Los Angeles: Rookie Roberto Aguayo shrugged off a wayward kicking display to score a last-gasp field goal as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers piled on the agony for the Carolina Panthers with a 17-14 NFL victory on Monday.
Bucs kicker Aguayo had missed two previous field goal attempts during a jittery display for the visitors in Charlotte, but held his nerve to kick the winning three points in the NFC South division duel.
“I had that opportunity and I overcame,” he said. “I was just working on hitting the ball at the net and staying comfortable. Not the game that I wanted to have, but at the end of the day, it’s just another kick, and I made the one that counted.”
Aguayo’s 38-yard field goal completed an 11-play drive that began on the Tampa Bay 14-yard line, with quarterback Jameis Winston expertly marshalling his team up the field for the winning score.
“I never had a game-winner like [in this game],” Aguayo said. “How the game was turning out, I was thinking this could come down to the game-winner.”
But the defeat was another body blow for Carolina, last season’s Super Bowl runners-up.
The Panthers, who were missing star quarterback Cam Newton due to a concussion, are now propping up the division with a 1-4 record.
Carolina, who lost only one regular season game last year, trail division leaders Atlanta by three games. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, are second at 2-3.
“We’ve got to be able to protect the football and give ourselves an opportunity to score,” Carolina coach Ron Rivera said. “They made some plays and unfortunately we didn’t. The truth of the matter is we’ve got to start to get things rolling.”
Tampa Bay signal caller Winston completed 18 of 30 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown.
Buccaneers running back Jacquizz Rodgers weighed in with 101 yards from 30 carries.
Tampa Bay’s points came from three Aguayo field goals and a touchdown by Mike Evans from Winston’s 26-yard pass. The Bucs successfully converted the two-point attempt after Evans’s touchdown.
Carolina’s Derek Anderson, deputising for the injured Newton, had a miserable night, finishing with three turnovers, including two interceptions.
The Panthers’ points came from running back Cameron Artis-Payne, who crossed for two second-half touchdowns en route to 85 yards during 18 carries.
