Hubbard rushes for 198 yards as Panthers edge Buccaneers 34-32

Tampa, FL - Chuba Hubbard rushed for 198 yards, Bryce Young accounted for 313 yards between passing and rushing, and the Carolina Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-32 in Week 12.

Carolina produced 494 offensive yards, including 308 on the ground, in a game that featured sharply different offensive approaches. Tampa Bay received a highly efficient performance from Baker Mayfield, but the Panthers finished with 28 first downs and converted 6 of 10 third-down opportunities while escaping with the two-point victory.

Hubbard carried 20 times and scored one rushing touchdown. His 198 yards were the game high, and his 87-yard run was the longest rush by either team. Young added 108 yards on seven attempts, with a long of 31, giving Carolina two 100-yard rushers.

"I wanted to be decisive every time I got the ball," Hubbard said. "There were opportunities to get downhill and opportunities to get into space. Finishing with a win is what makes the production mean something to me."

Young also completed 22 of 33 passes for 205 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, posting a 101.1 passer rating. Carolina finished with 186 passing yards at the team level after accounting for sacks, but the quarterback's individual passing production complemented his biggest rushing total of the afternoon.

The Panthers distributed their receiving touchdowns across three targets. Tetairoa McMillan caught six passes for a team-high 69 yards and one score, Darren Waller added five receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown, and Xavier Legette finished with four catches for 30 yards and another score.

"We had different guys contributing, and the running game gave us another dimension," Young said. "I have to be better with the turnover, but we finished with a lot of yards and first downs. The result is the part we'll appreciate most."

Carolina reached the red zone seven times, recording three touchdowns and one field goal on those trips. The Panthers' volume stood out against Tampa Bay's four red-zone possessions, though the Buccaneers scored touchdowns on three of their opportunities inside the 20.

Mayfield delivered the game's top passing performance in defeat. He completed 20 of 23 attempts for 290 yards and three touchdowns, producing a 158.3 passer rating. His longest completion covered 29 yards, the game-long mark among passers.

"The efficiency was where we wanted it, but the scoreboard is what stays with you," Mayfield said. "When you score 32, you expect to feel good about a lot of things offensively. We still came away two points short, and that's frustrating."

Ted Hurst III led Tampa Bay's receivers with a game-high 87 yards on five catches, including a touchdown. Cade Otton caught three passes for 47 yards and a score, while Chris Godwin Jr. recorded five receptions for 46 yards and one touchdown.

The Buccaneers also had an explosive rushing contribution from Bucky Irving, who gained 88 yards on 11 attempts and scored a touchdown. His 47-yard run was Tampa Bay's longest, but the Buccaneers finished with 94 rushing yards as a team compared with Carolina's 308.

The overall yardage and first-down totals favored Carolina even as Mayfield held the advantage through the air. The Panthers finished with 494 offensive yards to Tampa Bay's 353 and collected 28 first downs to the Buccaneers' 18. Tampa Bay converted 2 of 6 third downs.

Carolina's defense recorded five sacks without an interception. Jaelan Phillips supplied three of those sacks, accounting for the majority of the Panthers' total. Tampa Bay countered with three sacks and the game's only interception, recorded by SirVocea Dennis, who also had a pass deflection.

"Three sacks is good production, but this was about getting the team result," Phillips said. "Their quarterback was extremely efficient, so there are things we'll want to clean up. Walking out with the win is the standard that matters."

The Buccaneers had the game-high passer and receiver, along with three passing touchdowns and a rushing score. Carolina countered with two 100-yard rushers, three touchdown passes from Young and a 141-yard advantage in offensive production.

The statistical contrast produced a narrow result, but the Panthers owned the larger rushing, first-down and offensive-yardage totals. Carolina left Tampa with a 34-32 Week 12 victory.