TAMPA, Fla. -- Thanks to a season-high three-game losing streak, the playoffs are out of the picture. But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have one game remaining this weekend, on the road against the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers, who started the season 14-0 before losing Sunday in Atlanta, still have not locked up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, so they won't be resting players. Tampa Bay is happy about that. The Bucs want to see how they measure up against the three-time NFC South champions.
"We know what's happened the last three games," Bucs coach Lovie Smith said Monday.