Game story
In Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season on 2020-09-20, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took care of business against the Carolina Panthers, pulling away with a 31–17 final that built a comfortable lead.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 20 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
T. Bridgewater (Carolina Panthers) paced the passing game, with -6.57 total EPA, and +13.3% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, M. Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +6.85 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-16.4% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Carolina Panthers changed the game: (10:07) (Shotgun) 5-T.Bridgewater pass short left intended for 22-C.McCaffrey INTERCEPTED by 33-J.Whitehead at TB 22. 33-J.Whitehead to TB 22 for no gain (22-C.McCaffrey).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 17 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 14 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 31 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 M. Evans · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +6.85 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.68 EPA/play
- 2 T. Brady · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Passing · +6.12 total EPA · 38 snaps · +0.16 EPA/play
- 3 D. Moore · Carolina Panthers · Receiving · +4.57 total EPA · 13 snaps · +0.35 EPA/play
- 4 L. Fournette · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Rushing · +4.38 total EPA · 13 snaps · +0.34 EPA/play
- 5 L. McCoy · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +3.43 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.49 EPA/play
- 6 R. Anderson · Carolina Panthers · Receiving · +2.78 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.28 EPA/play
- 7 J. Watson · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +2.36 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.79 EPA/play
- 8 M. Davis · Carolina Panthers · Receiving · +1.85 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.23 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
M. Evans — TB · Receiving
M. Evans posted the highest total EPA (+6.85) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Tampa Bay Buccaneers's efficiency. Across 10 counted snaps, they averaged +0.68 EPA per play.
The signature play (-7.24 EPA) came from Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (14:14) 12-T.Brady pass deep left intended for 87-R.Gronkowski INTERCEPTED by 26-D.Jackson [92-Z.Kerr] at CAR 9. 26-D.Jackson ran ob at TB 47 for 44 yards.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — R. Jones
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — M. Evans (T. Brady pass)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — L. Fournette
- Carolina Panthers — C. McCaffrey
- Carolina Panthers — C. McCaffrey
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — L. Fournette
Field goals
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — R. Succop
- Carolina Panthers — J. Slye
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the period 14–0. Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the CAR 7 (Q1 50:47) — (5:47) 27-R.Jones right end for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the CAR 15 (Q1 50:42) — 3-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-97-Z.Triner, Holder-8-B.Pinion.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the CAR 23 (Q1 49:45) — (4:45) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass deep left to 13-M.Evans for 23 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the CAR 15 (Q1 49:38) — 3-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-97-Z.Triner, Holder-8-B.Pinion..
The second quarter: Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the period 7–0. Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the CAR 1 (Q2 33:06) — (3:06) 28-L.Fournette up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the CAR 15 (Q2 33:01) — 3-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-97-Z.Triner, Holder-8-B.Pinion..
The third quarter: Carolina Panthers won the period 7–0. Carolina Panthers found the end zone from the TB 1 (Q3 23:43) — (8:43) 74-G.Little reported in as eligible. 22-C.McCaffrey right tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Carolina Panthers added 1 points from the TB 15 (Q3 23:36) — 4-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-44-J.Jansen, Holder-3-J.Charlton..
The fourth quarter: The quarter finished even at 10–10. Carolina Panthers found the end zone from the TB 7 (Q4 13:30) — (13:30) (Shotgun) 22-C.McCaffrey left end for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Carolina Panthers added 1 points from the TB 15 (Q4 13:25) — 4-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-44-J.Jansen, Holder-3-J.Charlton.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers connected on a field goal from the CAR 15 (Q4 6:18) — (6:18) 3-R.Succop 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-97-Z.Triner, Holder-8-B.Pinion.; Carolina Panthers connected on a field goal from the TB 5 (Q4 2:00) — (2:00) 4-J.Slye 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-44-J.Jansen, Holder-3-J.Charlton.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the CAR 46 (Q4 1:56) — (1:56) 28-L.Fournette up the middle for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the CAR 15 (Q4 1:48) — 3-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-97-Z.Triner, Holder-8-B.Pinion..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Carolina Panthers (Q1 55:07) — (10:07) (Shotgun) 5-T.Bridgewater pass short left intended for 22-C.McCaffrey INTERCEPTED by 33-J.Whitehead at TB 22. 33-J.Whitehead to TB 22 for no gain (22-C.McCaffrey).
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q1 52:40) — (7:40) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass deep middle to 13-M.Evans to CAR 21 for 50 yards (33-T.Boston).
- Carolina Panthers (Q1 49:57) — (4:57) 5-T.Bridgewater sacked at CAR 25 for -3 yards (31-A.Winfield). FUMBLES (31-A.Winfield) [31-A.Winfield], RECOVERED by TB-90-J.Pierre-Paul at CAR 29. 90-J.Pierre-Paul to CAR 23 for 6 yards (22-C.
- Carolina Panthers (Q4 13:30) — (13:30) (Shotgun) 22-C.McCaffrey left end for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Carolina Panthers (Q4 10:15) — (10:15) 5-T.Bridgewater pass deep right intended for 12-D.Moore INTERCEPTED by 24-C.Davis [92-W.Gholston] at TB 38. 24-C.Davis to TB 40 for 2 yards (12-D.Moore).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q3 29:14) — (14:14) 12-T.Brady pass deep left intended for 87-R.Gronkowski INTERCEPTED by 26-D.Jackson [92-Z.Kerr] at CAR 9. 26-D.Jackson ran ob at TB 47 for 44 yards.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q2 40:13) — (10:13) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady FUMBLES (Aborted) at CAR 43, RECOVERED by CAR-78-W.Hamilton at CAR 41.
- Carolina Panthers (Q1 55:07) — (10:07) (Shotgun) 5-T.Bridgewater pass short left intended for 22-C.McCaffrey INTERCEPTED by 33-J.Whitehead at TB 22. 33-J.Whitehead to TB 22 for no gain (22-C.McCaffrey).
- Carolina Panthers (Q1 49:57) — (4:57) 5-T.Bridgewater sacked at CAR 25 for -3 yards (31-A.Winfield). FUMBLES (31-A.Winfield) [31-A.Winfield], RECOVERED by TB-90-J.Pierre-Paul at CAR 29. 90-J.Pierre-Paul to CAR 23 for 6 yards (22-C.
Quarterback report card
T.Bridgewater led all passers in efficiency for Carolina Panthers, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- T.Bridgewater (Carolina Panthers) · 49 dropbacks · 67.3% completion · +13.3% CPOE · -0.13 EPA/play · -6.57 total EPA
- T.Brady (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) · 38 dropbacks · 60.5% completion · -1.6% CPOE · +0.16 EPA/play · +6.12 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Carolina Panthers | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.100 | +0.069 |
| Offensive success rate | 44.4% | 45.3% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.134 | +0.161 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.106 | -0.128 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.069 | +0.100 |
| Defensive success rate | 54.7% | 55.6% |
By the numbers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.07 vs -0.10), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Carolina Panthers: 12 drives, -9.00 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 11 drives, +5.15 total EPA, 5 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- M. Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- T. Bridgewater (CAR) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q1 50:47 · CAR 7 · Score 0-6
(5:47) 27-R.Jones right end for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q1 50:42 · CAR 15 · Score 0-7
3-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-97-Z.Triner, Holder-8-B.Pinion. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q1 49:45 · CAR 23 · Score 0-13
(4:45) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass deep left to 13-M.Evans for 23 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q1 49:38 · CAR 15 · Score 0-14
3-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-97-Z.Triner, Holder-8-B.Pinion. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q2 33:06 · CAR 1 · Score 0-20
(3:06) 28-L.Fournette up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q2 33:01 · CAR 15 · Score 0-21
3-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-97-Z.Triner, Holder-8-B.Pinion. - Carolina Panthers TD (+6) — Q3 23:43 · TB 1 · Score 6-21
(8:43) 74-G.Little reported in as eligible. 22-C.McCaffrey right tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Carolina Panthers XP (+1) — Q3 23:36 · TB 15 · Score 7-21
4-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-44-J.Jansen, Holder-3-J.Charlton. - Carolina Panthers TD (+6) — Q4 13:30 · TB 7 · Score 13-21
(13:30) (Shotgun) 22-C.McCaffrey left end for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Carolina Panthers XP (+1) — Q4 13:25 · TB 15 · Score 14-21
4-J.Slye extra point is GOOD, Center-44-J.Jansen, Holder-3-J.Charlton. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers FG (+3) — Q4 6:18 · CAR 15 · Score 14-24
(6:18) 3-R.Succop 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-97-Z.Triner, Holder-8-B.Pinion. - Carolina Panthers FG (+3) — Q4 2:00 · TB 5 · Score 17-24
(2:00) 4-J.Slye 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-44-J.Jansen, Holder-3-J.Charlton. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q4 1:56 · CAR 46 · Score 17-30
(1:56) 28-L.Fournette up the middle for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q4 1:48 · CAR 15 · Score 17-31
3-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-97-Z.Triner, Holder-8-B.Pinion.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Carolina Panthers 31-17 in Week 2, 2020 on 2020-09-20.
What was the final score of Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
The final score was Carolina Panthers 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31 (CAR 17-31 TB) in Week 2, 2020 on 2020-09-20.
What was the score by quarter in Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
Q1: Carolina Panthers 0, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14; Q2: Carolina Panthers 0, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7; Q3: Carolina Panthers 7, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0; Q4: Carolina Panthers 10, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10; Final: Carolina Panthers 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — R. Jones (Q1 50:47) Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — M. Evans (T. Brady pass) (Q1 49:45) Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — L. Fournette (Q2 33:06) Carolina Panthers touchdown — C. McCaffrey (Q3 23:43) Carolina Panthers touchdown — C. McCaffrey (Q4 13:30) Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — L. Fournette (Q4 1:56) Tampa Bay Buccaneers field goal — R. Succop (Q4 6:18, 3 pts) Carolina Panthers field goal — J. Slye (Q4 2:00, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
T. Bridgewater (Carolina Panthers), 67.3% completion, +13.3% CPOE, -0.13 EPA per dropback, -6.57 total passing EPA. T. Brady (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), 60.5% completion, -1.6% CPOE, +0.16 EPA per dropback, +6.12 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
M. Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) led the game in total EPA with +6.85 on receiving plays. across 10 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-7.24 EPA): (14:14) 12-T.Brady pass deep left intended for 87-R.Gronkowski INTERCEPTED by 26-D.Jackson [92-Z.Kerr] at CAR 9. 26-D.Jackson ran ob at TB 47 for 44 yards.. The biggest win-probability swing was -16.4%.
Season records after this game
Carolina Panthers
Entered 0-1 Now 0-2 L
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Entered 0-1 Now 1-1 W
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