The Panthers started the game on defense and did a good job forcing the Bucs to start their day with a three-and-out. The offense started out with a decent drive that made it inside the TB 25-yard line, but unfortunately Teddy Bridgewater threw a terrible screen pass that was picked off by the Bucs defense to cut the drive short.
The defense gave up chunks of yards to the Bucs but managed to hold them on third down at their own 25-yard line, but a late hit penalty on Derrick Brown gave the Bucs an automatic first down to allow the drive to continue.