Despite odds, ESPN insider says Panthers have advantage over Buccaneers

The first game of the final week of the 2025 NFL regular season takes place on Saturday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium. It’s a clash between the Carolina Panthers and favored Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A victory by Dave Canales’s club would give the franchise its first division title since 2015. A win by the Bucs will give the team its fifth consecutive NFC South crown, and put the club in the playoffs for a sixth straight year.

This question was posed. Do the Panthers have the advantage versus the Bucs with the NFC South title on the line? ESPN’s David Newton had this answer.

“You can make a strong argument that they do. The Panthers are 5-1 after a loss this season. They beat the Bucs 23-20 on December 21, and Tampa Bay has lost four straight and seven of its past eight games. Not even home field seems like a great advantage for the Bucs, who lost three times in their past four home games this season. Still, the Bucs have won four straight division titles, so they have the experience in big games.”

Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Lathan Ransom (22) celebrates with safety Tre'Von Moehrig (7) and linebacker Christian Rozeboom (56) after intercepting the ball to seal the victory in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In that three-point victory, quarterback Bryce Young threw for 191 yards and two scores, rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan caught six passes for 73 yards and one touchdown, and safety Lathan Ransom picked off Baker Mayfield with less than a minute to play to seal the win.

Despite their numerous current issues, the Buccaneers at least have a lot of recent history in their favor. Even with their Week 16 loss at Charlotte, Tampa Bay is 9-2 in this rivalry dating back to 2020. The Panthers haven’t won at Raymond James Stadium since 2017 (they beat the Bucs in London in 2019), which also happens to be the last time Carolina not only swept this series but reached the playoffs.

Of course, there’s also this quirky little matter of Canales’s team alternating wins and losses in its last 10 games dating back to Week 7. If that trends continues, the Panthers are NFC South champions for the first time since their memorable Super Bowl 50 campaign.

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