The Buccaneers needed an unlikely hero to emerge in order to close out Sunday’s game against the Panthers and clinch the NFC South. That individual proved to be rookie punter Jake Camarda, who helped seal the win with a tremendous effort on a nearly disastrous special teams sequence by Tampa.
Leading 30–24 with 42 seconds remaining, the Bucs botched the snap in punt formation, forcing Camarda to do some improvising. He quickly scooped up the loose football and rolled out to his left while numerous Panthers chased after him.
As he approached the sideline, Camarda then did the unthinkable and punted the ball while running at a full sprint. The ball ended up taking a favorable bounce for the Bucs and trickled down to the Carolina two-yard line, where it was downed by a Tampa player.
The Buccaneers were flagged for having an ineligible man downfield on the play, thus nullifying the result of the spectacular effort by Camarda. However, the rookie’s ability to get the punt off forced the Panthers to accept the penalty, whereas a sack could’ve led Carolina to decline the penalty and take over around midfield with a chance to take the lead.
After the penalty, Camarda lined up for another punt, which ended up having a much smoother outcome. The 23-year-old once again showed why Tampa selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, pinning the Panthers at their own eight-yard line.
The Buccaneers would close out the game a few plays later, improving to 8–8 on the year and clinching the division for the second year in a row. The win will send Tom Brady back to the playoffs yet again, where he’ll have a chance to pursue his eighth career Super Bowl and second with Tampa Bay.
