Even though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally got back to winning ways in Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season with a 20-17 victory over the lowly Arizona Cardinals, there was little about the actual performance on the field that was suggestive of a W, particularly in the second half when the Bucs offense sputtered and Baker Mayfield began throwing ducks.
But what really hurt the perception of the Buccaneers victory was watching what the young, quietly rising Carolina Panthers team did to an NFC Super Bowl contender. Because whereas the Buccaneers got completely torched by Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football last weekend 34-7, the Panthers won a shootout against the Rams 31-28 with Bryce Young decisively outplaying the current MVP favorite.