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THE Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept their season alive with a 16-14 win over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday. Now, the NFC South title will be determined in Sunday’s game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints, who have long been eliminated from the playoffs.
Carolina had a chance to win the division with a win over Tampa Bay, but now the The Panthers must depend on the Falcons beat the Saints to maintain the division lead using tiebreakers.
If the Saints win, Tampa Bay will win the division thanks to the tiebreaker.
The Buccaneers are hoping for their fifth straight division title, while the Panthers are hoping for their first division title under coach Ron Rivera and QB. Cam Newton has led them to a 15-1 record and one Super Bowl appearance since 2015. Every other team in the NFC South has won the division at least once since Carolina’s last division title.
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Lavonte David (54) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after a fumble recovery against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on January 3, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Carolina’s hope of clinching that title Saturday ended with Baker Mayfield threw for a touchdown pass to Cade Otton and Chase McLaughlin made three field goals to earn the two-point victory, leaving the Panthers with almost no time to win the game on the final series of the game.
After McLaughlin’s 38-yard field goal try was blocked with just over five minutes remaining, Carolina pulled within 16-14 on Bryce Young’s 8-yard TD pass to Jalen Coker with 2:27 left.
Mayfield threw a short pass to Otton for a Gain of 20 meters on third-and-4 to extend Tampa Bay’s drive and buy more time. The Panthers got the ball back at their 3-yard line with 18 seconds and no timeouts. The game ended with a desperate series of laterals that resulted in a fumble.
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Bucky Irving (7) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs with the ball against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on January 3, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Mayfield connected with Otton on an 18-yard TD pass for a 7-0 lead as the Bucs scored a touchdown on their first drive for the third straight game. It was Otton’s first touchdown of the season.
Trailing 10-0, the Panthers transformed Christian Rozeboom’s interception into a quick score. Rozeboom returned the pick 20 yards to Tampa Bay’s 19. Young then connected with Tommy Tremble on an 8-yard TD pass to cut it to 10-7.
Jacob Parrish picked off Young late in the second half and the Buccaneers got a 36-yard field goal from McLaughlin to take a 13-7 halftime lead.
McLaughlin kicked a 48-yard field goal early in the fourth to extend Tampa Bay’s lead.
Carolina’s Ryan Fitzgerald missed a 54-yard field goal on the first drive of the third quarter.
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Christian Izien (29) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on January 3, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Mayfield completed his first six passes before missing a 13-yard crossover throw to Payne Durham, who was wide open in the end zone. The Bucs settled for McLaughlin’s 29-yard field goal and a 10-0 lead.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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