It's been an up-and-down season for the Bucs, who got off to a hot start behind Baker Mayfield, but they have cooled off as the postseason draws closer. As of Week 16, Tampa Bay's playoff chances remain up in the air — but an NFC South win increasingly looks like the team's only shot.

Things look bad for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs have lost six of their last seven games, including a crucial Week 16 game against the Carolina Panthers,

Quinn Ewers ' debut. The rookie quarterback out of Texas completed 20 of 30 passes for zero touchdowns and two interceptions in his first NFL start. Miami was actually down just three points at the halftime before the Bengals scored 21 unanswered in the third quarter.

The Buccaneers vs. Panthers game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT this Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. The game between the Buccaneers and the Panthers will air on FOX. You can stream FOX on platforms like DirecTV and Fubo, and the game will also be available on FOX's streaming platform FOX One. You can also tune in on NFL+ for mobile viewing.

Here we'll try to look at and discuss why the Buccaneers' Week 16 loss is the final straw for Baker Mayfield's future in Tampa Bay.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing a potential must-win situation on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. If the Bucs lose to the Dolphins and Carolina wins or ties against Seattle, the Panthers clinch the NFC South,

Florida Gators' Caleb Banks, a promising defensive lineman with an uncanny burst, could be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' answer to a looming future need, despite injury concerns.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are fighting for their playoff lives against the Carolina Panthers. With 2 games left in the NFL regular season, Tampa Bay trails Carolina by 1 game in the NFL South. However,