Panthers vs. Buccaneers game review: Ran head first into a buzzsaw

A Panthers team limping into Sunday was trounced by the playoff hopeful Buccaneers

Sunday’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was already projecting to be a tough game for the Carolina Panthers, but after a late week news dump revealed that a number of key starters were going to be unavailable, their chances dropped to near zero.

The defense that had already made a case for the “worst defense in franchise history” moniker had just lost another 3 starters. Add on an offense already struggling to find consistency, losing it’s most productive player then down a stalwart right tackle, and you have a recipe for ineffectiveness.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers entered the game fighting for their playoff lives, at home, and relatively healthy – compared to their injury report from the first contest between the two teams. A top 5 offense in the league with one of the most innovative minds drawing up blitzes in the NFL currently made for a disastrous matchup that came to fruition.

With excuses out of the way and low expectations appropriately set, the Panthers still played at an unacceptable level. None of the three phases of the game pulled their weight and the final score of 48-14 reflects that. For where the season is, including the current state of the roster, it’s difficult to surmise some takeaways that matter from this game.

That said, if there is one stat that tells the story of the game, it was the difference in time of possession. The Panthers only managed a measly 18 minutes and 49 seconds of possession. Of the Panthers 10 possessions, only 2 surpassed 5 plays. The first of which was the opening drive that ended in a touchdown. The second, however, was much less promising. A 6 minute, 11-play drive that went a grand total of 22 yards, ended with a turnover on downs while the team was already down 48-14.

If it weren’t for the combination of Bryce Young and Adam Thielen, the score might have been even more lopsided. Despite the offense as lacking production, Young still managed to grade out well ending with a 78.7 passing grade with 3 big time throws and 0 turnover worth plays, according to PFF. Aided heavily by Thielen’s 5 receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns, the quarterback did not regress despite a failing set of circumstances around him.

If you are wondering how Young graded out relatively well despite an offense that couldn’t sustain a drive, it’s likely because Young made the best out of bad situation. According to Next Gen Stats, Young faced pressure at the highest rate of any quarterback has faced in a game this season. Despite this, Young still managed to keep the ball out of harms way, attempted to push the ball down the field and managed to complete 9.6% over expected – shown by Young’s league leading 13.9 intended average intended air yards and 9.6 completion % over expected (7th in the league) in Week 17 – according to Next Gen Stats.

If you were looking for a bright spot on the other side of the ball, undrafted free agent rookie safety Demani Richardson had a few impressive moments. Richardson looked to be the best tackler on a defense and PFF graded him as having the highest tackling and coverage grades on the team, a 88.2 and 70.3 grade respectively.

With just one game left in the season, I’ll see you here next week talk about the season finale versus the Atlanta Falcons. Until then, keep pounding.