If you thought the Carolina Panthers and head coach Matt Rhule were trying to put on some sort of comedy act with Cam Newton and P.J. Walker sharing time, then wait until you get a load of this one.
Here’s how to watch and what to watch for when these 5-9 Panthers host the 10-4 defending Super Bowl champs on Sunday.
Week 16
When to watch
Sunday, Dec. 26, 1:00 p.m. ET
How to watch on TV
The game will be broadcast on the Fox network within the regional broadcast area.
How to stream
You can stream the game on FuboTV.
How to listen
WBT 1110 AM is the team’s local radio station.
History
The Panthers have a pretty comfortable lead in the all-time series. In their 41 matchups over their 25-year history, Carolina has gone 24-17 against the Bucs.
Tampa Bay, however, has done some considerable work over the past few years to close that gap to where it’s currently at. They’ve won four of the past five meetings, including the pair of 2020 tilts by a combined tally of 77 to 40.
What to watch for
Like we told you earlier, that Newton-Walker duo may pale in comparison—at least in terms of the “what in the world are you doing?” factor—to what we’ll see this weekend. Per Rhule, the team will start Newton and, “at some point,” bring in a returning Sam Darnold.
While the details were scant, the boos at Bank of America Stadium may not be. Darnold has missed the past five games due to a fracture in his right shoulder. He’s now been cleared for contact and, likely, cleared to add to those 10 interceptions he threw over his previous six outings.
They’ll be met by that Tom Brady guy and the Bucs. Tampa, though, will be heading into the divisional clash without wideout Chris Godwin, running back Leonard Fournette and linebacker Lavonte David—all of whom have been placed on the injured reserve.
