Panthers at Buccaneers
Carolina Panthers 30, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28 · LMKW2S
Final Score
Panthers 30 4 TD · 1 FG · 3 XP
Buccaneers 28 4 TD · 0 FG · 4 XPJustin Fields 331 yds passingBijan Robinson 103 yds rushingJustin Jefferson 170 yds receivingJordyn Brooks 3 tkl defenseTotal yards 276 · 359Passing yards 173 · 310Rushing yards 103 · 49Completions 14/19 · 17/25Yards per carry 5.2 · 4.1Recap
Franchise Hub Beat · 21h ago
In a thrilling season opener, the Carolina Panthers narrowly defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-28, kicking off the 2027 season with a high-stakes matchup that showcased the talent on both sides of the field. The Panthers managed to hold off a late rally from the Buccaneers, securing their first win of the new campaign.
Justin Fields of the Buccaneers had a standout performance, throwing for 331 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his ability to spread the ball effectively. However, it was Bijan Robinson of the Panthers who stole the show on the ground, rushing for 103 yards, providing a crucial balance to the Panthers' offense. Justin Jefferson also shined in the air for Tampa Bay, racking up 170 receiving yards, but it wasn't enough to clinch the victory.
Defensively, the Panthers made their mark with Chuck Boston recording two sacks, consistently pressuring Fields throughout the game. The turning point came when Jordyn Brooks intercepted a critical pass late in the fourth quarter, setting up the game-winning drive for Carolina. Both teams displayed resilience, but it was the Panthers' defense that ultimately sealed the victory and gave them the early momentum in the season.
Scoring
| Team | TD | FG | XP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 4 | 1 | 3 | 30 |
| Buccaneers | 4 | 0 | 4 | 28 |
Team Stats
Box Score
| Player | C/A | PCT | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | ||||||
| Gregory LaffertyQB | 14/18 | 78% | 187 | 2 | 2 | 107.4 |
| Jalen MilroeQB | 0/1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 |
| Buccaneers | ||||||
| Justin FieldsQB | 15/25 | 60% | 331 | 3 | 2 | 110.4 |
| Chris OlaveWR | 1/0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tai FeltonWR | 1/0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Player | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | |||||||
| Bijan RobinsonHB | 20 | 103 | 5.2 | 20 | 2 | 36 | 0 |
| Cade OttonTE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillanWR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Buccaneers | |||||||
| Ashton JeantyHB | 3 | 30 | 10.0 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Justin FieldsQB | 7 | 19 | 2.7 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Justin JeffersonWR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Marvin Mims JrWR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris OlaveWR | 1 | -3 | -3.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | |||||||
| Cade OttonTE | 4 | 61 | 15.3 | 30 | 1 | 25 | 0 |
| Tee HigginsWR | 3 | 60 | 20.0 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillanWR | 5 | 44 | 8.8 | 15 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Bijan RobinsonHB | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 20 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Buccaneers | |||||||
| Justin JeffersonWR | 5 | 170 | 34.0 | 36 | 1 | 77 | 0 |
| Chris OlaveWR | 5 | 120 | 24.0 | 48 | 2 | 72 | 0 |
| Tai FeltonWR | 3 | 32 | 10.7 | 6 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Ashton JeantyHB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Isaiah LikelyTE | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Player | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | |||||
| Jordyn BrooksWILL | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chuck BostonDT | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James PierreCB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Keeanu BentonDT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| C.J. Gardner-JohnsonSS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jerome BakerSAM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antoine Winfield JrFS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Zaven CollinsLEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malik HookerFS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| A.J. HaulcySS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Collin OliverREDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nahshon WrightCB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen PitreCB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clifton DavenportREDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terrel BernardMIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Buccaneers | |||||
| Eric WiseSS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jermod McCoyCB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mykel WilliamsREDG | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb DownsSS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ronnie HickmanFS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon CisseCB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mack Wilson SrMIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LT OvertonDT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nolan Smith JrLEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier WattsSS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Poona FordDT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | FG | XP | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | |||
| Andres BorregalesK | 1/1 | 3 | 21 |
| Buccaneers | |||
| Charlie SmythK | 0/0 | 4 | 0 |