Why Bucs Fans Should Be Watching Saints-Panthers on Sunday - Even After Thursday’s Collapse
After Thursday night’s gut-punch loss to the Falcons, you’d be forgiven if you needed a break from football. That kind of collapse - the kind that leaves you staring at the screen wondering how it all unraveled so fast - can make even the most loyal fan want to unplug for the weekend.
But here’s the thing: the NFC South is still wide open, and the Bucs are far from out of it. In fact, they could gain ground this Sunday… without even taking the field.
Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes could get a surprise boost if the New Orleans Saints, sitting at 3-10, manage to take down the division-leading Carolina Panthers in the Superdome. Carolina currently holds a slim half-game lead over the Bucs, so a loss would drop them back into a tie for first place - and suddenly, everything feels wide open again.
Now, on paper, the odds aren’t exactly stacked in Tampa’s favor. The Saints haven’t been world-beaters this season, and last week’s 24-20 upset win over the Bucs was just their third victory of the year. But if there’s one thing Bucs fans know all too well, it’s that nothing is guaranteed when it comes to playing New Orleans - no matter what the records say.
That loss to the Saints still stings, especially considering how it looked like a gimme. Tampa was at home, facing a 2-10 team, and still couldn’t close the deal.
And it wasn’t a fluke, either - New Orleans executed when it mattered, and it was their second win this season over a division rival. The first?
A 17-7 win over Carolina back on November 9, when the Saints’ defense clamped down and didn’t allow a single point after the first quarter.
So while the Saints’ overall record might not inspire fear, they’ve shown they can show up in divisional games - and they’ve already proven they can beat this Panthers team.
That said, Carolina is playing its best football of the season right now. Over the last three weeks, they’ve pulled off back-to-back thrillers: a 30-27 overtime win in Atlanta and a 31-28 victory over the Rams at home.
And the biggest storyline? Bryce Young is starting to look like the player Carolina hoped for when they took him No. 1 overall.
Young’s performance against Atlanta was easily his best as a pro - 31 completions on 45 attempts, 448 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. That’s the kind of stat line that turns heads. Against the Rams, he didn’t light it up quite the same way (206 yards), but he was incredibly efficient - completing 15 of 20 passes, again with three touchdowns and no picks.
In his first matchup with the Saints, though, Young looked like a rookie still finding his footing. He threw for just 124 yards, completed 17 passes, and tossed a pick.
Credit where it’s due: New Orleans’ secondary is no joke. They’re ranked sixth in the league in pass defense, allowing just 182.6 yards per game.
That unit has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise tough season for the Saints.
Where New Orleans has struggled is against the run. They rank in the bottom 10 of the league in rushing defense - but oddly enough, Carolina couldn’t exploit that in the first meeting. The Panthers managed just 73 yards on 23 carries, never really finding a rhythm on the ground.
So what does all this mean for the Bucs?
Simple: Sunday’s Saints-Panthers game matters. A lot.
If New Orleans can pull off another surprise, Tampa’s back in a tie for the division lead. And even if Carolina keeps rolling, the Bucs still hold their own fate in their hands.
Two of their final three games are against the Panthers, starting with a trip to Charlotte next Sunday.
So while Thursday night was a tough pill to swallow, the season’s far from over. The path to the playoffs is still there - and it runs straight through the NFC South.