CHARLOTTE — There was plenty of attention for rookie safety Lathan Ransom for his game-clinching interception, and he deserved it.

But for the Panthers in an emotional 23-20 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday, there were heroes everywhere you looked, and not necessarily from the normal places.

There were rookies in big spots all over the place, from Tetairoa McMillan's touchdown to Ryan Fitzgerald's game-winning field goal (his fourth of the season).

There were replacements all over the defense, from linebacker Christian Rozeboom getting the green dot and leading a stingy effort all day, to guys like Claudin Cherelus stepping into the starting lineup for an injured Trevin Wallace.

"I think it's just being held accountable," Cherelus said with a grin as he surveyed the room. "We're holding each other accountable, and it starts from the top down.

"Our culture is we don't flinch when somebody goes down, because at the end of the day somebody's got to step in, somebody's got to play, so I think that's just what it is, guys taking accountability for what they've got to do."

The results were evident throughout the defense, which held Baker Mayfield to 145 passing yards, and made the key plays late.

Rozeboom took over calling the signals with Wallace injured, and tied for the team lead with 10 tackles and a sack. Cherelus jumped in next to him and had seven tackles, evidence of the adjusting on the fly across the board.

"Yeah, it's the right kind of guys in the locker room," Rozeboom said. "It's a belief in themselves, and then it's the coaches putting people in spots that they can be successful and instilling that belief in everybody that steps on that field.

"And I really think every guy that steps on that field has that confidence that they can get the job done — yeah, just the right type of dudes in this locker room."

The work has been intentional, as the Panthers have 11 rookies on the current 53-man roster, 10 of them in uniform on Sunday. That was on purpose as the Panthers build this team, and they're in the top three in the league in games played by rookies.

So whether it's McMillan making big plays, or second-rounder Nic Scourton becoming a defensive mainstay at the ripe old age of 21, this is something they're getting used to.

"It's just a testament to the coaches putting us in the best positions and then it's a testament to the guys, whenever we get called," Scourton said. "You have to step up, man, and that's what guys did today.

Throughout the season, Panthers head coach Dave Canales has invested in young players, and talked about injuries as "opportunities" rather than obstacles to be overcome.

"Couldn't be at a better time, and it's why we play these guys," Canales said. "It's why we believe in them and we live through the bumps along the road with having young players out there. At this time of year, they're young, they're strong, we had a bye week to get our legs back, and, and they, they look that way. They look fast.

"We had an aggressive style of play today, so I'm really proud of those young guys coming through."

Having trust in those young players came through on both sides of the ball.

McMillan had been in a bit of a slump, with just five catches in the last three weeks combined.

But when it mattered most, he had six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown, and the faith quarterback Bryce Young has shown in him was proven prescient.

"I don't know, shoot, it's just obviously Bryce trusting me," McMillan said. "Then, the game plan, obviously, the last couple of weeks have been slow, but I trust in the process, I trust in their game plan, and it just so happened to be today where I was a little bit more involved, and I'm super grateful for it."