Week 7 gave the Buccaneers a snap-count snapshot you don’t usually get in a tight game: a blowout, a deep rotation, and plenty of clues about how Tampa Bay used its pieces in a 43-13 road win over the Panthers.
The one constant on offense was the line. Center Graham Barton and tackle Ben Chukwuma, filling in for Luke Goedeke, were the only two Bucs who played every offensive snap. Beyond that, Tampa Bay leaned hard into the run and barely asked Baker Mayfield to carry the load in his return to the lineup, with the quarterback throwing just 11 times.
That approach paid off in a big way. Bucky Irving led the backfield with 106 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Kenny Gainwell turned in his best game of the season with 88 yards and a 6.3-yard average per carry, and Sean Tucker added a 46-yard touchdown run. Irving logged 59% of the offensive snaps, Gainwell came in at 30%, and Tucker was on the field for 14%.
At receiver, Chris Godwin Jr. led the group in snaps with Emeka Eguka out. Tez Johnson wasn’t far behind at 65%, while Ted Hurst III finished at 56%.
With the run game controlling the afternoon, there wasn’t much volume through the air, but Johnson still made his mark by leading the team with 33 receiving yards and scoring a touchdown. He’s been the definition of a player taking advantage of his chances, stepping into the “next man up” role and delivering when called on.
The lopsided score also opened the door for more bodies at tight end. Bauer Sharp’s 16 offensive snaps were the most he has played in his career, while Cade Otton got a little bit of a breather as the Bucs pulled away.
On defense, the outside linebacker rotation was more interesting than usual. David Walker played 54% of the snaps, which put him second at the position behind Rueben Bain Jr., who led the group at 66%. Yaya Diaby’s workload dipped to 39%, Al-Quadin Muhammad was at 29%, and Anthony Nelson checked in at 18%.
Diaby made the most of his chances, turning in his best game in a long time with three sacks. Muhammad also made a major play, stripping Bryce Young, with defensive tackle Calijah Kancey scooping it up and taking it in for a touchdown. That made it back-to-back games with five sacks for Tampa Bay, and four of those sacks came from the outside linebackers on Sunday.
Whether that distribution sticks is still an open question, especially with the game effectively decided early and some veterans getting extra rest. The Bucs will get another chance to answer that next week against Atlanta.
Tampa Bay also mixed in more 4-3 looks than its usual 3-4 base, putting another inside linebacker on the field. That adjustment didn’t fully work, though, with SirVocea Dennis surrendering a 50-yard touchdown to Panthers tight end Darren Waller. Dennis played just 12% of the snaps, which may help explain the usage.
Up front, the whole defensive line was in the rotation because of the game’s flow, but the top names still made their presence felt. Vita Vea recorded a sack, and Kancey added the scoop-and-score to the box score.
The secondary had a day, too. Cornerback Zyon McCollum returned a blocked extra point for two points and added an interception, while safety Tykee Smith was the one who blocked the kick and later snagged an interception of his own.
It was another strong showing from a defense that has been working together well enough to keep Tampa Bay competitive in the NFC South.
In Other News...
Bucs May Have Found The Identity Todd Bowles Has Been Chasing
Todd Bowles has spent much of the season talking about the kind of team he wants the Buccaneers to be, and Sunday in the 43-13 win over Carolina offered another clear example of the blueprint. Tampa Bay leaned into its running game, stayed physical and handled the Panthers with the sort of discipline Bowles has pushed for since camp, turning a lopsided division win into another sign that the offense can impose its will when the ground game is humming.
Bucky Irving has become a big reason why. The second-year back has climbed to eighth in the NFL in rushing yards and is on pace for a career-best season after last years injuries slowed him down, giving the Bucs a runner who can keep drives moving and help control games. With the backfield producing and the offense looking more balanced, the bigger question now is whether this version of Tampa Bay can keep that edge when the competition tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Suddenly Have A Trade Deadline Decision Fans Didn't Expect
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One possible name being tossed into that conversation is Philadelphias Zack Baun, a player whose recent rise has made him a natural fit for teams looking to upgrade the middle of the defense. The question for Tampa Bay is whether the cost of making that kind of move matches the urgency of its season, since any pursuit would have to line up with both the salary and the draft capital such a deal would demand. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Win Didn't Silence One Big Baker Mayfield Debate
The Buccaneers win over Carolina gave them a needed lift and nudged the record to 2-5, but it did not erase the larger conversation around how this roster is built around Baker Mayfield. The offense has had enough moments to stay competitive, yet the long view still points toward the same question Tampa Bay has been wrestling with: how much help can the quarterback realistically expect from the players around him?
One recent evaluation of the roster frames the next stretch of team building around the skill positions, where the Bucs need more impact and consistency to take pressure off Mayfield. There are still contract questions, current production to weigh, and younger pieces trying to establish themselves, but the bigger concern is whether Tampa Bay can keep asking the passing game to carry so much of the load without adding more difference-makers on the outside and at tight end. [Read more 🡒]