Bucs get a massive boost from 12th man to keep playoff hopes alive, and it wasn’t the crowd
Raymond James Stadium proved to be tough for the Carolina Panthers to handle against Tampa Bay.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers playoff hopes live on for at least one more day, and Bucs fans have the playing surface at Raymond James Stadium to thank in part for it.
The Bucs’ 16-14 win over the Carolina Panthers was an ugly one, and not just because of the numbers on the scoreboard. A driving rain that began well before the game continued throughout the contest. The field became a sloppy mess, and it had an effect on the game, particularly to Carolina’s detriment. Multiple Panthers slipped, resulting in negative plays.
However, one particular slip resulted in a game-changing moment in favor of Tampa Bay during the fourth quarter.
Panthers had trouble with the field conditions in Tampa, and it cost them in a critical moment
Carolina had driven to the edge of the red zone with Tampa Bay leading 16-7 with around 11 minutes remaining. Bryce Young handed the ball off to Rico Dowdle. The latter slipped as it appears he was turning around and tossing the ball back to Young, and his feet went flying out from under him. He fumbled, and Tampa Bay recovered to thwart the Panthers’ drive.
With Carolina already in field goal range to cut the lead to one score and plenty of time left, that play was arguably the biggest of the game. Credit to Lavonte David for being Johnny-on-the-spot and corralling the fumble.
However, it goes without saying that Tampa Bay was fortunate that the turf monster reached up and helped Dowdle put the ball on the ground in a pivotal moment in the contest.
Tampa Bay will now have to wait and see what happens on Sunday between New Orleans and Atlanta to see how the division crown plays out. A New Orleans win or tie, and the Bucs will claim their fifth straight NFC South title.
And if that happens, the 23-yard line at Raymond James Stadium could be an unspoken MVP in retrospect.
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