Wk 7 · 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers — Sun, Oct 25
Sun, Oct 25 ·
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
· Fox
NFC South · 1-4
at
1:00pET
CAR -3 · total 44.5 DraftKings opened +1.5 · 4.5 toward CAR
Ratings differential CAR by 3.7
NFC South · 2-2
What is at stake
An NFC South game. These two play each other twice a season, home and away, and when the NFC South finishes level it is the head-to-head result and then the division record that separate them — before any of the rest. Division standings.
What the ratings imply
The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers:
The Gridiron King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus
1.7 points of home field.
It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site
compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026
games are played it is last season’s measurement of two rosters that have
been through a draft and a free-agency window since.
Efficiency · 2026 ratings
Efficiency margin
Offense
Defense
Points / game
Points allowed / game
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The Gridiron King’s 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.
Team stats
The box-score store these rows are built from has not been produced for this league yet, so no preview carries points and yards for and against. The form, trend and series blocks below are built from this site’s own files and are not affected.
Buccaneers form
W 24-16at DALL 14-17vs GBL 16-23vs MINL 19-23vs CLEL 27-33at CIN
2026 season
Panthers form
W 32-26vs DETL 18-21at CLEW 34-3at ATLL 37-59vs CHI
2026 season
Buccaneers this season
Straight up1-4 · 20% (5 games)
Against the spread1-3-1 · 25% (5 games)
Over / under2-3 · 40% (5 games)
Panthers this season
Straight up2-2 · 50% (4 games)
Against the spread2-2 · 50% (4 games)
Over / under2-2 · 50% (4 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.
Common opponents · 10
| Opponent | Buccaneers | Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals AFC | at L 27-33 preview | vs Wk 15 · scheduled preview |
| Browns AFC | vs L 19-23 preview | at L 18-21 preview |
| Vikings NFC | vs L 16-23 preview | at Wk 13 · scheduled preview |
| Packers NFC | vs L 14-17 preview | at Wk 8 · scheduled preview |
| Steelers AFC | vs Wk 6 · scheduled preview | at Wk 16 · scheduled preview |
| Falcons NFC | vs Wk 8 · scheduled preview | at W 34-3 preview |
| Bears NFC | at Wk 9 · scheduled preview | vs L 37-59 preview |
| Lions NFC | at Wk 11 · scheduled preview | vs W 32-26 preview |
| Ravens AFC | at Wk 14 · scheduled preview | vs Wk 11 · scheduled preview |
| Saints NFC | vs Wk 15 · scheduled preview | at Wk 10 · scheduled preview |
Open these two in the
comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.
Series history · 2006–2026
Since 2006, the series is level at 20–20 · Buccaneers won the last one
40 meetings
in 2006–2026 · average margin
0.5 points toward Panthers
| Yr | Date | Result | Site | Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2026-01-03 | Panthers 14 — 16 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2025 | 2025-12-21 | Buccaneers 20 — 23 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2024 | 2024-12-29 | Panthers 14 — 48 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2024 | 2024-12-01 | Buccaneers 26 — 23 Panthers | at CAR | Buccaneers |
| 2023 | 2024-01-07 | Buccaneers 9 — 0 Panthers | at CAR | Buccaneers |
| 2023 | 2023-12-03 | Panthers 18 — 21 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2022 | 2023-01-01 | Panthers 24 — 30 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2022 | 2022-10-23 | Buccaneers 3 — 21 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2021 | 2022-01-09 | Panthers 17 — 41 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2021 | 2021-12-26 | Buccaneers 32 — 6 Panthers | at CAR | Buccaneers |
| 2020 | 2020-11-15 | Buccaneers 46 — 23 Panthers | at CAR | Buccaneers |
| 2020 | 2020-09-20 | Panthers 17 — 31 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2019 | 2019-10-13 | Panthers 37 — 26 Buccaneers | neutral | Panthers |
| 2019 | 2019-09-12 | Buccaneers 20 — 14 Panthers | at CAR | Buccaneers |
| 2018 | 2018-12-02 | Panthers 17 — 24 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2018 | 2018-11-04 | Buccaneers 28 — 42 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2017 | 2017-12-24 | Buccaneers 19 — 22 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2017 | 2017-10-29 | Panthers 17 — 3 Buccaneers | at TB | Panthers |
| 2016 | 2017-01-01 | Panthers 16 — 17 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2016 | 2016-10-10 | Buccaneers 17 — 14 Panthers | at CAR | Buccaneers |
| 2015 | 2016-01-03 | Buccaneers 10 — 38 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2015 | 2015-10-04 | Panthers 37 — 23 Buccaneers | at TB | Panthers |
| 2014 | 2014-12-14 | Buccaneers 17 — 19 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2014 | 2014-09-07 | Panthers 20 — 14 Buccaneers | at TB | Panthers |
| 2013 | 2013-12-01 | Buccaneers 6 — 27 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2013 | 2013-10-24 | Panthers 31 — 13 Buccaneers | at TB | Panthers |
| 2012 | 2012-11-18 | Buccaneers 27 — 21 Panthers | at CAR | Buccaneers |
| 2012 | 2012-09-09 | Panthers 10 — 16 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2011 | 2011-12-24 | Buccaneers 16 — 48 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2011 | 2011-12-04 | Panthers 38 — 19 Buccaneers | at TB | Panthers |
| 2010 | 2010-11-14 | Panthers 16 — 31 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2010 | 2010-09-19 | Buccaneers 20 — 7 Panthers | at CAR | Buccaneers |
| 2009 | 2009-12-06 | Buccaneers 6 — 16 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2009 | 2009-10-18 | Panthers 28 — 21 Buccaneers | at TB | Panthers |
| 2008 | 2008-12-08 | Buccaneers 23 — 38 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2008 | 2008-10-12 | Panthers 3 — 27 Buccaneers | at TB | Buccaneers |
| 2007 | 2007-12-30 | Panthers 31 — 23 Buccaneers | at TB | Panthers |
| 2007 | 2007-09-30 | Buccaneers 20 — 7 Panthers | at CAR | Buccaneers |
| 2006 | 2006-11-13 | Buccaneers 10 — 24 Panthers | at CAR | Panthers |
| 2006 | 2006-09-24 | Panthers 26 — 24 Buccaneers | at TB | Panthers |
Buccaneers leaders 2026 regular season
| Passing | Baker Mayfield QB #6 | 61/96, 615 YDS, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Jalon Daniels QB #10 | 19/30, 148 YDS, 1 TD, 3 INT | |
| Rushing | Bucky Irving RB #7 | 56 CAR, 241 YDS, 1 TD |
| Baker Mayfield QB #6 | 11 CAR, 65 YDS, 1 TD | |
| Jalon Daniels QB #10 | 9 CAR, 64 YDS | |
| Receiving | Cade Otton TE #88 | 15 REC, 157 YDS |
| Emeka Egbuka WR #2 | 15 REC, 154 YDS, 1 TD | |
| Chris Godwin Jr. WR #14 | 16 REC, 142 YDS | |
| Ted Hurst III WR #17 | 8 REC, 128 YDS, 1 TD |
Defense
| Tackles | Josiah Trotter LB #45 | 34 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr. S #31 | 24 | |
| Alex Anzalone LB #34 | 22 | |
| Sacks | David Walker LB #51 | 2 |
| Alex Anzalone LB #34 | 1 | |
| A'Shawn Robinson DT #91 | 1 | |
| Interceptions | A'Shawn Robinson DT #91 | 1 |
| Josiah Trotter LB #45 | 1 | |
| Jacob Parrish CB #25 | 1 |
Panthers leaders 2026 regular season
| Passing | Bryce Young QB #9 | 101/162, 1268 YDS, 9 TD, 2 INT |
| Kenny Pickett QB #12 | 0/1, 0 YDS | |
| Rushing | Chuba Hubbard RB #30 | 61 CAR, 306 YDS, 3 TD |
| AJ Dillon RB #28 | 17 CAR, 43 YDS | |
| Jonathon Brooks RB #25 | 9 CAR, 30 YDS | |
| Receiving | Tetairoa McMillan WR #4 | 26 REC, 385 YDS, 2 TD |
| Jalen Coker WR #18 | 18 REC, 222 YDS, 2 TD | |
| Darren Waller TE #88 | 13 REC, 148 YDS, 2 TD | |
| Brycen Tremayne WR #87 | 6 REC, 115 YDS |
Defense
| Tackles | Devin Lloyd LB #55 | 31 |
| Bobby Okereke LB #58 | 26 | |
| Akayleb Evans CB #29 | 20 | |
| Sacks | Princely Umanmielen LB #3 | 3 |
| Jaelan Phillips LB #5 | 2 | |
| Trevis Gipson LB #52 | 1 | |
| Interceptions | Devin Lloyd LB #55 | 2 |
| Bobby Okereke LB #58 | 1 |
These are regular-season totals for
the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year,
taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's
roster, so a leader who has since signed elsewhere, been traded or retired still
appears against the year he earned it; the
roster
pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is.
A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game.