The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have dominated the NFC South in recent years, winning the division in the last four seasons. The team was thought to be lost following the retirement of Tom Brady, but they have been able to withstand the changes and the usual ebbs and flows of an NFL season that are thrown at them.
However, there is a team that may finally be getting its act together in the division and may be a problem sooner rather than later: The Carolina Panthers.
Despite the record of the Bucs against the Panthers, they may have a problem when they face off in Week 16 if they keep winning. The Panthers have won five of their last seven and are coming off a win over the Green Bay Packers. Against the Bucs, though, the Panthers have struggled and have lost 11 of the last 13 against Tampa Bay.
In fact, they haven’t swept them in a season since 2012.
Ironically, it is former Bucs offensive coordinator turned Panthers head coach, Dave Canales, who is leading the charge in changing the direction of things. The offense has found its running game, Bryce Young is starting to play with more consistency, and the defense has an edge to it. The Bucs finish the season with the Panthers on their slate as two of the final three games, so the division could be in limbo depending on how things shake out.
\With Carolina beating the Packers on Sunday, anything is possible, and Bucs fans need to prepare for that.