We will certainly find out how things stand in the NFC South by late afternoon Sunday. Not only in terms of all four teams win loss record, but if the first-place Carolina Panthers remain the only team in the division to win at least one home game.

The New Orleans Saints are the designated home team in France against the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the Atlanta Falcons host the undefeated San Francisco 49ers. As for Dave Canales’s club, they look to win a third consecutive game and raise their record to 4-2. The Panthers would be two games above .500 for the first time since they started 3-1 back in 2001.

This afternoon, the reigning division champions host the 1-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Todd Bowles’s club comes off a tough 26-19 overtime home loss to the Steelers in which the Bucs squandered a 16-3 fourth-quarter. But there’s some positive news as quarterback Baker Mayfield makes his return after a three-game absence.

Panthers vs. Buccaneers History

The teams have been NFC South rivals since the creation of the division in 2002, but the clubs first met during the Panthers’ debut campaign in 1995. All told, Carolina owns a one-game lead (26-25) in the all-time series standings.

A year ago, the clubs met twice during the final three weeks of the regular season. In Week 16 at Charlotte, the Panthers snapped a five-game losing streak in this rivalry courtesy of a 23-20 win. Two weeks later on a Saturday in Tampa, the Buccaneers came away with a 16-14 victory.

Panthers’ run defense could be tested by Bucky Irving

Tampa’s Bucky Irving ranks ninth in the NFL with 452 rushing yards. Carolina’s run defense has improved on a game-by game basis since the Week 1 debacle (291 yards) vs. the Bears. In their last two wins, Devin Lloyd and company limited the Lions (46) and Eagles (35) to a combined 81 yards on the ground.

Five games into their season, the Panthers are averaging 29.2 points per game and scored 16 offensive touchdowns. That’s a far cry from last season’s 2-3 start, when Canales’s squad managed only 20.4 points per contest and 11 offensive TDs. Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik’s has certainly made a difference.

Keep an Eye on Buccaneers’ OLB David Walker

After missing his rookie season in 2025 with a torn ACL, David Walker is making up for lost time. He leads the Bucs with four sacks and six QB hits. In six games vs. Tampa, Young has thrown seven TD passes and been picked just twice. But he’s been sacked 15 times, lost one-of-five fumbles and the Panthers are 1-5.

Panthers’ quarterback Bryce Young continues to be sharp and is spreading the ball around. Five players have totaled double-digit receptions and each of those—wideouts Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, tight ends Darren Waller and Tommy Tremble, and running back Chuba Hubbard—have a pair of TD grabs.