, Zyon McCollum scored two points for Tampa Bay on a defensive conversion, so the margin went from 17-6 to 19-6 in the same minute (ESPN).
The Bucs then put the half away. Irving scored again from a yard out with 3:53 left, and with four seconds on the clock Baker Mayfield found Tez Johnson for a 14-yard touchdown. That was the 33-6 halftime score (ESPN).
The second half
McLaughlin added a 44-yard field goal in the third quarter, and Sean Tucker broke a 46-yard touchdown run early in the fourth to make it 43-6. Anthony Tyus III ran in a 12-yard touchdown for Carolina with 5:28 left, which only fixed the final margin at 30 (ESPN).
The Bucs were happy to burn clock. They held the ball for 35:57 to Carolina's 24:03 and converted 7 of 12 third downs, with 17 of their 21 first downs coming on the ground (ESPN).
The defense
Carolina threw 31 passes and averaged 4.9 yards per throw. Young went 14 of 27 for 163 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, a passer rating of 51.9, and he was sacked five times for 32 yards. Zyon McCollum and Tykee Smith each intercepted him once (ESPN).
Penalties also hurt the home side. Carolina was flagged four times for 56 yards, against six for 35 for Tampa Bay (ESPN).
Standout performances
Bucky Irving carried 24 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns, and was the team's leading rusher. Kenny Gainwell added 14 carries for 88 yards, including a 29-yarder, at 6.3 per carry. Sean Tucker had only seven carries, but turned them into 52 yards and the 46-yard score (ESPN).
Yaya Diaby led the pass rush with three sacks, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits. Vita Vea and Al-Quadin Muhammad each added a sack, and Josiah Trotter led Tampa Bay with 10 tackles. Calijah Kancey had the 32-yard fumble return for a touchdown (ESPN).
Mayfield's day was short and efficient: 7 of 11 for 64 yards, one touchdown, a 109.7 passer rating. Tez Johnson caught two passes for 33 yards and the touchdown, and added a 22-yard punt return. Chase McLaughlin was perfect, 2 of 2 on field goals and 5 of 5 on extra points, for 11 points. For Carolina, Waller's 50-yard catch was the longest play of the day, and Bobby Okereke led the Panthers with 10 tackles (ESPN).
What it means
A week earlier we wrote about a team that led 16-3 and lost in overtime. Sunday was the opposite: Tampa Bay built the margin early, kept the turnover column clean and never gave Carolina a way back. Mayfield, who had been out, was back at quarterback (Week 6 recap, ESPN).
The Bucs entered the day at 1-5, which would put them at 2-5 after this win [CHECK: confirm the official record and NFC South standing]. That is still a deep hole, and one blowout does not fix it. But the formula was clear and repeatable: run the ball, pressure the passer, protect it on offense. If Tampa Bay can play that way against teams that are not Carolina, the season is not over yet.
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