TVC E. Rookie kicker Roberto Aguayo was good from 38 yards on the last play of the game as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers 17-14 on Monday.
The Buccaneers had two third-down conversions and benefited from a facemask penalty with 17 seconds left on their last drive, which covered 66 yards on 11 plays.
The outcome sent the Panthers (1-4) to their third successive loss. The Buccaneers (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak.
Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston completed 18 of 30 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown. Buccaneers running back Jacquizz Rodgers gained 101 yards on 30 carries.
Carolina’s Derek Anderson, filling in for concussed quarterback Cam Newton, committed three turnovers. He was 18 of 28 for 278 yards with two interceptions.
Carolina running back Cameron Artis-Payne ran for two second-half touchdowns. He finished with 85 yards on 18 carries, while tight end Greg Olsen caught nine passes for 181 yards.
The Bucs led 6-0 at halftime on a pair of 35-yard field goals by Aguayo.
Tampa Bay ate up more than 8-1/2 minutes on the game’s first possession on a 15-play drive, settling for Aguayo’s first field goal.
Tampa Bay was back in business at the Carolina 30-yard line midway through the second quarter when Panthers return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. muffed a punt as teammate Teddy Williams bumped into him and Tampa Bay’s Russell Shepard recovered.
The Buccaneers reached the five-yard line before stalling with an illegal procedure infraction on tackle Gosder Cherilus and a delay-of-game penalty. Aguayo missed from 33 yards out when his attempt bounced off the right upright.
A second-quarter threat from the Panthers ended when linebacker Daryl Smith picked off Anderson’s tipped pass at the Tampa Bay 42 and the Buccaneers turned that into Aguayo’s second field goal 43 seconds before halftime.
Artis-Payne then scored two touchdowns early in the second half when he scored on a one-yard, fourth-down run on the first possession of the second half and made it 14-6 when he ran in from 12 yards out.
The Buccaneers, however, needed only four plays to go 75 yards and pull even, with receiver Mike Evans hauling in Winston’s 26-yard touchdown pass and receiver Adam Humphries clutching the two-point conversion pass.
