Panthers Lose Jaelan Phillips, Baker Mayfield Back? Bucs Week Breakdown

The Carolina Panthers are 3-2, alone in first place in the NFC South, and the 1-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to Bank of America Stadium on Sunday. On today's TGOR Podcast we break down everything from Wednesday in Charlotte: both teams' injury reports, Dave Canales' press conference, and what Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Nick Scott and Will Lee III had to say ahead of a big division game. The headline is on defense. Jaelan Phillips re-aggravated the same hamstring that bothered him after the Detroit game, and Canales said Phillips is unlikely to play Sunday after the MRI showed it needs more intensive treatment. Thomas Incoom is week to week with a calf injury but is not headed to IR, and it took four players to replace him on special teams in Philadelphia. Practice-squad linebacker Nick Hampton gets the first look at outside linebacker. Bam Martin-Scott's practice window is open, Tre Tyus moves up to the 53-man roster, and Albert Reese was claimed by Arizona. Brady Christensen remains on IR. On the Tampa side, Baker Mayfield practiced in full for the first time since dislocating his throwing thumb in Week 3, and Todd Bowles plans to decide Friday between Mayfield and rookie Jalon Daniels. Bucky Irving, Emeka Egbuka, Luke Goedeke, Zyon McCollum and Christian Rozeboom all missed practice. Canales, who coached Baker in Tampa, expects him to play. Sunday is Bryce Young's 50th NFL start. He threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns in the 25-14 win at Philadelphia, but the Panthers were flagged 13 times for 149 yards, and Bryce put the penalties squarely on himself. We also get into the run defense Canales says is "not being talked about enough," Tershawn Wharton's return, and how this team has gone from chasing comebacks to closing games out behind Chuba Hubbard's 120-yard day and Tommy Tremble's two touchdowns. We finish with a scouting look at the Bucs, whose defense ranks fourth in total yards with former Panther A'Shawn Robinson leading them in interceptions, plus a full NFC South update: the Falcons and Saints are both 2-4, and Carolina is the only team in the division over .500. After Sunday, the Panthers turn around and play at Green Bay on Thursday night. Question of the day: is this a trap game or a statement win, and does your prediction change if Baker plays? Drop your score in the comments. Follow @TGORPODCAST on X and visit twogrowlsoneroar.com for more Panthers coverage. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss a daily episode of Two Growls One Roar.