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Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept their season alive with a 16-14 win over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday. Now the NFC South title will be decided in Sunday's game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints, who have long been eliminated from playoff contention.
Carolina had a chance to clinch the division by beating Tampa Bay, but now Panthers must depend on Falcons beat the Saints and maintain the division lead using tiebreakers.
If the Saints win, Tampa Bay will win the division thanks to a tiebreaker.
The Buccaneers are looking for their fifth straight division title, while the Panthers are looking for their first division title since coach Ron Rivera and quarterback. Cam Newton has led them to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl appearance since 2015. Every other team in the NFC South has won the division at least once since Carolina's last division title.
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Lavonte David (54) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after recovering from a failed recovery against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on January 3, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Carolina's hopes of winning the title were fulfilled on Saturday. Baker Mayfield scores a touchdown pass to Cade Otton and Chase McLaughlin kicked three field goals for the two-point victory, leaving the Panthers with little time left to win the final series of the game.
After McLaughlin's 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked with just over five minutes left, Carolina got within 16-14 on Bryce Young's 8-yard pass to Jalen Coker with 2:27 left.
Mayfield threw a short pass to Otton. gain by 20 yards on third and fourth to extend Tampa Bay's drive and run out more clock. The Panthers got the ball back at their own 3-yard line with 18 seconds and no timeouts. The game ended with a frantic series of lateral drives that ended with a fumble.
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Bucky Irving (7) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs with the ball against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on January 3, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Mayfield connected with Otton on an 18-yard pass for a 7-0 lead as the Bucs scored a touchdown on their first play of the third straight game. It was Otton's first touchdown of the season.
Down 10-0, the Panthers turned Christian Roseboom's interception into a quick goal. Roseboom returned the pick 20 yards to Tampa Bay's 19. Young then connected with Tommy Tremble on an 8-yard pass to cut the lead to 10-7.
Jacob Parrish picked off Young late in the second half, and the Buccaneers kicked a 36-yard field goal from McLaughlin to take a 13-7 halftime lead.
McLaughlin kicked a 48-yard field goal early in the fourth to extend Tampa Bay's lead.
Carolina's Ryan Fitzgerald missed from 54 yards early in the third quarter.
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Christian Isien (29) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after defeating the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on January 3, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Mayfield completed his first six passes before misfiring a 13-yard throw across the field to Payne Durham, who was wide open in the end zone. The Bucs settled for McLaughlin's 29-yard field goal and a 10–0 lead.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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