Firing coach Frank Reich on Monday did not spark the Carolina Panthers to victory on Sunday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held off the Panthers 21-18 as Carolina’s record dropped to an NFL-worst 1-11.

For the first time this season, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young failed to complete more than half of his passes. The rookie went 15-of-31 for 178 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. The Bucs sacked Young four times.

The former Alabama All-American scored his first NFL points on a 2-point conversion run on Sunday. That came after Carolina running back Chuba Hubbard scored on a 1-yard run and cut Tampa Bay’s lead to three points with 5:02 to play.

On the 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive, Young completed 4-of-5 passes for 55 yards, including a 30-yard connection with wide receiver DJ Chark to the Tampa Bay 8-yard line on a fourth-and-6 snap.

“We struggled there a little early in the second half,” Panthers interim coach Chris Tabor said. “But then we kind of got going. And I was proud of the guys putting together that drive and sustaining that and getting us into the end zone, so we’ll keep chopping wood.”

Carolina regained possession down by three with 3:31 to play. On fourth-and-1 at the Panthers 40-yard line with 2:21 remaining, Young went deep again. This time, on the run and under pressure, Young was intercepted by Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

“That’s just on me to execute, especially in those moments,” Young said.

Tampa Bay then ran out the clock on its fifth victory and the Panthers’ third three-point loss of the season.

“It’s a results-based league,” Young said. “Close isn’t good enough. Yeah, there’s stuff to build on like every week, but we didn’t get it done this week, so we have to keep growing.”

Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown also got fired on Monday. For Sunday’s game, offensive coordinator Thomas Brown replaced Reich as the Panthers’ play-caller. Passing-game coordinator Parks Frazier was moved to quarterbacks coach.

With 282 yards, the Carolina offense had its top total since gaining 296 in a 42-21 loss to the Miami Dolphins six games ago on Oct. 15.

“It’s different people, so you have a little different routine, a little different dialogue,” Young said. “But, ultimately, it’s a lot of similarities. Everyone who’s been here has been an integral part of the offense, a big part of the QB room and everything throughout. So just some people in different roles now, but it’s still the same people.”

Young’s longest completion of the game was a 31-yarder to wide receiver Jonathan Mingo to the Tampa Bay 9-yard line, setting up Hubbard’s first 1-yard touchdown run of the game as Carolina took a 10-7 lead with 5:04 left in the third quarter.

Hubbard became the first Panthers’ ball-carrier to record 100 rushing yards in a game this season with 104 and two touchdowns on 25 carries.

“For the most part, we tried to get the ball out quickly,” Tabor said. “We took some shots downfield. And, obviously, I thought Chuba ran the ball well. So real proud of those guys. Something to build on, and, hopefully, we can make it better next week.”

After Carolina went up by three in the third quarter, the Panthers gave up a 75-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Baker Mayfield to wide receiver Mike Evans on the next snap as the Buccaneers took a 14-10 lead.

The Panthers will stay in the NFC South for their next game. Carolina visits the New Orleans Saints at noon CST Dec. 10. The Saints defeated Carolina 20-17 on Sept. 18 in the second game of Youngs NFL career.

“We can’t control the past, but we know there is importance in the future,” Young said. “There is urgency for all of us as a team, regardless of what the outside world may think. Each game is huge for us. We all have that mindset. I can’t lie and say it’s not frustrating, but, ultimately, that’s not what permeates the locker room. It’s the desire to want to be better, the desire to want to grow and want to play for each other. That’s really what it is in the locker room.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.