Carolina Panthers major takeaways from season-defining loss to Buccaneers

The Carolina Panthers are now de facto Atlanta Falcons fans after a disappointing showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They cost themselves the best shot at the playoffs they've had all year.

It can be hard to analyze a game like this where the entire first half was underwater, making offense really hard. But there are things we can learn after the whole game, which ended in disappointing fashion.

The Panthers can't run the ball

It's been a quiet truth that the Panthers have struggled to run the ball lately. Since the Green Bay trip, they've not been nearly as effective. That came to a head today against the Bucs. In ugly conditions, they couldn't run the ball. Neither Rico Dowdle nor Chuba Hubbard were able to have even the smallest semblance of success.

The referees were absolutely horrible

These refs are the Las Vegas Raiders of refs.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) January 3, 2026

When the Panthers were attempting to come back in the third quarter, the refs made sure to put a stop to it. They made a ridiculous error on a Rico Dowdle backwards pass that cost the Panthers. That was the tip of the iceberg.

This feels like a soft OPI call on Tetairoa McMillan. Don’t like it at all.

pic.twitter.com/IWCuxcyq3h
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 3, 2026

Then, when the Panthers got it back, the refs missed a defender removing Tommy Tremble's helmet and then flagged Tetairoa McMillan for a horrible OPI call that wiped out a 31-yard catch. The next play was a throwaway on third-and-12, forcing a punt.

Egregious officiating. No excuse in a game this big.
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) January 3, 2026

It got worse from there. Nick Scott was flagged for DPI after Cade Otton tripped. Even Dan Orlovsky and Louis Riddick on the call expressed major frustration with the way the game was officiated.

Defense had a solid day

The conditions surely made playing offense much harder, but the Panthers' defense was solid again. They had a few timely plays, including a huge interception by Christian Rozeboom. They stopped the run well after the first couple of drives, which was significant with both Turk Wharton and Bobby Brown out.

One Dave Canales playcall cost Panthers

Panthers get too cute with an attempt at a flea flicker. Dowdle slips as he tries to pitch it back to Bryce, Lavonte David recovers. Scoring drive thwarted in a dumb way.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) January 3, 2026

The Panthers were driving and were going to at least make it a one-score game in the fourth quarter. Then, Dave Canales happened. It cannot be overstated how stupid a flea flicker in the red zone is. A condensed field means that the trickery won't lead to as much space, and Dowdle fumbled the pitch back to Young (because the field is soaked), essentially ending the game.

Jaycee Horn was AWOL, but not for a bad reason

Jaycee Horn might as well have not been on the field. Watching the whole game, I had a hard time even seeing him. The Buccaneers didn't target him once in Week 16, and it looked like they avoided him like the plague again.

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