NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

The Buccaneers fell to 3-4 on the season Sunday with a stunning loss to the Panthers. After the game, Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles that “it’s about as dark as it’s gonna be right now.”

“We have to wear this on our sleeves. We have to be grown men. We’re gonna see what we’re made of, how many people can handle adversity. It’s about as dark as it’s gonna be right now,” Bowles said, via Greg Auman of TheAthletic.com.

Falcons

• Falcons HC Arthur Smith following the Week 7 loss to the Bengals: “We’re not going to make excuses… We didn’t do enough, didn’t execute enough. Didn’t do enough to sustain drives.” (Tori McElhaney)

Panthers

• Panthers interim HC Steve Wilks admitted that following his play in the team’s big win over the Buccaneers, it would be hard to not start QB P.J. Walker in Week 8. (Joseph Person)
• Wilks standing firm by the team not tanking: “I am extremely proud of the men in that locker room. They continue to impress me…That definitely was not a team out there who was trying to tank.” (Ellis Williams)
• Walker on the win over Tampa Bay: “There was a lot of pride today. You could feel the energy when you came in the building from the guys. Today we played a full 60-minutes and made a jump.” (Williams)
• Walker on what he is able to do at quarterback for Carolina: “I can make every throw but not every throw needs to be made… That is what I’ve learned.” (Williams)

• Panthers QBs Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield both have a chance to return from their ankle injury and be healthy enough to play next week against the Falcons if there are no setbacks in practice, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
• CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones confirms the report about the Panthers being offered two first-round picks for DE Brian Burns, but adds that they were in future seasons, not in 2023.