Buccaneers run all over Panthers in NFC South opener

Rick Stroud, Tampa Bay Times on Oct 25, 2026

Published in Football

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Never mind the lousy start to the season. The NFC South may still run through Tampa Bay. And we do mean run.

It also turns out Baker Mayfield didn’t need a healthy right thumb to turn and hand the football off.

The Buccsneers took advantage of one of the NFL’s worst rushing defenses Sunday and used three first-half takeaways to beat the Carolina Panthers, 43-13.

Bucky Irving rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns, Mayfield threw a touchdown pass to Tez Johnson and defensive tackle Calijah Kancey returned a fumble 32 yards for a touchdown.

The win was the Bucs’ second in three games after an 0-4 start, improving their record to 2-5. They have won seven of their past eight against the Panthers.

The Bucs may have missed Mayfield, who was sidelined for three games with a dislocated thumb, but he only had to throw 11 passes, completing seven for 64 yards and a touchdown.

Game balls

Irving ran the way he did at Dallas a few weeks ago, when he rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown in a 24-16 win over the Cowboys. The offensive line creased the Panthers’ defensive front, and Irving burst through 24 times. Oft-overlooked Kenny Gainwell even got involved in this one. Game balls probably should go to everyone on the offensive line, including Benjamin Chukwuma, who started for injured Luke Goedeke (calf) at right tackle.

Play of the game

The Bucs had been waiting for Kancey and the pass rush to have a breakout game, and they did on Sunday. Quarterback Bryce Young was sacked five times, including Yaya Diaby’s first three of the season.

Kancey entered the game with no sacks and only two quarterback hits. The 2023 first-round pick had his fifth-year option picked up for 2027 and needed to back up that decision.

He did so less than four minutes into the game, when Al-Quadin Muhammad sacked Young and forced a fumble that Kancey scooped up and returned 32 yards for a touchdown, somersaulting into the end zone. Like Kancey, the Panthers were turned on their head.

Keep an eye on

Running back Kenny Gainwell. The Steelers’ 2025 Most Valuable Player, who had only 19 carries over the first six games, had his best showing of the season, rushing for 88 yards on 14 attempts. He left in the second half with a hip injury but later returned.

NFC South update

The first-place Panthers dropped to 3-3. The Falcons (3-4) moved within a half game of the lead after surprising the San Francisco 49ers 29-20 in Atlanta. The Bucs (2-5) caught the Saints (2-5), who went all the way to Paris Sunday to lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-10.

Up next

The Bucs can draw even with the second-place Falcons with a win next Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

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