Yahoo Sports Daily hosts Jason Fitz and Caroline Fenton discuss whether the Carolina Panthers are more playoff-ready than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Watch the full episode of Yahoo Sports Daily on YouTube or YahooSports.TV.
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Video Transcript
What travels in the playoffs, we know this well all the time.
A great defense, an opportunistic one, a defense that can really get after it, Right?
And a running game.
How have the Panthers won when they’ve used those elements?
Right?
Like, I understand that Tedero McMillan is, Is going to be a star, and I understand that Bryce Young has played much better, And Bryce has had some big moments.
I totally acknowledge that.
But this team will be defined by their defense and their ability to run the football.
Which I trust in.
And, importantly, amazing.
If we pull those schedules back up again that we showed you just a minute ago, If you look at what’s happening with the schedules, these two teams play each other.
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Twice still.
Like that’s the remarkable part.
We’re talking about, you know, whichever team earns its way into the playoffs, Will have literally earned it because I, I, I acknowledge that the Carolina Panthers have The Seattle Seahawks is a much tougher game than Tampa having to go to Miami.
I will acknowledge that.
But the fact is when you have 22 games left against the team.
You’re tied with them right now.
You have four games left this season.
Carolina has never faced this situation before, and I won’t pretend to know what to do.
They’ll respond to this situation.
But I see a win ahead, Uh, New Orleans now has 8 wins.
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And even if they just split with them, The Bucks, they get to nine wins.
That’s already a wildly successful season.
But I dont think were giving Panthers the same credit wed give most nine or ten-win Football teams that have a former first overall pick at the quarterback position.
A young star.
Wide receiver.
They have an offensive line; they spent a lot of money on.
They’ve got running backs that get it done, and a defense that moves all over the field Field aggressively.
Like I am, I’m buying in.
I cannot believe I am buying in now.
I am finally deciding to buy in.
Keep pounding.
The Buccaneers have just looked a bit off.
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And Baker has pushed it a little bit with all the injuries, Everything else.
I understand why.
I just think that right now, if we’re just watching, we’re just watching the teams without their jerseys On the Panthers, they have actually looked better.