Carolina
Panthers
7-3
36
FINAL
54
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
5-5
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a high-scoring showdown, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers topped the Carolina Panthers 54-36 in Week 12 of the 2026 season. Both teams were looking to bolster their playoff hopes, but it was the Buccaneers who came out on top, showcasing their offensive firepower and resilience throughout the game.
Bryce Young of the Panthers had a standout performance, throwing for 323 yards and four touchdowns, demonstrating his ability to lead his team through the air. However, it was Bucky Irving of the Buccaneers who stole the spotlight on the ground, racking up 124 rushing yards and proving to be a key component of Tampa Bay's offensive strategy. Velus Jones Jr also made his mark for Carolina, contributing 91 receiving yards to keep his team competitive.
Defensively, the Buccaneers made critical plays that turned the tide in their favor. Benjamin Morrison's two interceptions were pivotal, halting Carolina's momentum and providing Tampa Bay with valuable opportunities. Rueben Bain Jr added a sack, further pressuring Young and disrupting the Panthers' rhythm, ultimately sealing the victory for the Buccaneers in this offensive battle.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Young | QB | 39 | 22 | 56% | 323 | 4 | 4 | 78.2 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 34 | 25 | 74% | 320 | 4 | 1 | 129.5 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucky Irving | HB | 14 | 124 | 8.9 | 8 | 3 | 43 | 0 |
| Velus Jones Jr | HB | 6 | 76 | 12.7 | 12 | 0 | 51 | 0 |
| Jalen McMillan | WR | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | — | 1 | 20 | 0 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darren Waller | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryce Young | QB | 3 | -3 | -1.0 | — | 0 | 16 | 1 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velus Jones Jr | HB | 8 | 91 | 11.4 | 34 | 1 | 28 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 7 | 89 | 12.7 | 36 | 1 | 29 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 8 | 82 | 10.3 | 92 | 2 | 51 | 0 |
| Chris Brazzell II | WR | 4 | 79 | 19.8 | 36 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Jalen McMillan | WR | 4 | 77 | 19.3 | 39 | 1 | 50 | 0 |
| Darren Waller | TE | 5 | 62 | 12.4 | 27 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | 2 | 58 | 29.0 | — | 2 | 30 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 2 | 42 | 21.0 | — | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Bauer Sharp | TE | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Xavier Legette | WR | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | — | 1 | 16 | 0 |
| Anthony Smith | WR | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Payne Durham | TE | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | HB | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Scott | SS | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Benjamin Morrison | CB | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Jaycee Horn | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Rueben Bain Jr | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Lee Hunter | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yaya Diaby | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Jackson | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Brandon Smith | SAM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaelan Phillips | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calijah Kancey | DT | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin Lloyd | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Keionte Scott | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Tykee Smith | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Anzalone | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ Johnson | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Akayleb Evans | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bobby Okereke | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Vita Vea | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tre'von Moehrig | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Fitzgerald | K | 3 | 3 | 3 | 55 |
| Chase McLaughlin | K | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |

