Buccaneers Rout Panthers 43-13 for First Division Win: Mayfield Returns as Irving Rushes for 106 Yards and Two TDs

CHARLOTTE — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers blasted the Carolina Panthers 43-13 at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday afternoon in Week 7, earning their first NFC South win of the season to improve to 2-5. The Panthers fell to 3-3. GSM earlier today previewed this matchup.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield returned after missing three games with a dislocated right thumb and had an easy day in a run-heavy offense, completing 7 of 11 passes for 64 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. Tampa Bay rushed 49 times for 258 yards and three touchdowns: Bucky Irving carried 24 times for 106 yards and two scores, Kenneth Gainwell added 88 yards, and Sean Tucker broke a 46-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that pushed the lead to 43-6.
The Buccaneers led 33-6 at halftime. Irving opened the scoring with a 4-yard run on the game's first possession; a muffed punt by David Moore at the Carolina 18 set up Chase McLaughlin's 22-yard field goal; and in the second quarter Al-Quadin Muhammad's strip-sack of Bryce Young led to Calijah Kancey's 32-yard fumble-return touchdown. Young answered with a 50-yard touchdown pass to Darren Waller, but Tampa Bay replied with Irving's 1-yard score, and three plays later Zyon McCollum intercepted Young to set up Mayfield's 14-yard touchdown pass to Tez Johnson with four seconds left in the half.
Carolina committed four turnovers. Young finished 14-of-27 for 163 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and a lost fumble, while Tampa Bay's defense recorded five sacks, led by Yaya Diaby's three, and Tykee Smith added a second-half interception that became McLaughlin's 44-yard field goal. The Panthers next visit the Green Bay Packers, while the Buccaneers host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Charlotte的Bank of America Stadium航拍,本场黑豹主场在此举行(资料图)。图:Quintin Soloviev,CC BY 4.0,经维基共享资源。 / Aerial view of Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, home of the Panthers (file photo). Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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