4 Winners and 7 Losers from Panthers' Repulsive Showing vs. Buccaneers

With games that are over at halftime (27-point deficit), it's best to flush it and move on. Most everyone from the Carolina Panthers was a big loser today, but there were some who stood out more than others. And while it was ugly, there were some decent individual performances, too.

Winner: Bobby Okereke

Bobby Okereke's 7 tackles in the first quarter are tied for the most by a Panther in the opening quarter of a game since at least 2000 and the most since Frankie Luvu had 7 in Week 15, 2023.
— Carolina Panthers Football Communications (@PanthersFBComms) October 25, 2026

It wasn't a banner day for everyone on defense, but Bobby Okereke was once again very solid. He made a few big plays on third downs that helped a maligned Panthers defense get off the field in some crucial spots.

Loser: Ejiro Evero

The Bucs already have more rushing yards today than the Eagles had against the Panthers last week.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) October 25, 2026

No Emeka Egbuka, and Baker Mayfield has an injured thumb. You and everyone else knew the Buccaneers would pound the run and feed Bucky Irving. Well, either Ejiro Evero didn't realize that, or he just didn't have his defense ready to defend the run with any success. Neither option is an excuse. Oh, and they couldn't tackle, either.

Winner: Darren Waller

One play makes you a winner today; that's how ugly it was. Darren Waller's 50-yard touchdown, which was a terrific pass from Bryce Young, was really the only highlight, and it briefly gave the Panthers a tiny bit of hope, although that literally evaporated on the extra point.

Loser: David Moore

David Moore is considered the Panthers' "safe punt returner," meaning he goes in to catch the ball on fair catches -- cleanly.
Welp.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 25, 2026

David Moore has one job. Just one. He has to field punts where a fair catch is needed, and he couldn't even do that. With a chance to flip the momentum back after a big stop on defense, Moore muffed a punt badly. It gave the Buccaneers an immediate second score.

Winner: Chuba Hubbard

Was Chuba Hubbard as good as he usually is on Sunday? Not at all, though it's partly the fault of the game situation. Still, while the bar for being a winner today is on the floor, Hubbard was pretty solid again for the Panthers.

Loser: Robert Hunt

The veteran right guard's nightmare season continues. Robert Hunt has been abysmal so far this season, and that didn't end on Sunday. The guard was beaten badly on a strip sack that was returned for a touchdown, an early dagger from the Tampa Bay defense.

Winner: Tre Tyus

As with Darren Waller, scoring a touchdown gets you on the list. Tre Tyus took a pitch and followed his blockers into the end zone. It was a good play design (albeit with and against backups), but Tyus was also pretty good on special teams, too.

Loser: Tracy Smith

Nothing special about the #Panthers special teams as of now. Brutal start for that group.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) October 25, 2026

You probably didn't expect to see the special teams coordinator ever land on one of these lists, but once again, special teams were abysmal. The Panthers muffed a punt with their "reliable" returner (how often do teams even have two differentiated returners?) and then had an extra point blocked and run back for two points. Those are huge swings in a divisional matchup.

Loser: Rasheed Walker

Guess who was on the side of the Panthers blocked XP?
— Jared Feinberg (@Jared_NFLDraft) October 25, 2026

The Panthers had an ugly day in many aspects, and Rasheed Walker was involved in a couple of big ones. He got beat badly on a sack, and he was responsible for the blown block that led to a blocked extra point (a three-point swing). At that point, it was still in question.

Loser: Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks on before the game | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a point in the first half, Bryce Young was in an untenable situation. Forced to pass every play and facing a defense that knew it opposite a horrible offensive line, Young had an unwinnable task ahead of him. That said, this was his first dud of the year.

Loser: Brycen Tremayne

and now a Bryce Tremayne drop on 4th and 1

between his numbers, and he puts it on the floor

thats bad
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) October 25, 2026

A potential touchdown hit Brycen Tremayne in the hands. It was a perfect throw on fourth down with no defender making a play on the ball, and he bobbled and dropped it. He's been reliable this year, and that was Carolina's last-ditch effort to get back into the game. Tremayne just couldn't make the simple play.

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