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Panthers look to facing Bucs for NFC South title

USAT’s Joe Rivera and Chris Bumbaca dive into Tampa Bay’s ugly skid and Carolina’s momentum.

Sports Seriously

If there’s one thing the Buccaneers and Panthers don’t like, it’s taking on water.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ ship has been sinking for months, but it keeps sailing along despite losing four in a row and seven of their last eight. Tampa rolled into their bye week at 6-2 even with countless key injuries, positioning themselves as contenders.

It’s clear now that it was actually the calm before the storm. Baker Mayfield has struggled down the stretch and appears to be operating at less than 100% in the season’s final weeks. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and more have returned, but that hasn’t changed anything for the Bucs.

The Carolina Panthers are looking to pounce and return to the postseason for the first time since 2017. Dave Canales’ team lurked in the shadows for most of the year. Now they might end up hosting a playoff game as NFC South champions.

Here’s everything to know about watching the Buccaneers and Panthers in Week 18.

Watch the Buccaneers vs. Panthers game with a Fubo free trial

2025 NFL SCHEDULE: Here’s the entire slate and TV times for every team

What time does Buccaneers-Panthers NFL game start?

The Buccaneers and Panthers game will kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 3.

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What channel is Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers on tonight?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers game will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC.

Fans can also stream the game using either ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming platform, ESPN Unlimited, or ESPN Select, which is a rebrand of the network’s ESPN+ service.

Cord-cutters can also stream the action with Fubo, which offers a free trial.

Watch NFL Week 18 Saturday games with Fubo (free trial)

2025 Tampa Bay Buccaneers schedule2025 Tampa Bay Buccaneers regular season recordTampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-9; second place in NFC South.2025 Carolina Panthers schedule2025 Carolina Panthers regular season recordCarolina Panthers: 8-8; first place in NFC South.2025 NFL team schedules: complete team-by-team schedule of gamesComplete 2025 NFL regular season schedule: every team’s games, week-by-weekWhen do the NFL playoffs start?

This year’s playoffs will start with a three-day wild-card round slate. Two games will take place on Saturday, Jan. 10; two more on Sunday, Jan. 11; and the wild-card round will conclude with a single game on Monday, Jan. 12.