Bucs get help from Ducks in big win over Carolina, hope for division crown

Four weeks ago, the Buccaneers survived the Panthers in overtime. This time with a playoff berth at stake, Tampa Bay left no doubts in a convincing 48-14 win over Carolina. And the Bucs got help from a couple of ducks.

Bucky Irving, a former Oregon Duck, rushed for 113 yards on 20 carries while an unnamed water foul provided good fortune during a blocked punt returned for a third-quarter touchdown. Baker Mayfield added five touchdown passes to vault the Bucs (9-7). And for at least a few hours, Tampa Bay takes control of the NFC South and puts pressure on the Falcons (9-6), who visit Washington Sunday night.

“It starts with those guys up front,” Mayfield said after finishing 27 of 32 for 359 yards and no interceptions. “And after that, obviously after the run game, establishing that, and then staying clean in the pocket, those guys are getting open for me.”

One of those guys, Mike Evans, has been getting open for a long time. On Sunday, the future Hall of Famer caught two first-half touchdowns and finished with 97 yards on eight catches. With 915 yards on the season, he now needs just 85 yards next week to tie Jerry Rice (11 straight seasons from 1986-96) for the longest streak of consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons in NFL history.

Irving was the key, though. His ability to gash the Panthers (4-12) opened opportunities for Evans and others. He also exploded for a 34-yard run and collected 51 receiving yards.

Mayfield, who has $1.5 million in attainable contract incentives, may have secured additional income on Sunday. The only incentive he needed to improve was his passer rating, and he was nearly perfect with a 153.0 mark. Since joining the Bucs prior to the 2023 season, Mayfield leads the NFL with 67 touchdown passes.

Now, Tampa Bay awaits the outcome of Atlanta’s Sunday night game in Washington. While the Bucs can still earn a playoff berth as a Wild Card team, they’re not guaranteed anything, either. The Falcons have the upper hand in the division race. Atlanta has two wins over the Bucs this season, the first tiebreaker, meaning the Bucs would have to finish at least one game ahead of Atlanta to win the NFC South.

Next week, the Bucs host New Orleans (5-11) in the season finale. Atlanta hosts Carolina.

For more information on the Buccaneers and Panthers, visit the Tampa Bay and Carolina team pages at ProFootballPost.com.