Bucs HC Todd Bowles appears to diss Panthers ahead of heated divisional race

The Carolina Panthers are now officially in the driver's seat for the NFC South title. Should they beat the New Orleans Saints this week, which the odds suggest is very plausible, the Panthers would need to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just once in the final two meetings (Weeks 16 and 18).

The Bucs, who have gone from 5-1 to 7-7, are reeling, and all signs point to them needing to sweep the Panthers, who are surging and on the comeup. But Bucs head coach Todd Bowles still seemingly doesn't view them as a major threat.

Todd Bowles disses Panthers as Bucs continue fading

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a 14-point lead with nine minutes left on Thursday night until the Atlanta Falcons came back and threw a wrench in their postseason plans.

The loss means that if the Panthers beat the Saints and then the Bucs either the following week or in the final game of the 2025 season, then the Panthers will be division champs. Because of that, and after a quick glance at the NFC South standings, the Panthers are leading the race, clearly.

But Todd Bowles is seemingly not concerned about that. He was asked about potentially (and likely) needing to sweep the Panthers this season to win the division, and he appeared to totally disrespect the Panthers in the meantime.

Bowles on likely having to sweep the Panthers to win the division: "I don't think it's a big hurdle physically. It's a bigger hurdle mentally, because of the two losses we just got over one week. We've got to regroup this weekend, come back Monday, take it one day at a time."
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) December 12, 2025

He said, "I don't think it's a big hurdle physically. It's a bigger hurdle mentally, because of the two losses we just got over one week. We've got to regroup this weekend, come back Monday, take it one day at a time."

It's all well and good to have confidence in your team, even after going 2-6 in your last eight games, but this feels like a shot at the Panthers. Bowles believes the only thing that'll plague the Bucs against the Panthers is the mental fatigue of having lost two crucial games in a row.

Todd Bowles, Carolina Panther — Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles and Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales greet after the game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Panthers have been counted out all year and deemed an illegitimate contender for the playoffs. Some of that is self-inflicted. But at this stage (it's Week 15), a first-place team can't be disregarded, especially by the team that's trailing them. Perhaps Bowles just inspired the Panthers to go out and win these games and settle this in Week 16.

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