CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are headed to the playoffs for the fourth straight season — and they have their defense to thank.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are headed to the playoffs for the fourth straight season — and they have their defense to thank.
Chase McLaughlin kicked three field goals, the defense pitched a shutout and the Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers 9-0 on Sunday to win their third consecutive NFC South title.
Tampa Bay (9-8) was facing an all-or-nothing scenario entering Sunday’s game with a win clinching a playoff spot and a loss resulting in elimination.
The Buccaneers weren’t exactly impressive on offense with Baker Mayfield held to 137 yards in his return to Carolina, but the defense — aided by some self-inflected wounds by the Panthers — did just enough.
They held the Panthers to 199 yards and 11 first downs, forced two turnovers and sacked rookie quarterback Bryce Young three times.
“I can’t say enough about our defense,” said Mayfield, who injured his ankle on Sunday but remained in the game. “A lot of guys stepped up and made big plays on defense. Offensively we ran the ball when we needed to. It wasn’t a pretty win by any means and there is room for improvement. But now that we’re in the playoffs, we’re division champs, let’s hit the reset button and go from there.”
Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said he likes the culture the Bucs have built — and it carried over to the post-Tom Brady era.
“There’s a lot of ways to skin a cat,” Bowles said. “The guys believed in each other. They never fed into the outside media. We wrote our own narrative. We worked hard, we practiced hard and they got it done.”
Young finished 11 of 18 for 94 yards and the Panthers had two potential touchdowns overturned.
