In a Saturday afternoon affair that may well decide the fate of the NFC South, the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold a 13-7 lead over the Carolina Panthers at halftime.
Baker Mayfield and the Bucs got off to a hot start after scoring on their first two drives to take a 10-0 lead, but a Mayfield interception was turned into 7 points for the Panthers to pull them to 10-7.
Tampa’s Chase McLaughlin hit a field goal from 36 yards out to end the half. A half that the Bucs pretty much dominated.
Tampa entered the game having lost four in a row and seven of the last eight games since starting the season 6-2. That includes a loss to these Panthers two weeks ago. The Bucs went from controlling their own destiny in the NFC South for much of the season to having to not only win, but depend on the New Orleans Saints defeating the Atlanta Falcons in order to come away with a division title.
Carolina, meanwhile, has been alternating wins and losses for the last nine games to arrive at its current 8-8 record with the inside track to the division title. If the Panthers win this game, they’ll be the division champs. If they don’t, they’ll have to depend on the Falcons defeating the Saints in their game on Sunday in order to claim the South and the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoff bracket.
Will the Panthers wrap up the division on their own, or will they need to depend on help from the Falcons? We’ll find out soon enough. In the meantime, keep it locked to our live blog as we update you with stats, scores and highlights.