Buccaneers' Todd Bowles says QB Baker Mayfield (ribs) will play Sunday vs. Panthers

Injured ribs forced Baker Mayfield to miss practice time, but they won’t hold him out of a second chance to win the NFC South.

Mayfield will start the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Week 18 tilt against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, head coach Todd Bowles told reporters. Mayfield is officially questionable on Friday’s injury report.

The Bucs had a shot at clinching the club’s third straight division title in Week 17 against the New Orleans Saints, but lost, while Mayfield was dinged up in the process.

He’ll battle through the pain as he did earlier in the season with ankle and knee injuries.

Through 16 games, Mayfield has already thrown for career highs of 3,907 yards and 28 touchdowns, with a chance to pass the 4,000-yard and 30-TD barriers for the first time.

Having signed a one-year pact with the club, the 2018 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick will look to prolong his first Bucs campaign Sunday by leading Tampa back to the playoffs.

The Buccaneers (8-8) kick off against the host Panthers (2-14) at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.