Cue legendary Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi.

It was the classic “what could go wrong, did go wrong” game for the first-place Carolina Panthers. And that was just the first half on Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium.

Dave Canales’s team trailed 33-6 at intermission, and by that time the team’s offense, defense, and special teams contributed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ point total.

It was an ugly afternoon for Dave Canales’s team on Sunday

Carolina’s defense surrendered 147 yards rushing and three offensive touchdowns in the first 30 minutes of play. Canales’s club turned over the ball three times before intermission. The Panthers were down 17-0 early in the second quarter after Buccaneers’ defensive tackle Calijah Kancey scooped up a Bryce Young fumble and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown.

And just after the Panthers finally woke up from their cat nap, things got a little crazier. Young found tight end Darren Waller for a 50-yard touchdown less than two minutes later. However, the PAT was blocked and Tampa cornerback Zyon McCollum returned the prize for two points and a 19-6 lead. The Bucs tacked on two more touchdowns and took a 27-point advantage into the locker room.

Panthers routed at home for the second time this season

When it was all said and done, the final verdict was an ugly 43-13 home loss by Canales and company. Young came into the game with only a pair of interceptions. On Sunday, he was picked off twice and lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. In fact, after giving up the football just four times during their 3-2 start, the Panthers committed four turnovers in the stunning 30-point loss.

Yes, Carolina remains the only team in the NFC South that does not have a losing record. However, Sunday’s loss was a little reminder that while the Panthers unseated the Bucs last season as division champions, their recent history in this rivalry can’t be ignored.

Buccaneers continue their dominance of the Panthers

Dating back to the start of this decade, the Panthers dropped to a disappointing 2-11 in 13 meetings with the Buccaneers. The clubs will renew acquaintances in Week 12 on a Monday night at Tampa, a place that Carolina hasn’t won at since 2017 (the Panthers defeated Tampa Bay, 37-26, at London in 2019 in what was a home game for the Bucs). And it’s safe to say that Young has had his hands full against Todd Bowles’s defenses.

In seven games vs. the Buccaneers, the four-year pro has completed just 126-of-217 throws (58.1 percent) for 1,393 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. He has been sacked a disturbing 20 times (3 times by Tampa defensive tackle YaYa Diaby on Sunday), lost two of his six fumbles and the team is 1-6 in those contests.

Canales and his club don’t have much time to feel sorry for themselves. The Panthers will be at Lambeau Field on Thursday night to face Matt LaFleur’s Green Bay Packers.