Bank of America Stadium, 1 p.m. Eastern on Fox. An NFC South game between a Carolina team that just knocked out the Eagles in Philadelphia and a Tampa Bay team that keeps losing close ones with a rookie quarterback. Sal Ferris holds everybody in Tampa accountable, coaches included. Mitch Kovac looks at the Panthers like a roster sheet: who's producing, who's not, and what's next.
Sal: Mitch, I'll be honest. We have a pirate ship in our end zone with cannons on it, and lately they've been very quiet. That's on us.
Mitch: Quiet cannons. That's the saddest thing I've heard all week.
Sal: We also have two Super Bowl trophies and Lee Roy Selmon in the Hall of Fame. You have Julius Peppers and a lot of hope.
Mitch: Peppers is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a North Carolina legend, so I'll take that trade. And our hope just won by 11 in Philadelphia.
Last week, Panthers: Carolina beat the Eagles 25-14. The Eagles were without Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley.
Mitch: Young heard "MVP" chants from the Panthers fans who stayed until the end. I'm not ready to go that far. But the roster sheet says this: the quarterback is making throws on third-and-long, the run game is working, and the kicker hasn't missed a field goal. That's a team.
Last week, Buccaneers: Tampa Bay led Pittsburgh 16-3 entering the fourth quarter and lost 26-19 in overtime. Rookie Jalon Daniels, an undrafted free agent making his third career start for the injured Baker Mayfield, threw for 164 yards and a touchdown to Emeka Egbuka but had two fourth-quarter interceptions. Chase McLaughlin kicked four field goals, including a 53-yarder to force overtime, and is 14-for-14 this season. The defense sacked Aaron Rodgers five times.
Sal: Every one of our five losses has been by seven points or less. Todd Bowles said afterward they have to finish games. He's right, and it's his job to make it happen. Accountability goes all the way to the top.
The matchup: Carolina runs for 4.4 yards a carry, and Tampa Bay allows 3.7, so Hubbard against Vita Vea and the Bucs' front is the first fight. Tampa Bay runs for 4.9, and Carolina allows 5.0, which means Bucky Irving could have room. The biggest gap is up front on Tampa's side: the Bucs have allowed sacks on more than one of every ten dropbacks, and Derrick Brown and Jaelan Phillips will be coming for a rookie quarterback. Egbuka against the Panthers' secondary is Tampa's best hope for big plays.
The numbers: Carolina has scored 146 and allowed 123 in five games. Tampa Bay has scored 119 and allowed 138 in six.
Mitch: Final thought, Sal. Charlotte is a banking town, and we know how to count. We count three wins, you count one.
Sal: Tampa is a pirate town, and we know how to steal one. Ask anybody at Gasparilla.
Mitch: You'd have to get past Sir Purr first.
Sal: Your mascot is a cat in a jersey. We have a ship with cannons. I like our chances.
Mitch: Your cannons have been quiet, Sal. You said so yourself.
Sal: I regret everything I said in the first paragraph.
Two division rivals, a rookie trying to finish a game, and a Panthers team trying to prove last week wasn't a fluke.
My call: Panthers 28, Buccaneers 20.