Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers 
WIN — Buccaneers 43, Panthers 13
FULL GAMEBOOK EDITION Updated October 26, 2026
2026 regular season · Week 7 · Sunday, October 25
Bank of America Stadium · Charlotte, North Carolina
Tampa Bay: 2–5 · Carolina: 3–3
Week 7
Captain Booty & the Parrot: Week 7 Pirate Reports
From a desperate withdrawal request in Carolina to a victory worth forty-three doblones: follow the krewe before kickoff and after the final whistle.
GAME RECAP — BAKER’S BACK; THE GROUND GAME TAKES OVER
Tampa Bay turned its first divisional matchup of the season into a three-phase statement, beating Carolina 43–13 on the road. Bucky Irving supplied two rushing touchdowns, the defense repeatedly disrupted Bryce Young, and special teams created both a short field and a two-point return. Baker Mayfield’s return ended with an efficient touchdown pass and a convincing team victory rather than a high-volume passing afternoon.
The opening drive established the approach: 14 plays, 70 yards, and a four-yard Irving touchdown. Bucky accounted for 47 rushing yards on the possession, patiently following his blockers and taking advantage of pulling linemen. A 19-yard connection to Tez Johnson helped keep the march moving.
After Carolina’s first possession stalled, Tampa Bay’s punt unit created its own opportunity. David Moore muffed Riley Dixon’s punt, and Ko Kieft recovered at the Panthers’ 18. Chase McLaughlin eventually converted from 22 yards for a 10–0 lead. The official scoring summary places that field goal in the second quarter.
The defensive front then supplied the biggest early swing. Yaya Diaby recorded a sack, Al-Quadin Muhammad followed with a strip-sack, and Calijah Kancey collected the loose football and ran 32 yards for a touchdown. Tampa Bay had a 17–0 advantage before Carolina answered with Young’s 50-yard touchdown pass to Darren Waller.
Even that Panthers score produced Buccaneers points. Tykee Smith blocked the extra-point attempt, and Zyon McCollum returned it for two. Instead of a conventional 17–7 score, Tampa Bay led 19–6. The Bucs followed with another Irving touchdown, this one from a yard out after Kenny Gainwell’s 29-yard run helped set up the finish.
McCollum’s interception provided another short field before halftime. Mayfield escaped to his right and found Johnson alone in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown. The Bucs reached the break ahead 33–6, with 147 rushing yards—more than Carolina’s 114 total yards in the first half.
There was no change in defensive intent after intermission. Diaby added two more sacks on Carolina’s first second-half possession. Vita Vea joined the sack total, and Smith intercepted Young at Carolina’s 32-yard line with no return to set up McLaughlin’s 44-yard field goal. A later Carolina fourth-down incompletion kept the Panthers out of the end zone.
Early in the fourth quarter, Payne Durham’s block helped open the lane for Sean Tucker’s 46-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 43–6. Carolina later completed a 71-yard touchdown drive, finishing with Anthony Tyus III’s 12-yard run. Jalon Daniels handled the closing stretch for Tampa Bay.
Irving finished with 106 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Mayfield completed seven of 11 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, while Diaby’s three sacks paced a defense that recorded five. The Buccaneers improved to 2–5 and head home with a divisional win and a running game that controlled the afternoon.
Original recap based on W.P. Rader’s game notes and the supplied final NFL gamebook. The scoring, statistics and play log below use that document. Fan commentary remains separate from the statistical record.
GAME INFORMATION
- Matchup
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
- Date
- Sunday, October 25, 2026 · Week 7
- Venue
- Bank of America Stadium · Charlotte, North Carolina
- Scheduled kickoff
- 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Actual kickoff
- 1:02 p.m. EDT
- Game duration
- 2 hours, 46 minutes
- Paid attendance
- 73,195
- Weather
- Sunny · 66°F (18.9°C) · 50% humidity
- Wind
- Northeast at 13 mph
- Stadium / surface
- Open stadium · Field Turf
- Opening toss
- Tampa Bay won and chose to receive; Carolina defended the west goal.
- Second half
- Carolina received; Tampa Bay defended the west goal.
- Television
- FOX
- Final
- Tampa Bay 43, Carolina 13
- Records afterward
- Buccaneers 2–5 · Panthers 3–3
Officiating crew
| Role | Official | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Referee | Carl Cheffers | 51 |
| Umpire | Derek Anderson | 66 |
| Down judge | Derick Bowers | 74 |
| Line judge | Marcus Allen | 134 |
| Field judge | Nathan Jones | 33 |
| Side judge | Dominique Pender | 114 |
| Back judge | Martin Hankins | 133 |
| Replay official | Martin Abezetian | 0 (as listed) |
Actual kickoff, conditions and officials: gamebook page 1; attendance and duration: page 2; coin-toss choices: page 10 and page 13. Scheduled kickoff, TV and season records are retained from the earlier supplied edition; they are not fields in this gamebook summary.
Open the NFL gamebook PDF · Watch the official game highlights
SCORING
On smaller screens, scroll wide tables sideways. Scoring clocks below mark the recorded scoring time; play-by-play clocks mark the start of the action.
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7 | 26 | 3 | 7 | 43 |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
| Quarter | Time left | Team | Scoring play | Drive / duration | TB–CAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7:22 | TB | Bucky Irving: 4-yard rush; Chase McLaughlin kick. | 14 plays / 70 yards / 7:38 | 7–0 |
| 2nd | 14:12 | TB | Chase McLaughlin: 22-yard field goal. | 5 plays / 14 yards / 1:35 | 10–0 |
| 2nd | 11:05 | TB | Calijah Kancey: 32-yard fumble return; McLaughlin kick. | Defensive touchdown | 17–0 |
| 2nd | 9:09 | CAR | Darren Waller: 50-yard pass from Bryce Young. | 5 plays / 72 yards / 1:56 | 17–6 |
| 2nd | 9:09 | TB | Zyon McCollum: defensive two-point conversion after the blocked kick. | Carolina conversion attempt | 19–6 |
| 2nd | 3:53 | TB | Bucky Irving: 1-yard rush; McLaughlin kick. | 8 plays / 59 yards / 5:16 | 26–6 |
| 2nd | 0:04 | TB | Tez Johnson: 14-yard pass from Baker Mayfield; McLaughlin kick. | 8 plays / 32 yards / 2:26 | 33–6 |
| 3rd | 6:30 | TB | Chase McLaughlin: 44-yard field goal. | 4 plays / 6 yards / 2:29 | 36–6 |
| 4th | 10:21 | TB | Sean Tucker: 46-yard rush; McLaughlin kick. | 9 plays / 94 yards / 6:29 | 43–6 |
| 4th | 5:28 | CAR | Anthony Tyus III: 12-yard rush; Ryan Fitzgerald kick. | 8 plays / 71 yards / 4:53 | 43–13 |
Source: supplied NFL gamebook, page 1. The two fourth-quarter scores continue on page 2. The blocked extra-point return is a Tampa Bay defensive conversion, not a Carolina extra point or a Tampa Bay offensive conversion.
How the points added up
| Score type | Tampa Bay points | Carolina points |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing touchdowns | 3 × 6 = 18 | 1 × 6 = 6 |
| Receiving touchdowns | 1 × 6 = 6 | 1 × 6 = 6 |
| Fumble-return touchdowns | 1 × 6 = 6 | 0 |
| Field goals | 2 × 3 = 6 | 0 |
| Successful extra-point kicks | 5 × 1 = 5 | 1 × 1 = 1 |
| Defensive conversion return | 1 × 2 = 2 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 43 | 13 |
FINAL TEAM STATISTICS
| Statistic | Tampa Bay | Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL FIRST DOWNS | 21 | 15 |
| By Rushing | 17 | 6 |
| By Passing | 3 | 9 |
| By Penalty | 1 | 0 |
| THIRD DOWN EFFICIENCY | 7-12-58.3% | 6-11-54.5% |
| FOURTH DOWN EFFICIENCY | 0-1-0.0% | 0-2-0.0% |
| TOTAL NET YARDS | 322 | 266 |
| Total Offensive Plays (inc. times thrown passing) | 60 | 54 |
| Average gain per offensive play | 5.4 | 4.9 |
| NET YARDS RUSHING | 258 | 88 |
| Total Rushing Plays | 49 | 18 |
| Average gain per rushing play | 5.3 | 4.9 |
| Tackles for a loss-number and yards | 4-7 | 3-3 |
| NET YARDS PASSING | 64 | 178 |
| Times thrown - yards lost attempting to pass | 0-0 | 5-32 |
| Gross yards passing | 64 | 210 |
| PASS ATTEMPTS-COMPLETIONS-HAD INTERCEPTED | 11-7-0 | 31-17-2 |
| Avg gain per pass play (inc.# thrown passing) | 5.8 | 4.9 |
| KICKOFFS Number-In End Zone-Touchbacks | 8-0-0 | 3-0-0 |
| PUNTS Number and Average | 2-39.5 | 2-43.5 |
| Had Blocked | 0 | 0 |
| FGs - PATs Had Blocked | 0-0 | 0-1 |
| Net Punting Average | 29.5 | 32.5 |
| TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE (Not Including Kickoffs) | 40 | 0 |
| No. and Yards Punt Returns | 1-22 | 1-0 |
| No. and Yards Kickoff Returns | 3-80 | 8-191 |
| No. and Yards Interception Returns | 2-18 | 0-0 |
| PENALTIES Number and Yards | 6-35 | 4-56 |
| FUMBLES Number and Lost | 1-0 | 2-2 |
| TOUCHDOWNS | 5 | 2 |
| Rushing | 3 | 1 |
| Passing | 1 | 1 |
| Fumbles | 1 | 0 |
| EXTRA POINTS Made-Attempts | 5-5 | 1-2 |
| Kicking Made-Attempts | 5-5 | 1-2 |
| FIELD GOALS Made-Attempts | 2-2 | 0-0 |
| RED ZONE EFFICIENCY | 3-4-75% | 1-2-50% |
| GOAL TO GO EFFICIENCY | 3-4-75% | 0-0-0% |
| SAFETIES | 0 | 0 |
| FINAL SCORE | 43 | 13 |
| TIME OF POSSESSION | 35:57 | 24:03 |
Source: supplied NFL gamebook, page 5. Figures are transcribed from the final team-statistics table, not reconstructed from the play log. The source’s return-yardage category and its statistical definitions are retained.
STARTING LINEUPS & PARTICIPATION
The starting offense and defense for each team are listed independently; rows are not individual matchups. Player abbreviations and jersey numbers follow the gamebook.
| Off. pos. | No. | Offense | Def. pos. | No. | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | 14 | C.Godwin | OLB | 0 | Y.Diaby |
| WR | 17 | T.Hurst | DL | 94 | C.Kancey |
| LT | 78 | T.Wirfs | NT | 50 | V.Vea |
| LG | 68 | B.Bredeson | DL | 91 | A.Robinson |
| C | 62 | G.Barton | OLB | 3 | R.Bain |
| RG | 69 | C.Mauch | LB | 45 | J.Trotter |
| RT | 70 | B.Chukwuma | LB | 34 | A.Anzalone |
| TE | 88 | C.Otton | CB | 25 | J.Parrish |
| WR | 15 | T.Johnson | CB | 27 | Z.McCollum |
| QB | 6 | B.Mayfield | S | 23 | T.Smith |
| RB | 7 | B.Irving | S | 5 | I.Melifonwu |
| Off. pos. | No. | Offense | Def. pos. | No. | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | 18 | J.Coker | DT | 92 | L.Hunter |
| TE | 88 | D.Waller | DT | 98 | T.Wharton |
| LT | 63 | R.Walker | DT | 95 | D.Brown |
| LG | 68 | D.Lewis | OLB | 91 | P.Jones |
| C | 77 | L.Fortner | LB | 55 | D.Lloyd |
| RG | 50 | R.Hunt | LB | 58 | B.Okereke |
| RT | 72 | T.Moton | CB | 24 | W.Lee |
| TE | 84 | M.Evans | CB | 29 | A.Evans |
| TE | 82 | T.Tremble | S | 22 | L.Ransom |
| QB | 9 | B.Young | S | 7 | T.Moehrig |
| RB | 30 | C.Hubbard | S | 21 | N.Scott |
Substitutions
Tampa Bay: RB 1 K.Gainwell; K 4 C.McLaughlin; LB 8 S.Dennis; P 9 R.Dixon; QB 10 J.Daniels; WR 19 K.Johnson; CB 21 B.Morrison; DB 22 K.Scott; S 29 M.Killebrew; CB 38 K.Knowles; TE 41 K.Kieft; RB 44 S.Tucker; LB 46 C.Fordham; OLB 51 D.Walker; DL 56 R.Nunez-Roches; G 65 D.Feeney; G 72 L.Haggard; T 77 J.Skule; WR 80 D.Sills; TE 84 B.Sharp; LS 86 E.Deckers; TE 87 P.Durham; DL 92 E.Simmons; DL 95 E.Roberts; OLB 97 A.Muhammad; OLB 98 A.Nelson.
Carolina: OLB 3 P.Umanmielen; WR 4 T.McMillan; P 6 S.Martin; K 10 R.Fitzgerald; QB 12 K.Pickett; WR 13 J.Metchie; S 20 Z.Wheatley; RB 23 T.Etienne; CB 26 C.Smith-Wade; S 27 I.Simmons; LB 33 T.Dodson; RB 34 A.Tyus; CB 38 R.Rochell; OLB 39 N.Hampton; LS 44 J.Jansen; LB 46 J.Kuwatch; OLB 52 T.Gipson; LB 54 B.Martin-Scott; T 57 M.Freeling; G 65 T.Simpkins; T 67 C.Bullock; TE 81 F.Franks; WR 83 D.Moore; WR 87 B.Tremayne; DT 94 A.Hall; DT 97 B.Brown.
The “Did Not Play” fields are blank in the supplied gamebook. Inactive players appear in their separate section below.
Source: supplied NFL gamebook, page 1.
FINAL INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
All listed passers, rushers and receiving targets are included, including players with zero receptions. Abbreviated names are retained from the source; “Rating” is the gamebook’s passer rating.
Passing
| Player | Team | Att. | Comp. | Yards | Sacks / loss | TD | Long | INT | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Mayfield | TB | 11 | 7 | 64 | 0/0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 109.7 |
| TB total | TB | 11 | 7 | 64 | 0/0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 109.7 |
| B.Young | CAR | 27 | 14 | 163 | 5/32 | 1 | 50 | 2 | 51.9 |
| K.Pickett | CAR | 4 | 3 | 47 | 0/0 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 113.5 |
| CAR total | CAR | 31 | 17 | 210 | 5/32 | 1 | 50 | 2 | 59.9 |
Rushing
| Player | Team | Att. | Yards | Avg. | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Irving | TB | 24 | 106 | 4.4 | 15 | 2 |
| K.Gainwell | TB | 14 | 88 | 6.3 | 29 | 0 |
| S.Tucker | TB | 7 | 52 | 7.4 | 46 | 1 |
| T.Johnson | TB | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 14 | 0 |
| B.Mayfield | TB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| J.Daniels | TB | 2 | -3 | -1.5 | -1 | 0 |
| TB total | TB | 49 | 258 | 5.3 | 46 | 3 |
| C.Hubbard | CAR | 7 | 33 | 4.7 | 8 | 0 |
| A.Tyus | CAR | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 12 | 1 |
| K.Pickett | CAR | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 15 | 0 |
| B.Young | CAR | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 9 | 0 |
| T.Etienne | CAR | 6 | 8 | 1.3 | 5 | 0 |
| CAR total | CAR | 18 | 88 | 4.9 | 15 | 1 |
Receiving
| Player | Team | Targets | Catches | Yards | Avg. | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.Godwin | TB | 5 | 4 | 27 | 6.8 | 9 | 0 |
| T.Johnson | TB | 2 | 2 | 33 | 16.5 | 19 | 1 |
| B.Irving | TB | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 4 | 0 |
| T.Hurst | TB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| C.Otton | TB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| TB total | TB | 11 | 7 | 64 | 9.1 | 19 | 1 |
| T.McMillan | CAR | 6 | 4 | 40 | 10.0 | 12 | 0 |
| C.Hubbard | CAR | 5 | 4 | 27 | 6.8 | 9 | 0 |
| M.Evans | CAR | 2 | 2 | 39 | 19.5 | 32 | 0 |
| J.Metchie | CAR | 4 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 16 | 0 |
| T.Etienne | CAR | 2 | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 9 | 0 |
| D.Waller | CAR | 2 | 1 | 50 | 50.0 | 50 | 1 |
| J.Coker | CAR | 4 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 9 | 0 |
| T.Tremble | CAR | 2 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 8 | 0 |
| B.Tremayne | CAR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.Moore | CAR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| CAR total | CAR | 29 | 17 | 210 | 12.4 | 50 | 1 |
Source: supplied NFL gamebook, page 3. Team passing statistics include Carolina’s relief quarterback. Tampa Bay’s rushing figures include the two closing kneel-downs. Receiving targets and pass attempts are separate source categories.
FINAL DEFENSIVE STATISTICS
These are the final defensive credits for every player listed in the gamebook’s defensive table, not just the leading tacklers. Regular defensive plays are separated from special teams and miscellaneous plays.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| Player | Solo | Ast. | Total | Sacks | Sack yds | TFL | QB hits | INT | PD | FF | FR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.Trotter | 3 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| T.Smith | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| A.Anzalone | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.Walker | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I.Melifonwu | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Y.Diaby | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| E.Roberts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J.Parrish | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| K.Scott | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Z.McCollum | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| A.Muhammad | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| V.Vea | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C.Kancey | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A.Robinson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| E.Simmons | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.Nelson | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| R.Bain | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| S.Dennis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B.Sharp | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K.Knowles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K.Kieft | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.Sills | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 27 | 22 | 49 | 5 | 32 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
Carolina Panthers
| Player | Solo | Ast. | Total | Sacks | Sack yds | TFL | QB hits | INT | PD | FF | FR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Okereke | 7 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| N.Scott | 4 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.Hall | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.Brown | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| W.Lee | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| N.Hampton | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.Lloyd | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.Moehrig | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.Gipson | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B.Brown | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| L.Hunter | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.Evans | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| P.Jones | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.Wharton | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| P.Umanmielen | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| L.Ransom | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.Dodson | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Z.Wheatley | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| J.Kuwatch | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I.Simmons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C.Hubbard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J.Metchie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 33 | 34 | 67 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Solo = solo tackles; Ast. = assisted tackles; TFL = tackles for loss; PD = passes defended; FF = forced fumbles; FR = fumble recoveries. Sack yards are credited losses, not return yards.
| Player | Team | INT | Return yards | Avg. | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z.McCollum | TB | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 18 | 0 |
| T.Smith | TB | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| TB total | TB | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 18 | 0 |
| CAR total | CAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tykee Smith’s interception: the play log records the catch at Carolina’s 32 with no gain, and the individual table credits zero return yards. Zyon McCollum’s interception return is 18 yards.
Source: supplied NFL gamebook, page 7. Interception returns: page 3. See the source-accounting note near the play log for the strip-sack yardage detail.
SPECIAL TEAMS, RETURNS & FUMBLES
Punting
| Player | Team | Punts | Yards | Avg. | Net avg. | TB | Inside 20 | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R.Dixon | TB | 2 | 79 | 39.5 | 29.5 | 1 | 1 | 43 |
| TB total | TB | 2 | 79 | 39.5 | 29.5 | 1 | 1 | 43 |
| S.Martin | CAR | 2 | 87 | 43.5 | 32.5 | 0 | 1 | 49 |
| CAR total | CAR | 2 | 87 | 43.5 | 32.5 | 0 | 1 | 49 |
Punt returns
| Returner | Team | Returns | Yards | Avg. | Fair catches | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T.Johnson | TB | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| TB total | TB | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| D.Moore | CAR | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| [TOUCHBACK] | CAR | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CAR total | CAR | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kickoff returns
| Returner | Team | Returns | Yards | Avg. | Fair catches | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K.Johnson | TB | 2 | 50 | 25.0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| K.Gainwell | TB | 1 | 30 | 30.0 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| TB total | TB | 3 | 80 | 26.7 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| A.Tyus | CAR | 5 | 122 | 24.4 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| T.Etienne | CAR | 3 | 69 | 23.0 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| CAR total | CAR | 8 | 191 | 23.9 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
In the punting table, TB means touchbacks, not Tampa Bay. The [TOUCHBACK] notation in the return table is preserved from the gamebook and is not an additional player return.
Kicking and defensive conversion
| Kicker | Team | FG made / att. | Made distances | PAT made / att. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.McLaughlin | TB | 2 / 2 | 22, 44 yards | 5 / 5 |
| R.Fitzgerald | CAR | 0 / 0 | — | 1 / 2 (one blocked) |
Smith blocked Carolina’s first extra-point attempt; McCollum recovered and returned it for a two-point defensive conversion. Tampa Bay’s four takeaways consist of two interceptions and two opponent fumble recoveries; the conversion return is not an additional takeaway.
Tampa Bay — special teams and miscellaneous
| Player | ST solo | ST ast. | ST FF | ST FR | Blocks | Misc. solo | Misc. ast. | Misc. FF | Misc. FR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.Trotter | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.Smith | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.Walker | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I.Melifonwu | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K.Scott | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| S.Dennis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B.Sharp | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K.Knowles | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K.Kieft | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.Sills | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 3 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Carolina — special teams and miscellaneous
| Player | ST solo | ST ast. | ST FF | ST FR | Blocks | Misc. solo | Misc. ast. | Misc. FF | Misc. FR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N.Hampton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| L.Ransom | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J.Kuwatch | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I.Simmons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C.Hubbard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J.Metchie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fumbles and recoveries
| Player | Fum. | Lost | Own rec. | Own yds | Own TD | Forced | Opp. rec. | Opp. yds | Opp. TD | Out of bounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Irving | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.Sills | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.Muhammad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C.Kancey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 1 | 0 |
| K.Kieft | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 32 | 1 | 0 |
| Player | Fum. | Lost | Own rec. | Own yds | Own TD | Forced | Opp. rec. | Opp. yds | Opp. TD | Out of bounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D.Moore | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B.Young | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| W.Lee | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: supplied NFL gamebook, page 3. Fumble accounting continues on page 4; defensive and special-teams credits are on page 7. Zero-only special-teams/miscellaneous rows are omitted from those two tables; all nonzero credits and source totals are retained.
GAME-DAY INACTIVES
| Tampa Bay | Carolina |
|---|---|
| WR 2 E.Egbuka | TE 0 J.Sanders |
| CB 24 A.Garnes | OLB 5 J.Phillips |
| S 31 A.Winfield | 3QB 16 H.King |
| T 67 L.Goedeke | RB 28 A.Dillon |
| G 75 B.Schrauth | T 73 S.Forsythe |
| DL 90 D.Capehart | C 75 S.Hecht |
| — | DT 93 T.Edwards |
Source: supplied NFL gamebook, page 1. Position labels, jersey numbers and name abbreviations follow the source. Carolina lists H.King as 3QB.
BALL POSSESSION & DRIVE CHARTS
Recd. and Lost are quarter-clock readings; a possession can cross a quarter boundary. Poss. is elapsed possession time. Pen. is net penalty yardage. An asterisk marks the source’s inside-the-20 notation. Dashes preserve blank source cells.
| No. | Recd. | Lost | Poss. | Obtained | Began | Plays | Gain | Pen. | Net | 1st downs | Last scrimmage | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15:00 | 7:22 | 7:38 | Kickoff | TB 30 | 14 | 70 | 0 | 70 | 6 | CAR 4* | Touchdown |
| 2 | 4:45 | 0:47 | 3:58 | Punt | TB 18 | 5 | 11 | 21 | 32 | 1 | 50 | Punt |
| 3 | 0:47 | 14:12 | 1:35 | Muffed punt | CAR 18 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 1 | CAR 4* | Field goal |
| 4 | 9:09 | 3:53 | 5:16 | Kickoff | TB 41 | 8 | 64 | -5 | 59 | 5 | CAR 1* | Touchdown |
| 5 | 2:30 | 0:04 | 2:26 | Interception | CAR 32 | 8 | 37 | -5 | 32 | 3 | CAR 14* | Touchdown |
| 6 | 12:57 | 10:33 | 2:24 | Punt | CAR 45 | 3 | 7 | -5 | 2 | 0 | CAR 43 | Punt |
| 7 | 8:59 | 6:30 | 2:29 | Interception | CAR 32 | 4 | 16 | -10 | 6 | 0 | CAR 26 | Field goal |
| 8 | 1:50 | 10:21 | 6:29 | Downs | TB 6 | 9 | 99 | -5 | 94 | 5 | CAR 46 | Touchdown |
| 9 | 5:28 | 3:03 | 2:25 | Kickoff | TB 36 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | TB 45 | Downs |
| 10 | 1:17 | 0:00 | 1:17 | Downs | TB 40 | 2 | -3 | 0 | -3 | 0 | TB 38 | End of game |
| No. | Recd. | Lost | Poss. | Obtained | Began | Plays | Gain | Pen. | Net | 1st downs | Last scrimmage | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:22 | 4:45 | 2:37 | Kickoff | CAR 25 | 6 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 1 | CAR 44 | Punt |
| 2 | 14:12 | 11:05 | 3:07 | Kickoff | CAR 31 | 5 | 11 | -10 | 1 | 1 | CAR 40 | Fumble |
| 3 | 11:05 | 9:09 | 1:56 | Kickoff | CAR 28 | 5 | 72 | 0 | 72 | 2 | 50 | Touchdown |
| 4 | 3:53 | 2:30 | 1:23 | Kickoff | CAR 29 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 1 | CAR 41 | Interception |
| 5 | 0:04 | 0:00 | 0:04 | Kickoff | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | End of half |
| 6 | 15:00 | 12:57 | 2:03 | Kickoff | CAR 26 | 4 | -8 | 0 | -8 | 1 | CAR 18 | Punt |
| 7 | 10:33 | 8:59 | 1:34 | Punt | CAR 20 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 1 | CAR 31 | Interception |
| 8 | 6:30 | 1:50 | 4:40 | Kickoff | CAR 31 | 14 | 64 | 0 | 64 | 4 | TB 5* | Downs |
| 9 | 10:21 | 5:28 | 4:53 | Kickoff | CAR 29 | 8 | 71 | 0 | 71 | 4 | TB 12* | Touchdown |
| 10 | 3:03 | 1:17 | 1:46 | Downs | TB 43 | 4 | 14 | -10 | 4 | 0 | TB 39 | Downs |
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay | 12:23 | 8:30 | 6:43 | 8:21 | 35:57 |
| Carolina | 2:37 | 6:30 | 8:17 | 6:39 | 24:03 |
Source: supplied NFL gamebook, page 6.
COMPLETE PLAY-BY-PLAY
All four quarters are recorded below, with each play’s starting clock, team and down/field position. TB = Tampa Bay; CAR = Carolina; 50 = midfield. Player abbreviations and field spots follow the supplied gamebook. A dash means that the source did not assign a separate clock or down/spot to that event.
The log retains nullified plays, penalties, fumbles, conversions, kickoff returns, timeouts, injury notices and the final kneel-downs. Formatting is normalized, not additional play data. In-game injury notices describe that moment in the game, not a current medical update. Scoring-summary clocks elsewhere on this page are end-of-play times.
Open the gamebook’s play-by-play
FIRST QUARTER
| Clock | Team | Down / field position | Play / event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 | — | — | TB wins toss, elects to Receive, and CAR elects to defend the West goal. |
| — | CAR | — | R.Fitzgerald kicks 59 yards from CAR 35 to TB 6. K.Johnson to TB 30 for 24 yards (I.Simmons). |
| 15:00 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 15:00, (1st play from scrimmage 14:55) |
| 14:55 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 30 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass incomplete short left to C.Godwin. |
| 14:52 | TB | 2-10 @ TB 30 | (Shotgun) B.Irving right tackle to TB 45 for 15 yards (W.Lee). |
| 14:13 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 45 | B.Irving right tackle to TB 48 for 3 yards (T.Moehrig). |
| 13:29 | TB | 2-7 @ TB 48 | (Shotgun) B.Irving left end to CAR 45 for 7 yards (A.Evans). |
| 12:50 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 45 | B.Mayfield pass incomplete short middle to B.Irving (D.Brown) [D.Lloyd]. |
| 12:43 | TB | 2-10 @ CAR 45 | (Shotgun) B.Irving left end to CAR 45 for no gain (B.Okereke). |
| 12:00 | TB | 3-10 @ CAR 45 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass deep right to T.Johnson pushed ob at CAR 26 for 19 yards (A.Evans). |
| 11:21 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 26 | (Shotgun) B.Irving right end to CAR 21 for 5 yards (B.Okereke). |
| 10:35 | TB | 2-5 @ CAR 21 | B.Irving up the middle to CAR 17 for 4 yards (N.Scott; L.Ransom). |
| 9:50 | TB | 3-1 @ CAR 17 | D.Feeney reported in as eligible. B.Irving right guard to CAR 15 for 2 yards (B.Okereke). |
| 9:08 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 15 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass short right to B.Irving to CAR 11 for 4 yards (B.Brown; T.Moehrig). |
| 8:28 | TB | 2-6 @ CAR 11 | B.Irving right tackle to CAR 6 for 5 yards (T.Gipson). |
| 8:05 | TB | 3-1 @ CAR 6 | (No Huddle, Shotgun) B.Irving up the middle to CAR 4 for 2 yards (B.Okereke). |
| 7:26 | TB | 1-4 @ CAR 4 | B.Irving up the middle for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin extra point is GOOD, Center-E.Deckers, Holder-R.Dixon. |
| 7:22 | — | — | Timeout at 07:22. |
| — | — | — | TB 7 CAR 0, 14 plays, 70 yards, 7:38 drive, 7:38 elapsed |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin kicks 61 yards from TB 35 to CAR 4. T.Etienne pushed ob at CAR 25 for 21 yards (S.Dennis). |
| 7:22 | CAR | — | Carolina Panthers at 7:22, (1st play from scrimmage 7:16) |
| 7:16 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 25 | B.Young pass short right to C.Hubbard ran ob at CAR 31 for 6 yards (Z.McCollum; R.Bain). |
| 6:51 | CAR | 2-4 @ CAR 31 | C.Hubbard left tackle to CAR 34 for 3 yards (A.Anzalone). |
| 6:19 | CAR | 3-1 @ CAR 34 | (Shotgun) C.Hubbard up the middle to CAR 40 for 6 yards (T.Smith; J.Trotter). |
| 5:44 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 40 | B.Young pass incomplete short left to T.Tremble. |
| 5:39 | CAR | 2-10 @ CAR 40 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass short left to J.Metchie to CAR 44 for 4 yards (J.Parrish). |
| 4:56 | CAR | 3-6 @ CAR 44 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass incomplete short middle to T.McMillan. |
| 4:52 | CAR | 4-6 @ CAR 44 | S.Martin punts 38 yards to TB 18, Center-J.Jansen, fair catch by T.Johnson. |
| 4:45 | — | — | Timeout at 04:45. |
| 4:45 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4:45 |
| 4:45 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 18 | K.Gainwell left guard to TB 21 for 3 yards (P.Jones). |
| 4:02 | TB | 2-7 @ TB 21 | (Shotgun) B.Irving up the middle to TB 24 for 3 yards (N.Scott). |
| 3:20 | TB | — | Timeout #1 by TB at 03:20. |
| 3:20 | TB | 3-4 @ TB 24 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass incomplete deep right to T.Hurst (A.Evans). PENALTY on CAR-A.Evans, Defensive Pass Interference, 21 yards, enforced at TB 24 - No Play. |
| 3:14 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 45 | (Shotgun) K.Gainwell up the middle to TB 49 for 4 yards (N.Hampton). |
| 2:32 | TB | 2-6 @ TB 49 | K.Gainwell right tackle to CAR 47 for 4 yards (D.Brown; A.Hall). |
| 1:48 | TB | 3-2 @ CAR 47 | (Shotgun) K.Gainwell right end to 50 for -3 yards (B.Okereke). |
| 0:59 | TB | 4-5 @ 50 | R.Dixon punts 36 yards to CAR 14, Center-E.Deckers. D.Moore MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by TB-K.Kieft at CAR 18. |
| 0:47 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 0:47 |
| 0:47 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 18 | T.Johnson left end to CAR 4 for 14 yards (Z.Wheatley). |
| 0:22 | TB | 1-4 @ CAR 4 | (No Huddle, Shotgun) B.Mayfield right tackle to CAR 3 for 1 yard (D.Lloyd; B.Okereke). |
| 0:00 | — | — | End of quarter: Tampa Bay leads 7–0. |
Back to play-by-play navigation ↑
SECOND QUARTER
| Clock | Team | Down / field position | Play / event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued. |
| 15:00 | TB | 2-3 @ CAR 3 | D.Feeney reported in as eligible. S.Tucker right guard to CAR 4 for -1 yards (T.Gipson). |
| 14:18 | TB | 3-4 @ CAR 4 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass incomplete short right to T.Hurst (B.Okereke). |
| 14:15 | TB | 4-4 @ CAR 4 | C.McLaughlin 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-E.Deckers, Holder-R.Dixon. |
| 14:12 | — | — | Timeout at 14:12. |
| — | — | — | TB 10 CAR 0, 5 plays, 14 yards, 1:35 drive, 0:48 elapsed |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin kicks 61 yards from TB 35 to CAR 4. A.Tyus to CAR 31 for 27 yards (B.Sharp; K.Knowles). |
| 14:12 | CAR | — | Carolina Panthers at 14:12, (1st play from scrimmage 14:06) |
| 14:06 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 31 | C.Hubbard right end to CAR 35 for 4 yards (D.Walker). |
| 13:30 | CAR | 2-6 @ CAR 35 | B.Young pass short left to C.Hubbard pushed ob at CAR 44 for 9 yards (D.Walker). |
| 13:00 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 44 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass short right to T.McMillan to TB 49 for 7 yards (J.Trotter; T.Smith). |
| 12:21 | CAR | 2-3 @ TB 49 | C.Hubbard left end pushed ob at TB 19 for 30 yards (I.Melifonwu). PENALTY on CAR-T.Tremble, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at TB 49 - No Play. |
| 11:55 | CAR | 2-13 @ CAR 41 | (Shotgun) B.Young sacked at CAR 40 for -1 yards (Y.Diaby). |
| 11:15 | CAR | 3-14 @ CAR 40 | (Shotgun) B.Young sacked at CAR 31 for -9 yards (A.Muhammad). FUMBLES (A.Muhammad) [A.Muhammad], RECOVERED by TB-C.Kancey at CAR 32. C.Kancey for 32 yards, TOUCHDOWN. |
| 11:05 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 11:05 |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin extra point is GOOD, Center-E.Deckers, Holder-R.Dixon. |
| 11:05 | — | — | Timeout at 11:05. |
| — | — | — | TB 17 CAR 0, 0 plays, 32 yards, 0:00 drive , 3:55 elapsed |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin kicks 61 yards from TB 35 to CAR 4. A.Tyus to CAR 28 for 24 yards (K.Scott; B.Sharp). |
| 11:05 | CAR | — | Carolina Panthers at 11:05, (1st play from scrimmage 11:00) |
| 11:00 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 28 | B.Young pass short right to J.Coker to CAR 37 for 9 yards (I.Melifonwu). |
| 10:27 | CAR | 2-1 @ CAR 37 | B.Young pass incomplete short left to D.Waller. |
| 10:20 | CAR | 3-1 @ CAR 37 | C.Hubbard right end pushed ob at CAR 45 for 8 yards (Z.McCollum). |
| 9:54 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 45 | T.Etienne right guard to 50 for 5 yards (A.Nelson; E.Roberts). |
| 9:18 | CAR | 2-5 @ 50 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass deep middle to D.Waller for 50 yards, TOUCHDOWN. |
| — | CAR | — | R.Fitzgerald extra point is Blocked (T.Smith), Center-J.Jansen, Holder-S.Martin. DEFENSIVE TWO-POINT ATTEMPT. Z.McCollum recovered the blocked kick. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS. PENALTY on CAR, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 15 yards, enforced between downs. |
| 9:09 | — | — | Timeout at 09:09. |
| — | — | — | TB 19 CAR 6, 5 plays, 72 yards, 1:56 drive, 5:51 elapsed |
| — | CAR | — | R.Fitzgerald kicks 69 yards from CAR 20 to TB 11. K.Gainwell to TB 41 for 30 yards (N.Hampton). |
| 9:09 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 9:09, (1st play from scrimmage 9:01) |
| 9:01 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 41 | B.Irving up the middle to CAR 48 for 11 yards (B.Okereke). |
| 8:17 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 48 | B.Irving left tackle to CAR 43 for 5 yards (B.Okereke; D.Lloyd). |
| 7:33 | TB | 2-5 @ CAR 43 | B.Irving left tackle to CAR 37 for 6 yards (W.Lee; D.Lloyd). FUMBLES (W.Lee), recovered by TB-D.Sills at CAR 37. D.Sills ran ob at CAR 37 for no gain. |
| 6:55 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 37 | PENALTY on TB, Delay of Game, 5 yards, enforced at CAR 37 - No Play. |
| 6:32 | TB | 1-15 @ CAR 42 | (Shotgun) K.Gainwell right tackle to CAR 13 for 29 yards (D.Brown). |
| 5:46 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 13 | K.Gainwell left guard to CAR 11 for 2 yards (T.Wharton). |
| 5:04 | TB | 2-8 @ CAR 11 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass short right to C.Godwin to CAR 4 for 7 yards (N.Scott). |
| 4:41 | TB | 3-1 @ CAR 4 | (No Huddle) B.Irving right tackle to CAR 1 for 3 yards (W.Lee; N.Scott). |
| 3:58 | TB | 1-1 @ CAR 1 | J.Skule reported in as eligible. B.Irving left tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin extra point is GOOD, Center-E.Deckers, Holder-R.Dixon. |
| 3:53 | — | — | Timeout at 03:53. |
| — | — | — | TB 26 CAR 6, 8 plays, 59 yards, 5:16 drive, 11:07 elapsed |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin kicks 60 yards from TB 35 to CAR 5. T.Etienne to CAR 29 for 24 yards (D.Walker). |
| 3:53 | CAR | — | Carolina Panthers at 3:53, (1st play from scrimmage 3:49) |
| 3:49 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 29 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass short middle to T.McMillan to CAR 39 for 10 yards (J.Parrish). |
| 3:16 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 39 | C.Hubbard right end to CAR 41 for 2 yards (K.Scott). |
| 2:39 | CAR | 2-8 @ CAR 41 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass short right intended for J.Coker INTERCEPTED by Z.McCollum at 50. Z.McCollum to CAR 32 for 18 yards (C.Hubbard). |
| 2:30 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 2:30 |
| 2:30 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 32 | K.Gainwell up the middle to CAR 24 for 8 yards (T.Moehrig). |
| 2:00 | — | — | Two-minute warning. |
| 2:00 | TB | 2-2 @ CAR 24 | K.Gainwell left tackle to CAR 24 for no gain (N.Scott). |
| 1:55 | CAR | — | Timeout #1 by CAR at 01:55. |
| 1:55 | TB | 3-2 @ CAR 24 | K.Gainwell left guard to CAR 22 for 2 yards (B.Brown). |
| 1:49 | CAR | — | Timeout #2 by CAR at 01:49. |
| 1:49 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 22 | B.Irving right tackle to CAR 18 for 4 yards (N.Hampton; L.Hunter). |
| 1:45 | CAR | — | Timeout #3 by CAR at 01:45. |
| 1:45 | TB | 2-6 @ CAR 18 | B.Irving up the middle to CAR 14 for 4 yards (D.Brown). |
| 0:59 | TB | 3-2 @ CAR 14 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass short left to C.Godwin to CAR 9 for 5 yards (B.Okereke). |
| 0:22 | TB | — | Timeout #2 by TB at 00:22. |
| 0:22 | TB | 1-9 @ CAR 9 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass incomplete short right to C.Otton (Z.Wheatley). |
| 0:16 | TB | 2-9 @ CAR 9 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass short right to C.Godwin for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN NULLIFIED by Penalty. PENALTY on TB-B.Irving, Illegal Shift, 5 yards, enforced at CAR 9 - No Play. |
| 0:12 | TB | 2-14 @ CAR 14 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass short right to T.Johnson for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN. |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin extra point is GOOD, Center-E.Deckers, Holder-R.Dixon. |
| — | — | — | TB 33 CAR 6, 8 plays, 32 yards, 2:26 drive, 14:56 elapsed |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin kicks 62 yards from TB 35 to CAR 3. A.Tyus to CAR 31 for 28 yards (K.Scott; J.Trotter). |
| 0:00 | — | — | End of quarter: Tampa Bay leads 33–6. |
Back to play-by-play navigation ↑
THIRD QUARTER
| Clock | Team | Down / field position | Play / event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 | — | — | CAR elects to Receive, and TB elects to defend the West goal. |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin kicks 58 yards from TB 35 to CAR 7. A.Tyus to CAR 26 for 19 yards (K.Scott; S.Dennis). |
| 15:00 | CAR | — | Carolina Panthers at 15:00, (1st play from scrimmage 14:54) |
| 14:54 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 26 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass short right to T.McMillan to CAR 38 for 12 yards (T.Smith; I.Melifonwu). |
| 14:18 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 38 | B.Young pass incomplete short right. |
| 14:13 | CAR | 2-10 @ CAR 38 | (Shotgun) B.Young sacked at CAR 29 for -9 yards (Y.Diaby). CAR-T.Moton was injured during the play. |
| 14:00 | — | — | Timeout at 14:00. |
| 13:50 | CAR | 3-19 @ CAR 29 | (Shotgun) B.Young sacked at CAR 18 for -11 yards (Y.Diaby). |
| 13:09 | CAR | 4-30 @ CAR 18 | S.Martin punts 49 yards to TB 33, Center-J.Jansen. T.Johnson to CAR 45 for 22 yards (J.Kuwatch). |
| 12:57 | — | — | Timeout at 12:57. |
| — | — | — | Injury Update: TB-K.Gainwell return is Questionable. |
| 12:57 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 12:57 |
| 12:57 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 45 | B.Irving left end to CAR 40 for 5 yards (W.Lee; D.Lloyd). |
| 12:17 | TB | 2-5 @ CAR 40 | B.Irving left guard to CAR 41 for -1 yards (P.Jones). |
| 11:32 | TB | 3-6 @ CAR 41 | (Shotgun) PENALTY on TB-G.Barton, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at CAR 41 - No Play. |
| 11:08 | TB | 3-11 @ CAR 46 | (Shotgun) B.Irving left tackle to CAR 43 for 3 yards (D.Brown). |
| 10:42 | TB | 4-8 @ CAR 43 | R.Dixon punts 43 yards to end zone, Center-E.Deckers, Touchback. |
| 10:33 | — | — | Timeout at 10:33. |
| — | — | — | Injury Update: CAR-T.Moton return is Questionable. |
| 10:33 | CAR | — | Carolina Panthers at 10:33 |
| 10:33 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 20 | B.Young sacked at CAR 17 for -3 yards (V.Vea). |
| 9:52 | CAR | 2-13 @ CAR 17 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass short middle to C.Hubbard to CAR 20 for 3 yards (J.Trotter). |
| 9:32 | CAR | 3-10 @ CAR 20 | (No Huddle, Shotgun) B.Young pass short middle to T.McMillan to CAR 31 for 11 yards (I.Melifonwu). |
| 9:09 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 31 | (No Huddle, Shotgun) B.Young pass incomplete short left to T.McMillan. |
| 9:03 | CAR | 2-10 @ CAR 31 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass short right intended for J.Metchie INTERCEPTED by T.Smith (K.Scott) at CAR 32. T.Smith to CAR 32 for no gain (J.Metchie). |
| 8:59 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 8:59 |
| 8:59 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 32 | B.Irving left guard to CAR 31 for 1 yard (D.Brown; L.Hunter). |
| 8:18 | TB | 2-9 @ CAR 31 | (Shotgun) B.Irving left tackle to CAR 26 for 5 yards (D.Brown). PENALTY on TB-C.Mauch, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at CAR 31 - No Play. |
| 7:51 | TB | 2-19 @ CAR 41 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass short right to C.Godwin pushed ob at CAR 35 for 6 yards (N.Hampton). |
| 7:15 | TB | 3-13 @ CAR 35 | (Shotgun) B.Mayfield pass short left to C.Godwin to CAR 26 for 9 yards (T.Wharton). ** Injury Update: TB-K.Gainwell has returned to the game. |
| 6:35 | TB | 4-4 @ CAR 26 | C.McLaughlin 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-E.Deckers, Holder-R.Dixon. |
| 6:30 | — | — | Timeout at 06:30. |
| — | — | — | TB 36 CAR 6, 4 plays, 6 yards, 2:29 drive, 8:30 elapsed |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin kicks 58 yards from TB 35 to CAR 7. A.Tyus to CAR 31 for 24 yards (I.Melifonwu; K.Knowles). |
| 6:30 | CAR | — | Carolina Panthers at 6:30, (1st play from scrimmage 6:24) |
| 6:24 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 31 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass incomplete short right to J.Coker (J.Trotter). |
| 6:21 | CAR | 2-10 @ CAR 31 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass incomplete short left to J.Metchie (J.Parrish). |
| 6:17 | CAR | 3-10 @ CAR 31 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass short middle to J.Metchie to CAR 47 for 16 yards (A.Anzalone) [A.Nelson]. |
| 5:52 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 47 | (No Huddle, Shotgun) C.Hubbard left guard to TB 48 for 5 yards (T.Smith; J.Trotter). |
| 5:23 | CAR | 2-5 @ TB 48 | (No Huddle, Shotgun) B.Young pass incomplete deep right to J.Coker. |
| 5:16 | CAR | 3-5 @ TB 48 | (Shotgun) Direct snap to C.Hubbard. C.Hubbard up the middle to TB 43 for 5 yards (E.Roberts). |
| 4:52 | CAR | 1-10 @ TB 43 | (No Huddle, Shotgun) B.Young pass short middle to C.Hubbard to TB 34 for 9 yards (A.Anzalone; T.Smith). |
| 4:14 | CAR | 2-1 @ TB 34 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass short middle to T.Etienne to TB 25 for 9 yards (K.Scott; J.Trotter). |
| 3:46 | CAR | 1-10 @ TB 25 | (No Huddle, Shotgun) B.Young pass short middle to T.Etienne to TB 17 for 8 yards (A.Anzalone; T.Smith). |
| 3:22 | CAR | 2-2 @ TB 17 | (No Huddle, Shotgun) T.Etienne right tackle to TB 14 for 3 yards (A.Robinson). |
| 2:43 | CAR | 1-10 @ TB 14 | (No Huddle, Shotgun) B.Young pass incomplete short right. |
| 2:38 | CAR | 2-10 @ TB 14 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass incomplete short right to C.Hubbard. |
| 2:33 | CAR | 3-10 @ TB 14 | (Shotgun) B.Young scrambles right end to TB 5 for 9 yards (A.Anzalone). |
| 1:55 | CAR | 4-1 @ TB 5 | (Shotgun) B.Young pass incomplete short right to B.Tremayne. |
| 1:50 | — | — | Timeout at 01:50. |
| — | — | — | Injury Update: CAR-T.Moton is Out of the game. |
| 1:50 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1:50 |
| 1:50 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 6 | B.Irving right tackle to TB 8 for 2 yards (A.Hall; N.Hampton). |
| 1:08 | TB | 2-8 @ TB 8 | B.Irving up the middle to TB 20 for 12 yards (P.Umanmielen). |
| 0:23 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 20 | PENALTY on TB-C.Otton, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at TB 20 - No Play. |
| 0:00 | — | — | End of quarter: Tampa Bay leads 36–6. |
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FOURTH QUARTER
| Clock | Team | Down / field position | Play / event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued. |
| 15:00 | TB | 1-15 @ TB 15 | K.Gainwell up the middle to TB 31 for 16 yards (N.Scott). |
| 14:17 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 31 | K.Gainwell up the middle to TB 33 for 2 yards (A.Hall; N.Scott). |
| 13:35 | TB | 2-8 @ TB 33 | K.Gainwell left guard to TB 43 for 10 yards (L.Ransom). |
| 12:48 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 43 | K.Gainwell up the middle to TB 49 for 6 yards (A.Hall). |
| 12:02 | TB | 2-4 @ TB 49 | S.Tucker left guard to TB 49 for no gain (T.Dodson; W.Lee). |
| 11:16 | TB | 3-4 @ TB 49 | (Shotgun) K.Gainwell left guard to CAR 46 for 5 yards (B.Okereke; T.Dodson). |
| 10:31 | TB | 1-10 @ CAR 46 | S.Tucker left guard for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN. |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin extra point is GOOD, Center-E.Deckers, Holder-R.Dixon. |
| 10:21 | — | — | Timeout at 10:21. |
| — | — | — | TB 43 CAR 6, 9 plays, 94 yards, 6:29 drive, 4:39 elapsed |
| — | TB | — | C.McLaughlin kicks 60 yards from TB 35 to CAR 5. T.Etienne pushed ob at CAR 29 for 24 yards (K.Scott). |
| 10:21 | CAR | — | Carolina Panthers at 10:21, (1st play from scrimmage 10:11) |
| 10:11 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 29 | T.Etienne right end to CAR 32 for 3 yards (I.Melifonwu; J.Trotter). |
| 9:32 | CAR | 2-7 @ CAR 32 | K.Pickett pass short right to T.Tremble pushed ob at CAR 40 for 8 yards (J.Trotter). |
| 9:00 | CAR | 1-10 @ CAR 40 | T.Etienne right guard to CAR 39 for -1 yards (E.Simmons). |
| 8:16 | CAR | 2-11 @ CAR 39 | T.Etienne left guard to CAR 38 for -1 yards (C.Kancey). |
| 7:30 | CAR | 3-12 @ CAR 38 | (Shotgun) K.Pickett scrambles up the middle ran ob at TB 47 for 15 yards (A.Anzalone). |
| 6:55 | CAR | 1-10 @ TB 47 | A.Tyus right tackle to TB 44 for 3 yards (E.Roberts; J.Trotter). |
| 6:14 | CAR | 2-7 @ TB 44 | (Shotgun) K.Pickett pass deep right to M.Evans to TB 12 for 32 yards (T.Smith). |
| 5:34 | CAR | 1-10 @ TB 12 | A.Tyus right end for 12 yards, TOUCHDOWN. |
| — | CAR | — | R.Fitzgerald extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Jansen, Holder-S.Martin. PENALTY on TB-E.Simmons, Illegal Formation, 5 yards, enforced between downs. |
| 5:28 | — | — | Timeout at 05:28. |
| — | — | — | TB 43 CAR 13, 8 plays, 71 yards, 4:53 drive, 9:32 elapsed |
| — | CAR | — | R.Fitzgerald kicks 50 yards from CAR 40 to TB 10. K.Johnson pushed ob at TB 36 for 26 yards (L.Ransom). |
| 5:28 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 5:28, (1st play from scrimmage 5:23) |
| 5:23 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 36 | S.Tucker up the middle to TB 38 for 2 yards (A.Hall; J.Kuwatch). |
| 4:38 | TB | 2-8 @ TB 38 | S.Tucker up the middle to TB 45 for 7 yards (A.Hall; T.Gipson). |
| 3:51 | TB | 3-1 @ TB 45 | S.Tucker left guard to TB 45 for no gain (L.Hunter; B.Brown). |
| 3:08 | TB | 4-1 @ TB 45 | S.Tucker left tackle to TB 43 for -2 yards (P.Umanmielen). |
| 3:03 | — | — | Timeout at 03:03. |
| 3:03 | CAR | — | Carolina Panthers at 3:03 |
| 3:03 | CAR | 1-10 @ TB 43 | T.Etienne left end to TB 38 for 5 yards (J.Trotter). PENALTY on CAR-M.Evans, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at TB 43 - No Play. |
| 2:56 | CAR | 1-20 @ CAR 47 | (Shotgun) T.Etienne left tackle to CAR 46 for -1 yards (D.Walker). |
| 2:21 | CAR | 2-21 @ CAR 46 | K.Pickett pass short left to M.Evans to TB 47 for 7 yards (D.Walker). |
| 2:00 | — | — | Two-minute warning. |
| 2:00 | CAR | 3-14 @ TB 47 | (Shotgun) A.Tyus up the middle to TB 39 for 8 yards (J.Trotter). |
| 1:22 | CAR | 4-6 @ TB 39 | (Shotgun) K.Pickett pass incomplete short left to D.Moore (J.Parrish). |
| 1:17 | TB | — | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1:17 |
| 1:17 | TB | 1-10 @ TB 40 | J.Daniels kneels to TB 38 for -2 yards. |
| 0:39 | TB | 2-12 @ TB 38 | J.Daniels kneels to TB 37 for -1 yards. |
| 0:00 | — | — | Final: Tampa Bay 43, Carolina 13. |
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Source: supplied NFL gamebook, pages 10–15. The log reconciles to the final team table’s 60 Tampa Bay and 54 Carolina offensive plays after no-play entries and kicking plays are excluded from that count. Administrative events are additional rows, not additional offensive snaps.
GAMEBOOK & SOURCE NOTES
This edition uses the supplied 18-page NFL Game Summary for Tampa Bay at Carolina on October 25, 2026, including its final individual/team/defensive tables, starting lineups and all four quarters of play-by-play.
Source accounting: the second-quarter strip-sack description takes Young from Carolina’s 40 to the 31 before the fumble is recovered at the 32. The final defensive table credits A.Muhammad with eight sack yards, and the final team table lists 32 total sack-loss yards. Those are retained in their respective source contexts rather than silently recalculated. Smith’s interception is listed at Carolina’s 32 with no return.
Name abbreviations follow the PDF. Full names already used in the original recap and scoring summary are retained; no missing roster identities were invented. The gamebook’s playtime-percentage appendix is explicitly marked unofficial and is not presented here as an official snap-count table.
CAPTAIN’S LOG — BRING ON THE BOOTY!
Read the full published postgame adventure →
Original fan-side comic narration. Captain Booty’s dialogue, treasure accounting and London intelligence dispatch are fiction; Kevin Cooper, Tracey and Griffin’s attendance was supplied by W.P. Rader.
Captain Booty arrived at Bank of America Stadium with a pewter tankard, a stadium-roof sketch and an X-marked bag at his hip. His instructions were simple: one Buccaneers point, one doblón in the bag.
“No early victory speeches,” warned the Parrot. “We’re not buying roof panels at halftime.”
Then Bucky started collecting. Kancey made a withdrawal. And when Smith blocked Carolina’s extra point and McCollum returned it for two, the Captain nearly dropped the ledger.
“THEY SCORED—AND WE GOT PAID? NOW THAT’S BANKING!”
The Parrot’s sharp eyes caught Kevin Cooper, Tracey and Griffin on the Jumbotron. Booty almost lost his spyglass. “I thought they were still sailing the seven seas!”
In the Captain’s entirely unreliable London dispatch, the traveling krewe had recently attempted to establish whether a Buccaneers flag counted as a royal invitation. The Parrot’s answer was no. The Captain’s counterargument had been written on a parking pass.
“Never mind the Palace,” said the bird. “They’re here for the football. And your belt is slipping.”
By the time Tucker sped through the crease, the bag had become a genuine engineering problem. Forty-three points meant forty-three coins—and a very optimistic Captain who was now drawing a retractable roof instead of a beach umbrella.
“Does that include a rum barrel for the stadium ship?” he asked.
“Separate purchase order. And you and Cooper cannot approve your own sampler appointments.”
At the final whistle, the Parrot finally authorized celebration. On the journey home, with the road duties left to the designated driver, Booty counted the treasure again: forty-three. No late disappearance. No missing W.
“KEEP THE POINTS COMING, LADS—THE ROOF AIN’T PAID FOR YET!”
The Parrot opened a fresh page in the ledger.
Next purchase: a stronger belt.
NEXT GAME — BRING ON THE DIRTY BIRDS
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sunday, November 1, 2026 · 1:00 p.m. Eastern
Raymond James Stadium · Week 8
The Buccaneers sail home at 2–5 with a convincing divisional victory and another NFC South opponent approaching. One win does not erase the difficult start, but it gives the krewe a performance worth building on.
2026 REGULAR SEASON — WEEK 7 FINAL
BUCCANEERS 43 — PANTHERS 13
TAMPA BAY RECORD: 2–5 · BRING ON THE BOOTY!
SOURCES & EDITORIAL NOTES
Game-data basis: the 18-page National Football League Game Summary — Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers, October 25, 2026, supplied by W.P. Rader. Pages 1–2: game information, starters and scoring; pages 3–4: individual statistics; page 5: final team statistics; page 6: possession charts; page 7: final defensive credits; pages 10–15: full play-by-play. The halftime and miscellaneous appendices are not substituted for the final tables.
- NFL Game Summary — original PDF address
- Bring On the Booty — W.P. Rader’s published postgame article
- Buccaneers Game Center
- Team box score
The completed statistical sections were transcribed from the supplied PDF, not inferred from an unavailable web page. The earlier team links are retained as reference destinations; this edition does not claim a new live verification of those URLs. Season records, the next-game listing and owner-supplied observations are retained from the previous edition. The separate fan article and shared Library files have not been edited.
BuccaneersFan.com is an independent fan publication, not an official NFL or team site. This is a static postgame archive. Captain Booty’s dialogue, London dispatch and stadium-roof fund are comic fiction, not a fundraising solicitation.