Carolina concede 5.12 yards a carry, the worst run defence in the NFL. Tampa Bay have the second-best. Our Buccaneers vs Panthers prediction turns on which matters more.
The Carolina Panthers are 3-2 and Bryce Young has 11 touchdown passes to two interceptions. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 1-5 and have conceded 22 sacks.
Buccaneers vs Panthers: our editor’s props
Two calls from our editor, to read next to Signal’s live numbers.
AT 
Our props
An editorial call, not a Signal model output. 18+ | BeGambleAware.org
Buccaneers vs Panthers: 2026 form so far
The league’s worst run defence against its second-best. The table compares what each team produces with what the other has given up.
Buccaneers attack against the Panthers defence
| Per game | Buccaneers offence | Panthers allow |
|---|---|---|
| Passing yards | 164.8 | 222.0 |
| Rushing yards | 127.8 | 132.2 |
| Yards per carry | 4.8 | 5.1 |
| Passer rating | 71.6 | 82.4 |
| Touchdowns | 1.8 | 2.8 |
| Third-down conversion | 36.8% | 42.0% |
| Red-zone conversion | 47.4% | 76.9% |
| Sacks conceded / recorded | 3.7 | 2.0 |
Panthers attack against the Buccaneers defence
| Per game | Panthers offence | Buccaneers allow |
|---|---|---|
| Passing yards | 295.6 | 224.0 |
| Rushing yards | 108.8 | 75.5 |
| Yards per carry | 4.2 | 3.4 |
| Passer rating | 98.0 | 87.5 |
| Touchdowns | 3.4 | 2.2 |
| Third-down conversion | 38.8% | 33.8% |
| Red-zone conversion | 66.7% | 52.9% |
| Sacks conceded / recorded | 2.4 | 1.8 |
Figures are season to date, across 5 games.
Tampa Bay run for 4.76 a carry and Carolina give up 5.12. That is the clearest mismatch anywhere on this card.
Buccaneers vs Panthers quarterback matchup
Bryce Young has 11 touchdown passes to two interceptions at 98.5. Jalon Daniels has three to five at 63.4, behind the league’s second-leakiest line.
| Team | Quarterback | Last game | Season to date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | Jalon Daniels | 22/43, 164 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT, 49.0 rtg | 60/98, 501 yds, 3 TD, 5 INT, 63.4 rtg (4 games) |
| Panthers | Bryce Young | 20/39, 281 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT, 91.9 rtg | 121/201, 1549 yds, 11 TD, 2 INT, 98.5 rtg (5 games) |
Buccaneers vs Panthers injury report and team news
Carolina concede 5.12 yards a carry, the highest figure in the NFL.
Tampa Bay concede 3.41 a carry, second only to Jacksonville’s 3.23.
Tampa Bay have conceded 22 sacks in six games, second only to Cleveland.
Two run defences at opposite ends of the league
Carolina give up 5.12 yards a carry and let opponents finish 76.9% of red-zone trips.
Tampa Bay are the opposite against the run, and will need to be: their own passing game rates 71.6.
Bryce Young is the separator. Eleven touchdown passes to two interceptions is a different standard to anything Tampa Bay have managed.
Players to watch
- Bucky Irving (TB, RB): Fronts a ground game running at 4.76 a carry.
- Chris Godwin Jr. (TB, WR): A senior target in an attack rating 71.6 through the air.
- Bryce Young (CAR, QB): 1,549 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions.
- Tetairoa McMillan (CAR, WR): The first read in a passing game rating 98.0.
How to watch Buccaneers vs Panthers
Kickoff is 5pm GMT on Sunday 25 October at Bank of America Stadium, which is 1:00 PM ET. Channel 5 and 5ACTION show selected games free-to-air each Sunday, and those are not affected by the blackout. Check their listings for this week’s picks. Sky Sports has the UK coverage and NFL Game Pass on DAZN carries every game of the season, live or on demand. Sky takes one exclusive pick from each of the two Sunday afternoon windows, and those two reach Game Pass 24 hours after the final whistle. Squawka may earn a commission if you subscribe through that link.
| Detail | Buccaneers vs Panthers |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, October 25, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 5.00pm GMT Sun 25 Oct / 1:00 PM ET |
| Venue | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC |
| TV | Sky Sports |
| Live stream | NFL Game Pass (DAZN) |
| Week | Week 7, 2026 NFL season |
Buccaneers vs Panthers prediction and score projection
Our Buccaneers vs Panthers prediction is Carolina by 24-20. The Panthers have the better quarterback by a distance.
The live spread and our projected margin both update through the week.
Every Week 7 game, previewed
| Kickoff (BST) | Game | Our prediction | Preview |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 1:15 AM | Patriots @ Bears | Patriots 24-21 | Read |
| Sun 2:30 PM | Steelers @ Saints | Steelers 27-20 | Read |
| Sun 6:00 PM | Bengals @ Ravens | Ravens 27-23 | Read |
| Sun 6:00 PM | Browns @ Titans | Browns 20-16 | Read |
| Sun 6:00 PM | Colts @ Vikings | Vikings 27-13 | Read |
| Sun 6:00 PM | Dolphins @ Jets | Jets 20-16 | Read |
| Sun 6:00 PM | Giants @ Texans | Texans 23-17 | Read |
| Sun 6:00 PM | 49ers @ Falcons | 49ers 30-20 | Read |
| Sun 6:00 PM | Buccaneers @ Panthers | Panthers 24-20 | You are here |
| Sun 9:05 PM | Broncos @ Cardinals | Broncos 26-17 | Read |
| Sun 9:25 PM | Packers @ Lions | Lions 27-24 | Read |
| Sun 9:25 PM | Rams @ Raiders | Rams 27-23 | Read |
| Mon 1:20 AM | Chiefs @ Seahawks | Chiefs 24-23 | Read |
| Tue 1:15 AM | Cowboys @ Eagles | Eagles 23-20 | Read |
Every fixture in the round is covered across our NFL UK hub, and the 32 club pages sit on the NFL teams hub.
Buccaneers vs Panthers FAQ
5pm GMT on Sunday 25 October at Bank of America Stadium, which is 1:00 PM ET.
Sky Sports has the coverage and NFL Game Pass on DAZN carries every game of the season, live or on demand. Sky holds one exclusive pick in each of the two Sunday afternoon windows, and those two reach Game Pass 24 hours after the final whistle. Channel 5 and 5ACTION carry the week’s free-to-air games, and those are not blacked out.
Carolina, conceding 5.12 yards a carry.
Twenty-two in six games, second only to Cleveland.
18+ | Please gamble responsibly | BeGambleAware.org | Signal probabilities approximate at time of writing and subject to change