# Buccaneers vs Panthers predictions, graded

Week 7, 2026: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers

Oct 25, 2026 · final: Buccaneers 43, Panthers 13 · 11 calls on record · updated Oct 25, 4:53 PM ET

Who do pundits pick in Buccaneers vs Panthers? Of 10 pundits with a call on record, all 10 take the Panthers. 5 named a score; the median has the Panthers by 8. The Buccaneers won 43-13, so 0 of 10 had the winner. Their graded calls averaged 1 out of 100.

Picks by outlet. Each pundit counted once, at the outlet or show their latest call ran on. An outlet is listed when two or more of its pundits have picked.

- [CBS Sports](https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports): all 3 Panthers
- [Chris Simms Unbuttoned (podcast)](https://missedtakes.co/outlets/chris-simms-unbuttoned-podcast): all 2 Panthers
- [The Richard Sherman Podcast (podcast)](https://missedtakes.co/outlets/the-richard-sherman-podcast-podcast): all 2 Panthers

The other 3 pundits write or talk elsewhere: all 3 Panthers.

Page: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/games/2026-week-7-buccaneers-at-panthers

Picks:

- [Connor Rogers](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/connor-rogers) took the Panthers; said Oct 23, 2026; on Chris Simms Unbuttoned (podcast); scored 0 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0) — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3ef360c7-68b4-41c2-841b-d77052cca866
- [Chris Simms](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/chris-simms) took the Panthers, Panthers 27–Buccaneers 17; said Oct 23, 2026; on Chris Simms Unbuttoned (podcast); scored 2.38 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0) — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/00bbce33-10f7-44e0-b3c0-076e6bc74841
- [John Middlekauff](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/john-middlekauff) took the Panthers; said Oct 23, 2026; on 3 and Out with John Middlekauff (podcast); scored 0 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0) — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1fb38c02-f63f-488f-95b9-e40daed5a32f
- [Mitchell Eisenstein](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mitchell-eisenstein) took the Panthers; said Oct 21, 2026; on The Richard Sherman Podcast (podcast); scored 0 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0) — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fe821aaa-1e32-4315-a51a-ef5e81819dc1
- [Richard Sherman](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/richard-sherman) took the Panthers, Panthers 27–Buccaneers 13; said Oct 21, 2026; on The Richard Sherman Podcast (podcast); scored 11.9 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0) — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7570981d-2b5d-4d7e-8d11-2965d061d80b
- [Tyler Sullivan](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/tyler-sullivan) took the Panthers, Panthers 28–Buccaneers 20; said Oct 21, 2026; on CBS Sports; scored 0 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0) — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/97bc793d-c9fd-46fc-9ecb-2df22b1100ac
- [Pete Prisco](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/pete-prisco) took the Panthers, Panthers 24–Buccaneers 23; said Oct 21, 2026; on CBS Sports; scored 0 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0) — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f134f58b-978a-46a3-b046-d63f6d52e822
- [John Breech](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/john-breech) took the Panthers, Panthers 23–Buccaneers 20; said Oct 20, 2026; on CBS Sports; scored 0 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0) — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cd318ed9-a95b-4257-86d3-c01b23e5319d
- [Andrew Hughes](https://missedtakes.co/pundits/andrew-hughes) took the Panthers; said Oct 19, 2026; on Sports Illustrated; scored 0 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0) — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dd229109-1344-4b09-b5da-370edd2654bb
- The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) took the Panthers; said Aug 28, 2026; on The Rich Eisen Show (podcast); scored 0 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0)
- The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) took the Panthers; said Aug 28, 2026; on The Rich Eisen Show (podcast); scored 0 out of 100 (the naive pick scored 0)

## How they came in

The Buccaneers are 1-5; the Panthers are 3-2 and have won 2 straight. It is a division game. On win totals, 10 pundits put the Buccaneers at 8.5 wins on average, and 12 pundits put the Panthers at 7.4 wins on average.

Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1-5 (119 scored, 138 allowed)
  - Last games: L 19-26 vs Steelers; W 24-16 at Cowboys; L 14-17 vs Packers
  - Unit ranks this season: offense 22nd, defense 6th of 32
  - Last season: 8-9
  - Win-total calls: 10 pundits, average 8.5, 2 to 12 wins
  - The side most pundits took won 3 of 5 Buccaneers games
- Carolina Panthers: 3-2, won 2 straight (146 scored, 123 allowed)
  - Last games: W 25-14 at Eagles; W 32-26 vs Lions; L 18-21 at Browns
  - Unit ranks this season: offense 13th, defense 28th of 32
  - Last season: 8-9
  - Win-total calls: 13 pundits, average 7.4, 2 to 17 wins
  - The side most pundits took won 3 of 5 Panthers games

## Players to watch

Each club's starting quarterback, leading rusher, receiver and tight end, and its sack and tackle leaders, with their 2026 regular season so far, with the latest call on each from a pundit ranked on the leaderboard whose record beats the naive pick, made since the 2026 schedule came out ("No." is that rank). Leaderboard: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/leaderboard

- [Baker Mayfield](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/baker-mayfield) (Starting QB, QB): 922 passing yards · 3 TD, 4 INT · 60.6% completions · 6 games; 32nd in the NFL in passing yards
  - No. 19 Rich Hribar, Aug 5, 2026: Baker Mayfield to outplay his draft cost (a QB2) (not settled yet)
  - No. 21 Bucky Brooks, Aug 2, 2026: Baker Mayfield to finish top 17 at his position, by passing yards (not settled yet)
- [Bucky Irving](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bucky-irving) (RB1, RB): 825 rushing yards on 167 carries · 8 TD · 22 catches for 106 · 9 games; 4th in the NFL in rushing yards
  - No. 6 Pat Fitzmaurice, Aug 6, 2026: Bucky Irving to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
  - No. 8 Derek Brown, Aug 11, 2026: Bucky Irving to fall short of his draft cost (RB22, Overall RK57 | ECR vs. ADP: -13) (not settled yet)
- [Emeka Egbuka](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/emeka-egbuka) (WR1, WR): 31 catches for 278 yards · 2 TD · 7 games; 80th in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 6 Pat Fitzmaurice, Aug 25, 2026: Emeka Egbuka to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
  - No. 8 Derek Brown, Sep 2, 2026: Emeka Egbuka to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [Cade Otton](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/cade-otton) (TE1, TE): 23 catches for 211 yards · 0 TD · 8 games; 118th in the NFL in receiving yards
- [David Walker](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/david-walker) (Sack leader, LB): 4 sacks · 15 solo tackles · 8 games; 29th in the NFL in sacks
- [Josiah Trotter](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/josiah-trotter) (Tackle leader, LB): 1 sack · 36 solo tackles · 1 interception · 8 games; 13th in the NFL in solo tackles
- [Bryce Young](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bryce-young) (Starting QB, QB): 2,197 passing yards · 16 TD, 6 INT · 60.4% completions · 8 games; 8th in the NFL in passing yards
  - No. 10 Tom Pelissero, Jul 17, 2026: Bryce Young: a roster call with no direction stated (not settled yet)
  - No. 30 Rich Eisen, Oct 5, 2026: Bryce Young to sign a new deal (not settled yet)
- [Chuba Hubbard](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chuba-hubbard) (RB1, RB): 619 rushing yards on 134 carries · 7 TD · 26 catches for 167 · 8 games; 10th in the NFL in rushing yards
  - No. 6 Pat Fitzmaurice, Aug 20, 2026: Chuba Hubbard to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
  - No. 8 Derek Brown, Sep 17, 2026: Chuba Hubbard to be 1st on the depth chart (not settled yet)
- [Tetairoa McMillan](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tetairoa-mcmillan) (WR1, WR): 46 catches for 625 yards · 3 TD · 8 games; 14th in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 6 Pat Fitzmaurice, Aug 8, 2026: Tetairoa McMillan to outplay his draft cost (Round 3) (not settled yet)
  - No. 8 Derek Brown, Sep 1, 2026: Tetairoa McMillan to fall short of his draft cost (a top 20 wide receiver price tag) (not settled yet)
- [Darren Waller](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/darren-waller) (TE1, TE): 23 catches for 299 yards · 4 TD · 8 games; 63rd in the NFL in receiving yards
  - No. 13 Carter Bahns, Aug 28, 2026: Darren Waller to be cut (scored 0 out of 100)
- [Princely Umanmielen](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/princely-umanmielen) (Sack leader, LB): 3 sacks · 12 solo tackles · 8 games; 51st in the NFL in sacks
- [Devin Lloyd](https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/devin-lloyd) (Tackle leader, LB): 2 sacks · 31 solo tackles · 2 interceptions · 7 games; 43rd in the NFL in solo tackles
  - No. 2 Bryan DeArdo, Sep 23, 2026: Devin Lloyd to win Defensive Player of the Year (not settled yet)

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The room is counted in pundits, each one's latest call standing. Accuracy is out of 100; the naive pick is the home team.
The week: https://missedtakes.co/nfl/games/2026-week-7
Method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology