CAROLINA PANTHERS

CJ Stroud reportedly threw well at Ohio State's pro day, and one Carolina Panthers coach may have hinted at the team's plans to take him first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Cam Newton is looking for another shot.

The Minnesota Vikings made wide receiver Adam Thielen a cap casualty, which has led him to reportedly sign a three-year deal with the Carolina Panthers

The Panthers have reportedly agreed to terms with Miles Sanders, the NFL Network reported. Sanders was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2022.

The Detroit Lions and running back David Montgomery have agreed on an $18 million, three-year deal, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The Detroit Lions have signed free agent cornerback Emmanuel Moseley to a one-year deal, according to reports.

The Carolina Panthers are on the clock.

In the first major blockbuster of the NFL offseason, the Carolina Panthers have acquired the first overall pick of the draft from the Chicago Bears.

The Chicago Bears reportedly are trading the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft to the Carolina Panthers for the No. 9 pick, the No. 61 pick, a first-round pick in 2024, a second-round pick in 2025 and wide receiver DJ Moore.

Jerry Richardson, the Carolina Panthers founder and for years one of the NFL’s most influential owners until a scandal forced him to sell the team, has died.

Jerry Richardson, the founder and former owner of the Carolina Panthers, died Wednesday night, the team announced. He was 86.

A person familiar with the situation says the Carolina Panthers will meet with free agent quarterback Derek Carr this week at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions have lost another assistant to the Carolina Panthers, this time defensive line coach Todd Wash. Former running backs coach/assistant head coach Duce Staley also joined Frank Reich’s new staff in Charlotte, while former Lions head coach Jim Caldwell has joined the club as a senior advisor. Wash spent the last two seasons in Detroit, and was particularly influential to the development of Aidan Hutchinson. The second overall pick led all rookies with 9.5 sacks, was twice named rookie of the month and finished runner-up for defensive rookie of the year. Another rookie, sixth-round pick James Houston, finished second among first-year players with eight sacks. The Lions have managed to hold onto all of their their coordinators, but will be looking for a new defensive line coach in the coming days.

Former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell has continued to land interviews for head-coaching vacancies through the past couple of offseasons. The Carolina Panthers announced they hired Caldwell as a senior assistant. Caldwell, who was head coach at nearby Wake Forest for most of the 1990s, also interviewed for Carolina’s head-coaching vacancy. The Panthers ultimately decided on former Colts head coach Frank Reich for that job. This role with the Panthers represents his first NFL staff job since serving as assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for the Miami Dolphins in 2019.

The San Francisco 49ers are planning to hire former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks to be their next defensive coordinator, replacing DeMeco Ryans.

Matt Rhule filed a claim over the Panthers refusal to pay his buyout. But, Nebraska hired him in November, and he will make more per year on average than he was in Carolina.

A person with knowledge of the pact tells The Associated Press that the Denver Broncos have agreed to a deal with the New Orleans Saints to hire Sean Payton as their head coach.

Frank Reich, who threw the first touchdown in Panthers' history, was introduced Tuesday as Carolina's new head coach.

Former Carolina Panthers interim coach Steve Wilks says he is “disappointed, but not defeated” that he didn’t land the team’s full-time head coaching position.

The Carolina Panthers are hiring their first-ever quarterback, Frank Reich, to be their next head coach after he spent the last five seasons with the Colts.

The Panthers' D'Onta Foreman apologized for his actions during his on-field fight with the New Orleans Saints' Marcus Davenport, saying they were "out of character."

The Detroit Lions (9-8) finished the season as the last team left out of the postseason. If you make a mistake, it can’t be for seven points,” Dan Campbell said after the Week 4 loss. Week 16: Carolina Panthers 37, Detroit Lions 23 (Bank of America Stadium)This is the one that likely still feels fresh for most fans. Week 8: Miami Dolphins 31, Detroit Lions 27 (Ford Field)The Lions blew two double-digit leads while losing to the explosive Miami Dolphins. Week 12, Thanksgiving: Buffalo Bills 28, Detroit Lions 25 (Ford Field)It’s hard to kick a team for losing to one of the NFL’s best.

The Detroit Lions won in Week 18, and while they won’t taste the postseason, it’s time to look ahead with both first-round draft picks and 2023 regular-season opponents officially set. It’s also worth noting that the Lions haven’t played overseas since 2015, which is something to watch next season. Related: Instant observations: Lions end Packers season with comeback win, finish 9-8Related: Detroit Lions draft selection via Rams sticks at Pick 6 after LA’s Week 18 lossWe’ve got a Detroit Lions newsletter! We’ll email you your Detroit Lions news five days a week. See below for a breakdown of the home and road opponents for 2023:Home opponentsGreen Bay PackersChicago BearsMinnesota VikingsAtlanta FalconsCarolina PanthersDenver BroncosLas Vegas RaidersSeattle SeahawksAway opponents

Here's all you need for the Panthers-Saints game, from the point spread, moneyline, total Over/Under and expert pick from Geoff Schwartz.

While Jim Harbaugh remains as murky as ever about his situation at Michigan, he was reached this week by phone. Either way, Harbaugh continues to leave the door open to explore an NFL opportunity. Story: In transfer portal age, Michigan football tries to keep upCORUM UPDATE: Speaking of returns, Michigan running back Blake Corum took to social media Thursday morning not to reveal his “50/50″ decision … but to update fans on his physical progress. Now, Corum finds himself in Los Angeles during the early stages of rehab, with a decision still to come. A month after surgery to repair a torn meniscus, Blake Corum is back at it.

Despite rumors that Jim Harbaugh was in talks with the Carolina Panthers, he thinks he will be back with the University of Michigan for a ninth season.

According to a person familiar with the situation, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper has talked to University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh about the team’s head coaching position.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers punter Jake Camarda may have had the play of the day in the team's close win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

We got you covered from all the NFL wacky wins to bad beats. Here's a rundown on how bettors fared during this week's slate of games.

Tom Brady threw for 432 yards and three long touchdowns to Mike Evans, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinch their second straight NFC South championship with a 30-24 come-from-behind win over the Carolina Panthers.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came away with another comeback victory – this time it came against the Carolina Panthers and clinched the NFC South title for them.

With two games remaining, the Buccaneers and Panthers both control their own destiny. But neither can afford to lose Sunday, Greg Auman writes.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions (7-8) were pounded and grounded to new lows against the Carolina Panthers in Week 16. But there is no rest to lick those wounds, with lethal Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields on the horizon as their season hangs in the balance. But that’s not all, with hosts Kyle Meinke and Ben Raven welcoming Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow. Subscribe to the Dungeon of Doom wherever you get your podcasts -- Spotify, Apple, Google -- Follow Benjamin Raven and Kyle Meinke on Twitter. “Oh yeah, it’s a dream come true, man,” Ragnow said last week.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions were gashed for 320 rushing yards and 37 points by the Carolina Panthers last week. And now, they have a date with the dangerous Justin Fields in Week 17. Fields and his Chicago Bears forced a season-high 15 whiffs against Detroit’s defense back in Week 10. The Lions even needed 10.8 seconds to get Fields down on the game-sealing play, with several defenders missing their first attempt, highlighting the struggle. “He is the x-factor for that team, and it shows all over the tape,” Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said.

Dr. Matt Provencher ranks the NFL's five healthiest and five most banged-up teams.

Here's everything you need for the Panthers-Buccaneers game, from the point spread, moneyline, total Over/Under and expert pick from Jason McIntyre.

The Detroit Lions could have gained the advantage for an NFC wild-card playoff berth with a victory last weekend.

It was a holiday weekend to forget for the Detroit Lions. Their postseason odds took a major blow, and now the draft pick from the Los Angeles Rams has fallen out of the top five. And after their loss to the Panthers (6-9) and LA’s win, the Lions are slotted at Pick 7 and Pick 18. And Monday night’s game between the Indianapolis Colts (4-9-1) and Los Angeles Chargers is also worth tracking in terms of draft positioning. Los Angeles has two road trips left on the slate, facing the Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) and Seattle Seahawks (7-8).

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff took issue with the field conditions at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday and compared the field to "cement."

The Detroit Lions were gashed by the Carolina Panthers to the tune of 320 yards on the ground, losing 37-23 in Week 16 action. And missed tackles doomed Detroit’s defense in this loss, with whiffs on the ground and in the open field against the pass. Pro Football Focus had the Lions missing 13 tackles, with Kerby Joseph leading the way (three), followed by Ifeatu Melifonwu (two), Jeff Okudah (two) and six others with one. “We just didn’t, boy, we just -- you didn’t see the fire that we’ve had,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said when pressed about the missed tackles. PFF didn’t hit him with a turnover-worthy play, giving him a low fumble grade despite Ragnow taking ownership of the mistake.

On Sunday Night Football, one team, by sure dumb luck, is trying to extend their division lead on Christmas night, as Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers get set to take on the Arizona Cardinals. However, Brady and company squandered the lead, with the Bengals scoring 31 unanswered points, handing Tampa a 34-23 loss. After a 2-2 start, Arizona lost four of their next five games, sending them spiraling down the NFC West standings. This will be the first meeting in three years between the two teams, with Arizona holding a slim, all-time edge of 11-10 against Tampa Bay. MY PICK: Buccaneers win, 20-12Watch the NFL on FuboTV (Free trial) and PeacockCheck out the NFL standings and results on NFL.com

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell gave his props to interim Carolina Panthers head coach Steve Wilks after losing to him on Sunday afternoon.

The Detroit Lions (7-8) lost to the Carolina Panthers, 37-23, in Week 16 from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. D’Andre Swift had 12 yards on four carries, while Jamaal Williams went for 11 yards on seven attempts before limping off late. Burns had both of Carolina’s sacks while its defense added seven quarterback hits and four tackles for loss, holding the Lions to 45 rushing yards on 17 tries. Grade: FLinebackers: On top of that, the Panthers gashed the Lions for seven runs of more than 10 yards. And while there are pieces to like for the future in Carolina, 320 rushing yards and 37 points to that offense is a severe black eye.

Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold ran only six times for 19 yards and one touchdown. We got hit everywhere you can get hit in the run game. Read run, Darnold hit us on the read runs, so we just didn’t handle it well. Darnold joked that he was inspired by Foreman and Hubbard’s big days on the ground, saying: “Dang, I want some of that.”“Whenever I get a chance, I’m going to do my part in the run game whenever I’m called upon,” Darnold said. You can’t let anyone establish a run game like that.

The Carolina Panthers are still alive for the NFC South title after D'Onta Foreman ran for a career-high 165 yards in their 37-23 victory over the Lions.

The Detroit Lions (7-8) got punched in the mouth early and often against the Carolina Panthers (6-9) and never seemed to recover in their 37-23 loss in Week 16 action. Carolina’s offense featured two running backs with more than 100 yards on the day, with a franchise record 320 rushing yards powering its attack. D’Onta Foreman ran 21 times for 165 yards and one score, while Chuba Hubbard added 125 yards on 12 attempts. Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold added a rushing score, while Raheem Blackshear added one, too.

The Detroit Lions (7-8) were run all over on Christmas Eve, losing 37-23 to the Carolina Panthers (6-9) and their dominating rushing attack in Week 16. The Panthers ran for a franchise-record 320 yards after gaining a franchise-record 364 total yards in the first half. The Lions had no rushing attack, with quarterback Jared Goff’s 15 yards leading the team on the ground. The Panthers controlled the game, holding the ball for 11-plus minutes more than the Lions. See below for MLive Detroit Lions beat writer Ben Raven’s video breakdown and more headlines after Detroit’s ugly loss.

D’Onta Foreman ran for a career-high 165 yards and a touchdown, and the Carolina Panthers racked up a franchise record 320 yards on the ground to beat the Detroit Lions 37-23.

Week 16 of the NFL continues with an action-packed Christmas Eve slate. Here are the top plays from Saturday!

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- One of the hottest teams in the league has arrived for what’s expected to be the coldest game in Carolina history. Center Frank Ragnow (toe) and linebacker Derrick Barnes (knee) have both been cleared to play on Christmas Eve against the Carolina Panthers. Barnes hasn’t played in almost a month because of a knee injury, while Ragnow got in just one day of practice this week because of a toe injury that has nagged him all season. Now he’s going to play in the freezing cold in Carolina too, where the windchill remained below zero as players began warming up at Bank of America Stadium. Temperatures were expected to be around 25 or 26 degrees at kickoff, which would be the coldest home game in Panthers history.

The Detroit Lions (7-7) have won six of the last seven games, with three straight road victories on their quest to break into the postseason. They’ll have to win another on the road, with a crucial matchup against the Carolina Panthers (5-9) in Week 16 action. Hit refresh to keep up and follow MLive’s Detroit Lions reporters on Twitter @BenjaminSRaven and @kmeinke. We’ll email you your Detroit Lions news five days a week. Enter your email here:DVOA overall ranking: Lions 9th | Panthers 28thDVOA offensive ranking: Lions 6th | Panthers 29thDVOA defensive ranking: Lions 23rd | Panthers 20thNet yards gained per passing attempt: Lions 6.9 (5th) | Panthers 5.8 (23rd)Rushing yards per attempt: Lions 4.4 (15th) | Panthers 4.4 (16th)Points per game: Lions 26.4 (4th) | Panthers 19.7 (30th)Points allowed per game: Lions 26 (31st) | Panthers 22.4 (16th)Net yards allowed per passing attempt: Lions 7.1 (31st) | Panthers 6.0 (12th)Rushing yards allowed per attempt: Lions 4.9 (26th) | Panthers 4.4 (18th)Takeaways: Lions 18 | Panthers 14

The Detroit Lions (7-7) are on the road to face the Carolina Panthers (5-9) in Week 16 action on Christmas Eve. We’ll try and answer three burning questions ahead of kickoff below:Can the Lions establish the run against DT Derrick Brown and the Panthers? The Carolina Panthers could be better against the run, ranking 18th in the league while allowing 4.4 yards per attempt. The Steelers found success on the ground against these Panthers last week, beating them 24-16. Just like we have done in the run game, we’re going to do it in the passing game also.”Who will replace starting Lions safety DeShon Elliott?

The Detroit Lions (7-7) are on the road to the face the Carolina Panthers (5-9) in Week 16, trying to extend their three-game winning streak and fourth consecutive away from home. Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers: Fantasy guide and key matchups for Week 16Here’s everything you need to know about the game from how to watch or listen, not to mention a recap of the week of news heading into Week 16:We’ve got a Detroit Lions newsletter! It’s totally free. We’ll email you your Detroit Lions news five days a week. Enter your email here:GAME INFORMATIONWho: Detroit Lions at Carolina PanthersWhen: 1 p.m. SaturdayWhere: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North CarolinaHOW TO WATCH AND FOLLOWHOW TO LISTENIN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Christmas weekend is incredibly important for the Detroit Lions’ playoff hopes as they look to officially jump into the final wildcard spot.

The special teams ace added two tackles across 29 defensive snaps. Since returning to the team back in Week 8, Moore has logged 98 defensive reps and 156 on special teams. Melifonwu, a 2021 third-round pick, has played only six defensive snaps while dealing with another injury-riddle campaign. He’s logged special teams snaps in five straight games, with an increasing role over the previous two weeks. To put that into perspective, Joseph already has 702 defensive snaps through his first 14 games in the league.

Lions vs. Panthers predictions for NFL Week 16 on Saturday, 12/24Both these teams have been defying oddsmakers’ expectations of late, with the Lions covering the spread in 10 of their 14 games this season, while spread bets on the Panthers have cashed in four of their last five games. Lions vs. Panthers picks featuring Over 44 pointsInstead, our best bet for the Lions vs. Panthers game is for it to produce over 44 points, which has -110 odds at Caesars Sportsbook. With a defeat likely to prove costly to either team’s playoff hopes, we should see their best effort and the best bet from our Lions vs. Panthers predictions is for the game to finish with over 44 points. To get your bonus, you simply have to sign up for a new account at DraftKings Sportsbook and place a $5 money line bet on any NFL game, including Lions vs. Panthers. Lions vs. Panthers odds for Saturday, 12/24 available at Caesars SportsbookThe Lions are favored to win Saturday’s game with a spread of -2.5 points at Caesars Sportsbook, with the Panthers +2.5 underdogs at home.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions (7-7) are on the road for the holidays, with a chance to strengthen their playoff hopes against the Carolina Panthers (5-9) in Week 16. DJ Chark caught one ball on two targets for 18 yards last week, while Josh Reynolds and Jameson Williams were blanked. MATCHUPS TO WATCHLions C Frank Ragnow vs. Panthers DT Derrick BrownWe’re not getting cute this week. He’s allowed five sacks and 22 pressures across 825 snaps. So, (it) makes my life a lot easier.”2022 TEAM STATSDVOA overall ranking: Lions 9th | Panthers 28thDVOA offensive ranking: Lions 6th | Panthers 29thDVOA defensive ranking: Lions 23rd | Panthers 20thNet yards gained per passing attempt: Lions 6.9 (5th) | Panthers 5.8 (23rd)Rushing yards per attempt: Lions 4.4 (15th) | Panthers 4.4 (16th)Points per game: Lions 26.4 (4th) | Panthers 19.7 (30th)Points allowed per game: Lions 26 (31st) | Panthers 22.4 (16th)Net yards allowed per passing attempt: Lions 7.1 (31st) | Panthers 6.0 (12th)Rushing yards allowed per attempt: Lions 4.9 (26th) | Panthers 4.4 (18th)Takeaways: Lions 18 | Panthers 14SERIES HISTORYThe Panthers lead the all-time series 7-3, blanking the Lions 20-0 in the last meeting between these two back in 2020.

The former NFL wide receiver, turned tight end, said he is looking to make the jump to the NBA. The 28-year-old was drafted in the second round by the Panthers in 2015.

Here's everything you need for the Lions-Panthers game, from the point spread, moneyline, total Over/Under and expert pick from Jason McIntyre.

ALLEN PARK -- Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell expects the Carolina Panthers to unrelentingly try and run while setting up the occasional play-action pass in Week 15. And since Steve Wilks took over as Carolina’s interim head coach, that’s exactly how the Panthers (5-9) have operated while playing .500 ball since Week 7. Foreman has run 97 times for 350 yards through the last five games and has been the unquestioned bell cow. Pittsburgh’s defense held the Panthers to a season-low 21 rushing yards, and Campbell took note. They really, Pittsburgh ended up playing the type of game that they really wanted to play, and they possessed the ball.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions aren’t sure if they’ll have starting safety DeShon Elliott (shoulder) ahead of their short-week matchup against the Carolina Panthers in Week 16. Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Elliott was undergoing testing Monday afternoon and that they’ll know more coming out of today. And we need our football players, man. We need football players. We need dependable football players right now, with three (games) to go.

The Carolina Panthers have boasted the last few weeks about finding an identity on offense by playing smash-mouth football. The run-happy Panthers, who racked up 223 yards on the ground in a 30-24 win at Seattle last week, were held to 21 yards rushing on 16 carries on Sunday — the fifth-lowest total in franchise history — in a 24-16 loss to the Steelers. D'Onta Foreman, who has carried the load in the running game, was limited to 9 yards on 10 carries.

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Marcus Allen received a penalty during the fourth quarter of the team's win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The South Carolina county where Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper started building and then abandoned a new $800 million practice facility has reached a settlement over $21 million in sales tax money given to the NFL team.

Coach Sean McVay says Baker Mayfield probably will be active for the Los Angeles Rams’ game against the Raiders on Thursday night.

The Los Angeles Rams have claimed quarterback Baker Mayfield off waivers.

The Carolina Panthers have waived struggling quarterback Baker Mayfield after the 2018 No. 1 draft pick asked for his release.

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper and his real estate company are being scrutinized in a criminal investigation.

Nebraska has signed Matt Rhule to an eight-year contract to be the Cornhuskers’ next football coach.

Nebraska and former Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule are finalizing a deal to make him the Cornhuskers' coach.

Baker Mayfield will start at quarterback for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens after P.

The NFL Players Association is calling on six venues to change their current playing surfaces.

Carolina Panthers starting cornerback Donte Jackson will miss the remainder of the season after tearing an Achilles tendon.

Faster, more competitive games have the NFL feeling proud through the first half of the season.

D’Onta Foreman carried 31 times for 130 yards and a touchdown, Laviska Shenault added a 41-yard burst to the end zone and the Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 25-15 on a rainy night.

The worst division in the NFL gets a prime-time matchup when the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons meet for the second time in less than two weeks on Thursday night.

Atlanta’s Younghoe Koo booted a 41-yard field goal in overtime after the Carolina Panthers missed a pair of kicks that could have won the game.

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown have terminated their associations with Donda Sports, the brand management agency owned by the artist formerly known as Kanye West.

Days after trading star running back Christian McCaffrey, the Carolina Panthers ran for a season-high 173 yards and rolled past Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21-3.

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell below.

Some might say it’s a rebuild.

The San Francisco 49ers have acquired star running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers for a haul of draft picks.

According to a person familiar with the situation, the Carolina Panthers are considering trading 2019 All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey if they get something significant in return.

The Carolina Panthers have fired coach Matt Rhule, ending the former Baylor coach’s tenure five games into his third losing season.

Baker Mayfield finds himself in a familiar position — entering a game seeking revenge.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield denies that he said anything malicious toward his former team, the Cleveland Browns.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield has ignited what was already expected to be an emotionally charged Week 1 game against his former team, the Cleveland Browns.

Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule says backup quarterback Sam Darnold and kicker Zane Gonzalez both suffered “significant” injuries in the 21-0 win over the Buffalo Bills on Friday night.

Panthers backup quarterback Sam Darnold and kicker Zane Gonzalez were both carted off the field in the third quarter of Carolina’s preseason game Friday night against the Buffalo Bills.

Baker Mayfield will start the Carolina Panthers’ Sept. 11 regular-season opener against his former team, the Cleveland Browns.

Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass during the Carolina Panthers' 23-21 preseason-opening victory at the Washington Commanders to give him a highlight in the quarterback competition against Baker Mayfield.

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper’s real estate company has proposed to pay more than than $82 million to creditors over an abandoned $800 million practice facility project in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

The city of Detroit is buzzing about the upcoming Detroit Lions footage on Hard Knocks, as more than 18,000 fans filled Ford Field for Family Fest last Saturday.

Baker Mayfield said he was “shocked” to learn that he was not in the Cleveland Browns’ future plans earlier this offseason.

The Indianapolis Colts have solidified their secondary by signing five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Tom Brady topped 5,000 yards passing for the second time in his career and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers set a franchise record for regular-season victories with a 41-17 win over the Carolina Panthers.

The Indianapolis Cots have placed five players on the COVID-19 list as the virus continues to work its way through NFL locker rooms, even with the vast majority of players in the league vaccinated.

Tom Brady threw for 232 yards and a touchdown, Antonio Brown made a grand return to the lineup after missing the last eight games and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers 32-6 on Sunday to clinch their first NFC South title since 2007.

Matt Ryan threw for 190 yards and a touchdown, Mykal Walker returned an interception of Cam Newton 66 yards for a touchdown and the Atlanta Falcons continued to play well on the road with a 29-21 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey will miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury.