Buccaneers

Bucs rookie WR Emeka Egbuka, who was a hero in the team’s game-winning drive against Seattle, credited QB Baker Mayfield for his ability to lead the team down the field.

“Time and time again, it happens,” Egbuka said, via Fox Sports. “I forget the saying. It’s like, one time is luck, the second time’s a fluke, the third time it’s the real deal. I think this is the fourth two-minute drive we’ve had this year, out of five games. The NFL is down to the wire a lot of the time. I’m glad to have a quarterback who has the capability, and Baker has that capability.”

Mayfield added that he believes Egbuka has sky-high potential and is special for a rookie.

“He’s well-rounded and not just in football, in life,” Mayfield said. “I think he’s grounded, and I think he’s just genuine in everything he does. He’s intentional. You just don’t see that often, and especially as a rookie with the talent that he has, you really don’t see it often.”

Egbuka said that he isn’t focused on statistics and is focused on being the best person and teammate that he can possibly be.

“I don’t enter any seasons of my life with too many expectations when it comes to statistics or anything,” he said. “Really, I’m just trying to honor and glorify God, be obedient to whatever it is he’s called me to. I feel like he has me in Tampa for a reason, and that purpose is bigger than football, I believe. So just trying to use my platform to be able to impact people any way I can.”

Buccaneers

Bucs LB Lavonte David, who’s been a part of multiple late-game comebacks, said the team always has a chance as long as there’s time left on the clock.

“The games we’ve had so far this year, as long as we have time on the clock we’ve got a chance, and our guys truly, truly believe that from the bottom of our hearts,” David said, via PFT. “That’s a good feeling to have. And just guys executing, doing all the little things right. I know it was high-scoring but in the end it was complementary football that won us the game.”

Panthers

Panthers DT Derrick Brown is impressed with QB Bryce Young‘s maturity and said that he’s the guy to take the team where they want to go.

“Everybody wants him to just fail at this in those situations,” Brown said, via PFT. “But I mean, the dude comes off, straight to me on the sidelines, and says, ‘Go get it back for me and we’ll go.’ . . . I mean, he’s getting where he wants to be, man.”

• Panthers HC Dave Canales said flipping the roles of LBs Trevin Wallace and Christian Rozeboom helped both. Wallace felt more comfortable calling the defense, he said Rozeboom played “freer.” (Darin Gantt)