Carolina
Panthers
1-2
28
FINAL
6
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
0-2
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a commanding performance, the Carolina Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28-6 in Week 12 of the 2026 season. With this victory, the Panthers continue to solidify their playoff aspirations while the Buccaneers struggle to find momentum as the season heads into its final stretch.
Sam Darnold led the Panthers' offense, throwing for two touchdowns and effectively managing the game. Breece Hall was a force on the ground, racking up 140 rushing yards, which kept the Buccaneers' defense on its heels. Meanwhile, Jayden Daniels of the Buccaneers threw for 198 yards but struggled to convert drives into points, reflecting the challenges faced by Tampa Bay's offense.
Defensively, the Panthers showcased their dominance with standout performances from Jalen Ramsey, who recorded five tackles, and Alex Highsmith, who added two sacks to his tally. Antonio Johnson made a significant impact with two interceptions, helping to shut down any hope of a Buccaneers comeback. The turning point came early in the second half when Johnson's second interception shifted momentum firmly in favor of Carolina, allowing them to extend their lead and control the game.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayden Daniels | QB | 25 | 13 | 198 | 1 | 2 | 58.4 |
| Sam Darnold | QB | 19 | 13 | 187 | 2 | 1 | 113.2 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breece Hall | HB | 20 | 140 | 7.0 | 2 | 32 | 0 |
| Ashton Jeanty | HB | 18 | 53 | 2.9 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| Kyren Williams | HB | 7 | 44 | 6.3 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Tony Pollard | HB | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Sam Darnold | QB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Oscar Delp | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jayden Daniels | QB | 2 | -1 | -0.5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar Delp | TE | 5 | 88 | 17.6 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 4 | 60 | 15.0 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Tony Pollard | HB | 2 | 60 | 30.0 | 1 | 53 | 0 |
| Xavier Worthy | WR | 4 | 42 | 10.5 | 1 | 21 | 0 |
| Ashton Jeanty | HB | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Puka Nacua | WR | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Bo Melton | WR | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Bryce Ford-Wheaton | WR | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Jonnu Smith | TE | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Breece Hall | HB | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Davante Adams | WR | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| A.J. Barner | TE | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antonio Johnson | SS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Highsmith | REDG | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kelee Ringo | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jalen Ramsey | FS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Derrick Harmon | DT | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | LEDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Devonte Wyatt | DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Foyesade Oluokun | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trenton Simpson | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leonard Williams | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Talanoa Hufanga | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakorian Bennett | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Rochell | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Moore | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D'Angelo Ponds | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Simmons | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Woods | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Joey Porter | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Holcomb | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Burch | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lee Hunter | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Troy Andersen | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeMarvion Overshown | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grady Jarrett | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nohl Williams | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jimmy Ciarlo | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ifeatu Melifonwu | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylinn Hawkins | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Gay | K | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Blake Gillikin | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Corey Bojorquez | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

