Panthers 'get to start the playoffs a week early'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young and other players began telling teammates to move on to next week's likely winner-take-all NFC South showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before coach Dave Canales addressed Sunday's 27-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

The message wasn't about blowing an opportunity to clinch the division with the Bucs losing to the Miami Dolphins 20-17 -- but about the opportunity ahead.

"The reality of our situation is all that matters is next week,'' defensive back Nick Scott said. "I know we said it all year, but we've actually got one game left and it's for everything.''

Despite failing to win consecutive games since mid-October, the 8-8 Panthers can clinch the NFC South title with either a victory or tie next weekend at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium.

The 7-9 Bucs, who have lost four straight games and seven of their past eight, can claim their fifth straight division title with a win that would leave both teams at 8-9.

"We know what's ahead of us,'' Canales said. "It's clearly defined.''

Guard Austin Corbett emphasized the joy that comes with simply being in playoff contention heading into the regular-season finale.

"I just constantly remind guys, just have fun,'' Corbett said. "As stressful as football is, as much as it hurts the body, it's the most fun you're going to have in this life, I guarantee it.'

"That's the message [Canales] constantly preaches. It's all about us. It's always going to be about us, and that's not going to change. And here we are in Week 18 ... the moment of it's all about us.''

The Panthers haven't had a winning season or made the playoffs since 2017. They can do both with a victory over a Tampa team they defeated 23-20 on Dec. 21 at Bank of America Stadium.

Knowing there is something to look forward to took a little sting out of Sunday's loss.

"I'm super confident,'' Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn said of Carolina's chances against the Bucs. "I know what kind of work I put in, what type of work they put in to get ready for Sunday, so it's about getting back to that, pouring a little extra into this week knowing what the stakes are.''

Had Horn not been called for a facemask to give the Seahawks an automatic first down on a third-and-21 fourth-quarter play with Carolina trailing 17-10, Sunday could have turned into a clinching situation. The same could be said of running back Chuba Hubbard's fumble after Mike Jackson's interception in the end zone with the game tied in the third quarter, which saw Seattle take advantage with a touchdown. Or Young's interception on a badly underthrown ball on the next series that led to another Seahawks touchdown.

It's correcting those mistakes the Panthers are looking ahead to, instead of dwelling on the "what ifs" of losing. They didn't even know the outcome of the Tampa Bay game -- and how that loss put Carolina in position to clinch -- until after their game.

"We're not dealing with hypotheticals,'' said Young, who had a career-low 54 yards passing against a Seattle defense that threw more man-to-man coverage at an opponent than it had all year. "We were all about winning another one today.

"We couldn't get that done. That's what sucks. But the lesson is, we have another opportunity.''

The opportunity will come without starting tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, who suffered a season-ending broken ankle on the game's first play. But even Sanders, rolling through the locker room on a scooter, had a smile on his face after the loss.

"That's a testament to what kind of leaders we have in this locker room, our mindset,'' Horn said. "So we're looking forward to next week.''

And the Panthers aren't looking ahead as though they have an advantage because they already have a win over the Bucs.

"There's no advantage based on outcome,'' Young said. "It's going to be a great challenge for us.

"Nobody's happy about today. But you've got to flip the page. ... So we get to start the playoffs a week early.''