With the NFC South on the line in Week 18, the NFL wants to make sure that everyone is able to see it, regardless of where they are in the country.
The NFL announced late on Sunday night that the Bucs and Panthers will be flexed into the Saturday afternoon slate of Week 18. The team will play at 4:30 p.m. EST on ABC and ESPN as they try to secure a fifth straight NFC South division title. It will also be the first unofficial playoff game for the Bucs this season, and they hope it will not be their last.
In Week 16, the Bucs lost to the Panthers by a score of 23-20, with the score not necessarily reflecting how far apart the two teams appeared on the field. Baker Mayfield and the offense struggled at times, with the defense not being able to really put a damper on the Panthers’ offense, specifically their run game in key situations.
All of that is out the window as it comes down to one game for the entire season for the Bucs.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs’ Week 18 matchup with Panthers gets flexed to Saturday
Reporting by Andrew Harbaugh, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
