By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns, Lathan Ransom intercepted Baker Mayfield with 42 seconds left and the Carolina Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 on Sunday to take over first place in the NFC South.
The Panthers (8-7) can wrap up with the division title next Sunday with a win over Seattle and a Buccaneers (7-8) loss to Miami. However, if both teams win or both teams lose, the Panthers would need to beat Tampa Bay again on the road in Week 18 to claim their first division title since 2015.
Tetairoa McMillan had six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown as the Panthers once again bounced back with a huge win after a potentially devastating loss to the last-place New Orleans Saints.
Ransom had a huge mistake in that defeat with a late hit on Saints QB Tyler Shough that led to New Orleans’ winning field goal.
But with the Bucs driving for a tying field goal — or a go-ahead touchdown — there was a miscommunication on a second-and-9 pass play between Mayfield and Mike Evans at the Carolina 42 and Ransom got an easy pick to seal the win.
Mayfield came into the game 4-0 against Carolina since being cut by the Panthers in 2022.
But the No. 1 pick in 2018 completed just 18 of 26 passes for 145 yards with one TD pass to Evans on the game’s opening drive as the struggling Bucs lost their third straight game.
With the game tied at 20 midway through the fourth quarter, Emeka Egbuka hauled in his first catch of the game, a 40-yard reception down the middle of the field, to get the Bucs to midfield. But the Panthers forced a Bucs punt, giving Young the ball back with 4:46 left at the Panthers 27.
On a third and 4, Young found Jalen Coker along the right sideline for a 34-yard reception to move the Panthers into field goal range. Carolina’s drive stalled and rookie Ryan Fitzgerald kicked a 48-yard field goal with 2:20 remaining in the game to give Carolina the lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Tampa Bay’s John Bullock was flagged for an unnecessary roughness, forcing Mayfield to start the final drive at his own 10.
But Mayfeld used a 26-yard run and three passes to Evans to reach Carolina territory before the interception.
The Panthers took a 13-10 lead into the locker room at halftime after McMillan hauled in a 22-yard touchdown reception from Young with 7 seconds left in the first half.
The Bucs regained the lead on the opening possession of the third quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Tucker, but Young answered with perhaps his best play of the season, eluding three pass rushers and buying enough time for Ja’Tavion Sanders to get free in the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown reception.
Injuries
Buccaneers: LB Anthony Nelson left the game in the first half with a knee injury.
Panthers: LT Ickey Ekwonu was ruled out before the game due to a knee injury he sustained last week against the Saints.
Up next
Buccaneers: At Miami on Sunday.
Panthers: Host Seattle on Sunday.