Ronald Jones breaks off an unreal 98-yard touchdown run

Ronald Jones broke the game open for the Bucs in stunning fashion.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had been a close battle with the Carolina Panthers, but Ronald Jones gave them command of the NFC South clash by rumbling 98 yards for a third-quarter touchdown.

Jones broke off by far the longest run of his NFL career at a pivotal moment in a tight game, with the Bucs leading 20-17 but backed up against their own endzone.

He gave Tampa Bay breathing room in every sense, shaking off two arm tackles after taking the hand-off from Tom Brady and then showing the speed to outrun Jeremy Chinn and put the Buccaneers 26-17 ahead, with the extra point no good.

Jones had previously been enduring a difficult day. After carrying the ball three times for nine yards in the blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 9, Jones fumbled on the first possession against the Panthers, setting Carolina up for the opening score.

Teddy Bridgewater was intercepted on the first play of the subsequent drive after the touchdown, with the Buccaneers converting that turnover into a field goal to make it a 29-17 lead that was later extended to 32-17.

While Week 10 has seen the Buccaneers produce their third below-par showing in as many games, the result is all that will matter to Bruce Arians as Tampa Bay fights for playoff position.

Having been swept by the Saints, another division loss to the Panthers is something the Buccaneers can ill-afford.

Jones looks to have made sure they will not slip to a surprise defeat and, for a team with as many passing-game threats as the Buccaneers, Jones showing his big-play threat in such devastating fashion should help their offense become more unpredictable with teams required to give greater respect to a run game that had been mediocre up until he broke into the secondary.