The Jacksonville Jaguars found a way to keep Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown from disrupting the line of scrimmage last Sunday.
Digging into their Iron Bowl roots, Jaguars offensive lineman Cam Robinson, who played at Alabama, engaged in a helmet-tugging incident with Brown, who played at Auburn. Both were ejected from the host Jaguars’ 26-0 victory last Sunday.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers likely devised their distinct plan to block Brown during Sunday’s regular-season finale at Bank of America Stadium.
Brown enters the NFC South matchup two tackles shy of tying an NFL single-season record for tackles by a DL.
Grounds crew prepare for #Panthers’ #NFL season finale Sunday at Bank of America Stadium … pic.twitter.com/TkUpuxMO0Z
— Jeff Hawkins (@WriterHawkins) January 4, 2024
Panthers DL Derrick Brown 3 Tackles From NFL Record
Brown and Robinson were each fined $10,927 by the league officials for unnecessary roughness penalties.
Brown will be out to make the Bucs and former teammate Baker Mayfield pay Sunday. With 96 total tackles, Brown trails Miami Dolphins DL Christian Wilkins, who collected 98 tackles last season. Wilkins’ mark broke the previous standard of 78, which was set by ex-Houston Texans DL J.J. Watt during a 16-game campaign in 2014.
A fourth-year professional, Brown continues to establish himself as one of the NFL’s premier DLs. He also has been credited with 46 run stops, second-most among all defenders this season.
Despite orchestrating one of the top DL seasons in league history, Brown was named the first alternate for the Pro Bowl.
The snub hit Brown hard.
“I wanted to make the team,” he told WCNC. “I think that’s obvious. No discredit to nobody else, but, it sucks.”
In Brown’s place, Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald, New York Giants’ Dexter Lawrence and San Fransico 49ers’ Javon Hargrave were named to the NFC roster.
Despite being in line to establish an #NFL single-season record for tackles by a DL Sunday, #Panthers ’ Derrick Brown, practicing his bull rush Thursday, was a #ProBowl snub … pic.twitter.com/xOdZNJqzfk
— Jeff Hawkins (@WriterHawkins) January 6, 2024
DC Ejiro Everno: ‘He’s Had a Heck Of A Year’
In his first season as defensive coordinator, Ejiro Everno was charged with reshaping the Panthers on the fly, altering the defensive philosophy to a base 3-4.
Brown has been one bright spot in an otherwise lost campaign for the 2-14 Panthers. Everno didn’t agree with the Pro Bowl overlooking Brown.
“I just thought that was a miss,” Evero said via video of Thursday’s press conference. “He’s had a heck of a year. He’s been so disruptive. I think he’s been the best run defender in the NFL this year.
“He’s done a heck of a job rushing the quarterback, and creating pressures, the interception, the batted balls. There’s been so much production. The leadership. He’s been instrumental in everything that we’ve done and I think that was just a miss.”
The Buccaneers (8-8) need a win for any chance win claim a division title. They were listed as four-point favorites, according to Betonline Sportsbook.
OC Thomas Brown was asked during Thursday’s #NFL presser: What went wrong with the 32nd-ranked #Panthers this season? … pic.twitter.com/31JVKFaLvM
— Jeff Hawkins (@WriterHawkins) January 6, 2024
NFL Week 18: Buccaneers at Panthers Odds
Here are the updated odds for Sunday’s NFL matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium, according to Betonline Sportsbook:
| Teams | Buccaneers (8-8) at Panthers (2-14) | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay at Carolina, 1 p.m. ET | Tampa Bay, -4 |  |
*-Odds Through Saturday
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
