Buccaneers hope to get their first division win against the Panthers

As rumors of Jon Gruden’s imminent return to the NFL continue to swirl, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to focus instead on winning a game. Or two. That’s all they can do to calm these rumors down, at least as they relate to the Bucs.

They have one chance to do so today, and another next week. Those are the only two options the Bucs have left to win games, and to save Dirk Koetter’s job—if that’s even a possibility, or a necessity. We don’t know what the Bucs are thinking.

Whatever the case, the Bucs play the Carolina Panthers today and hope to come away with their first in-division win of the year. That won’t be easy: the Panthers are one of the best teams in the NFC, and handily beat the Bucs earlier this season. Which is why a win today could go a long way toward saving Dirk Koetter’s job.