The Carolina Panthers got run out of their own building Sunday. Tampa Bay beat Carolina 43-13 in Charlotte, forcing four turnovers and piling up 258 rushing yards, as reported by ABC11.
Bucky Irving did most of the damage with 106 yards and two scores, and Sean Tucker broke a 46-yard touchdown run late. Baker Mayfield barely had to do anything in his return from a dislocated thumb: 11 passes, 64 yards. He’s now 7-1 against Carolina in his career. Bucs coach Todd Bowles summed it up in three words: “We cashed in.”
The game got away in a hurry. Al-Quadin Muhammad strip-sacked Bryce Young and Calijah Kancey took the fumble 32 yards to the house. A muffed punt by David Moore turned into more Tampa points, and when Young found Darren Waller for a 50-yard touchdown to make it 17-6, the Bucs blocked the extra point and Zyon McCollum returned it 70 yards for two points of their own. It was 33-6 at halftime.
Young finished 14 of 27 for 163 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked five times and had three turnovers total.
The IAHHM Take
The score hurts, but the bigger loss might be up front. Right tackle Taylor Moton left in the third quarter with what Deadspin reported is a fractured left fibula. Moton had already missed the first four games of the season with blood clots in his lung. He’s been the steadiest piece of that line for years, and losing him again is brutal timing for a quarterback who already got sacked five times.
The one bright spot: Luke Kuechly got his Hall of Fame ring at halftime, and Charlotte got to show love to a legend on a day it needed something to cheer.
Carolina falls to 3-3 and has a short week, heading to Green Bay for Thursday night. Is this a one-game blowout, or is it time to worry about Bryce Young again? Let us know.
More Carolina sports: check out our Carolina Game Day rundown and the rest of our Sports coverage.
