The Buccaneers welcome the Panthers to Tampa on Sunday for an NFC South showdown, and the stakes could not be higher.
The Week 17 matchup comes with huge playoff implications. A win by the Bucs would clinch the division title and book their place in the postseason. A win by the Panthers would put Carolina in the driver's seat heading into the final week of the campaign.
Carolina has arguably been the better team in recent weeks. Interim head coach Steve Wilks has turned its season around since he took over for the fired Matt Rhule in October. What was once a 1-4 team that appeared to have thrown in the towel now has a very real chance to win the division.
Last time out, the Panthers ran all over the red-hot Lions in a 37-23 victory at a frigid Bank of America Stadium. Running backs Chuba Hubbard and D'Onta Foreman both set career highs as they combined for 290 rushing yards, while Sam Darnold went 15 for 22 with 250 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions.
MORE: Watch Panthers vs. Buccaneers live with fuboTV (free trial)
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, is coming off an unconvincing 19-16 overtime win over the lowly Cardinals.
Tom Brady struggled for most of the night, finishing 32 of 48 through the air with one touchdown and two interceptions. However, he completed all six of his passes in overtime to set up a game-winning Ryan Succop field goal. It was the 57th game-winning drive of his legendary career.
The task for head coach Todd Bowles and his squad is now simple: win and you're in. With a loss this weekend, the Bucs would need the Panthers to lose to the Saints in their final game of the season to have any hope of sneaking into the playoffs.
MORE: Updated NFL playoff picture for Week 17
Here's everything you need to know to watch Panthers vs. Buccaneers in Week 17:
What channel is Panthers vs. Buccaneers on today?
- TV network (national): Fox (U.S.) | CTV, CTV2, RDS (Canada)
- TV channel (Charlotte): WJZY
- TV channel (Tampa Bay): WTVT
- Live stream: fuboTV, Bally Sports App (U.S.) | DAZN (Canada)
Panthers vs. Buccaneers will be broadcast regionally on local Fox affiliate stations. Kevin Burkhardt (play-by-play) and Greg Olsen (color commentary) will be on the call from Tampa.
You can find the Buccaneers' radio broadcast on SiriusXM channel 225, while the Panthers' radio broadcast will be on SiriusXM channel 380.
In local markets where the game is being shown on Fox, a live stream will be available with fuboTV, which offers a free trial, as well as the Bally Sports App. Viewers in Canada can tune in with DAZN, which carries every NFL game. The game will also be shown regionally on CTV, CTV2 and RDS.
Panthers vs. Buccaneers start time
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 1
- Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
The game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The weather forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms with temperatures in the mid-70s Fahrenheit.
Panthers schedule 2022
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result/Time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sept. 11 | vs. Browns | L, 26-24 | CBS |
| 2 | Sept. 18 | at Giants | L, 19-16 | Fox |
| 3 | Sept. 25 | vs. Saints | W, 22-14 | Fox |
| 4 | Oct. 2 | vs. Cardinals | L, 26-16 | Fox |
| 5 | Oct. 9 | vs. 49ers | L, 37-15 | CBS |
| 6 | Oct. 16 | at Rams | L, 24-10 | Fox |
| 7 | Oct. 23 | vs. Buccaneers | W, 21-3 | Fox |
| 8 | Oct. 30 | at Falcons | L, 37-34 (OT) | Fox |
| 9 | Nov. 6 | at Bengals | L, 42-21 | Fox |
| 10 | Nov. 10 (Thu.) | vs. Falcons | W, 25-15 | Prime Video |
| 11 | Nov. 20 | at Ravens | L, 13-3 | Fox |
| 12 | Nov. 27 | vs. Broncos | W, 23-10 | Fox |
| 13 | BYE | |||
| 14 | Dec. 11 | at Seahawks | W, 30-24 | Fox |
| 15 | Dec. 18 | vs. Steelers | L, 24-16 | CBS |
| 16 | Dec. 24 (Sat.) | vs. Lions | W, 37-23 | Fox |
| 17 | Jan. 1 | at Buccaneers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 18 | Jan. 7/8 | at Saints | TBD | TBD |
Buccaneers schedule 2022
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result/Time (ET) | TV |
| 1 | Sept. 11 | at Cowboys | W, 19-3 | NBC |
| 2 | Sept. 18 | at Saints | W, 20-10 | Fox |
| 3 | Sept. 25 | vs. Packers | L, 14-12 | Fox |
| 4 | Oct. 2 | vs. Chiefs | L, 41-31 | NBC |
| 5 | Oct. 9 | vs. Falcons | W, 21-15 | Fox |
| 6 | Oct. 16 | at Steelers | L, 20-18 | Fox |
| 7 | Oct. 23 | at Panthers | L, 21-3 | Fox |
| 8 | Oct. 27 (Thu.) | vs. Ravens | L, 27-22 | Prime Video |
| 9 | Nov. 6 | vs. Rams | W, 16-13 | CBS |
| 10 | Nov. 13 | Seahawks (in Munich) | W, 21-16 | NFLN |
| 11 | BYE | |||
| 12 | Nov. 27 | at Browns | L, 23-17 (OT) | Fox |
| 13 | Dec. 5 (Mon.) | vs. Saints | W, 17-16 | ESPN |
| 14 | Dec. 11 | at 49ers | L, 35-7 | Fox |
| 15 | Dec. 18 | vs. Bengals | L, 34-23 | CBS |
| 16 | Dec. 25 | at Cardinals | W, 19-16 (OT) | NBC |
| 17 | Jan. 1 | vs. Panthers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 18 | Jan. 7/8 | at Falcons | TBD | TBD |