After one more primetime loss on Sunday night time, the 8-7 Bucs need to bounce again in a rush as they return dwelling to Raymond James Stadium on Sunday afternoon to host the 4-11 Panthers. Tampa Bay nonetheless has a shot on the NFC South and the playoffs, however it must handle enterprise towards Carolina this week and New Orleans within the season finale.
Even with their loss to the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Week 16, the Bucs completed the common season 5-3 on the highway. Now, they’ll look to win out in Weeks 17 and 18 to complete above .500 at dwelling. They’re presently 3-4 at Ray Jay this 12 months, although they did beat the Raiders 28-13 the final time they performed in entrance of the house followers.
A win for Todd Bowles and his workforce would get them to 9-7 and put some strain on the Falcons, who hit the highway to play the Commanders on Sunday Evening Soccer.
Let’s dive into what may resolve this matchup, in addition to some key gamers to observe on this rematch of that Week 13 thriller in Charlotte.
What Would possibly Resolve This Bucs-Panthers Matchup?
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: USA In the present day
The Bucs nonetheless scored 24 factors in Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys, however the offense didn’t look as environment friendly because it had been trying throughout the four-game successful streak. Drives have been too usually killed by drops, penalties, sacks, turnovers or a normal lack of execution. Largely every little thing was trying troublesome on offense for Tampa Bay, which was the other of what went on when the workforce put up 40 factors in a highway win over the Chargers the earlier week. As they return dwelling to host the Panthers and their struggling protection, the Bucs offense must get again on observe.
Baker Mayfield can’t afford to show the ball over the best way he did within the final assembly with the Panthers, and he can’t run into sacks the best way he did too usually towards the Cowboys. When he’s decisive and in rhythm – as he was on the ultimate drive of the primary half towards Dallas and as he was later when the Bucs reduce the deficit to 26-24 within the fourth – he’s harmful.
The Bucs want that Mayfield on Sunday. If they will get that model of him from the bounce and the offense can muster up an opening-drive landing, it may go a good distance. Tampa Bay is 0-6 when its opponents rating first this 12 months and 8-1 when it scores first.
What may also help Mayfield is that his present prime two receivers are using sizzling streaks proper now. Mike Evans has 31 catches for 477 yards and three touchdowns within the workforce’s 5 video games for the reason that bye week, and he simply went for 112 yards and a landing towards the Panthers at first of this month. Mayfield and offensive coordinator Liam Coen have to do what they will to get Evans concerned early and sometimes on this matchup. Rookie Jalen McMillan is coming into his personal as properly, as he has 14 catches for 191 yards and 4 touchdowns during the last three weeks. Getting tight finish Cade Otton again within the lineup can be a assist, too.
The Bucs could also be clever to as soon as once more lean on the run towards the Panthers, who come into play permitting 175.2 yards per sport on the bottom – which ranks useless final within the NFL. Bucky Irving ran for a career-high 152 yards on Carolina earlier this month, and Rachaad White added 76 yards of his personal. Tampa Bay ran for 236 yards in that victory in Charlotte.
Panthers QB Bryce Younger and Bucs DT Calijah Kancey – Photograph by: USA In the present day
Defensively, the Bucs have to get to the quarterback and create some turnovers. Every part regarded straightforward for Cooper Rush and the Cowboys offense on Sunday within the passing sport, and Todd Bowles‘ group has to bounce again this week. It’ll as soon as once more be trying to cease the run the best way it has in current weeks, and it’s honest to count on a good bit of Chuba Hubbard from the Panthers. However cross protection and an absence of constant strain on the quarterback are clearly the largest issues for Tampa Bay proper now, which is one thing that Dave Canales will look to take advantage of.
On that entrance, quarterback Bryce Younger will probably be trying to create among the explosive performs that served him and the Panthers so properly after they almost beat the Bucs in Week 13. In that sport, Younger had a 38-yard completion to Tommy Tremble, one other to Tremble for 19 yards, one to Xavier Legette for 21 and a 25-yard landing cross to Adam Thielen. Between these and among the intermediate throws he was hitting from 15-20 yards, the second-year quarterback was discovering holes within the Tampa Bay protection. He’ll look to try this once more on Sunday.
After all, what the Bucs protection will probably be on the lookout for is what Younger will probably be trying to keep away from. The previous Heisman Trophy winner has proven vital enchancment during the last month and a half or so, however simply two weeks in the past he confirmed that issues can nonetheless crumble for him and spiral uncontrolled. Within the Panthers’ 30-14 loss to the Cowboys in Week 15, Younger threw two interceptions, misplaced two fumbles and was sacked six instances. That was a step again for him, and it’s one thing the Bucs will look to duplicate this weekend. Whether or not this Buccaneer protection is able to such a efficiency? That is still to be seen.
Defensively, the Panthers have largely been a multitude. They’re useless final in scoring protection, thirty first in whole protection and useless final in rush protection. They do rank tenth towards the cross, however this can be a unit that’s struggling big-time. Carolina has allowed 30+ factors in eight video games this 12 months, and it’s 1-7 in these video games. Though the one win did come final week, this isn’t a protection that may win a number of video games. They don’t get after the quarterback properly sufficient, and security Xavier Woods is the one defender with a number of interceptions this season (three, together with one off Mayfield in Week 13).
Key Gamers To Watch
Bucs RB Bucky Irving Photograph by: USA In the present day
Bucky Irving continues to be a key determine on this Bucs offense, and contemplating he simply set profession highs in carries (25) and yards (152) towards this Panthers protection that ranks useless final towards the run, he’ll be one to observe once more on Sunday. Irving has confirmed over the second half of the season that he might be greater than a spark for Tampa Bay’s offense – he might be its driving drive.
The rookie is 80 yards away from changing into the franchise’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Doug Martin in 2015. He might have shot to hit that mark come Sunday and attain the feat with a sport to spare.
Vita Vea has persistently been the Bucs’ finest defender this season. He has already set a brand new profession excessive with 9 tackles for loss in 14 video games this season, plus he has six sacks, which leaves him one away from setting a brand new profession excessive. He and Calijah Kancey (who has 6.5 sacks himself) have performed a lot of the work for Tampa Bay’s cross rush this 12 months, because the protection isn’t getting sufficient strain off the sting. Vea has been a drive up the center each as a cross rusher and a run stuffer, and he’s really put collectively top-of-the-line years of his profession at age 29.
Tampa Bay didn’t have an effect on Cooper Rush in any respect in Sunday’s loss to Dallas, and it’ll need to do a greater job of placing strain on Bryce Younger this Sunday. Vea should play a key position in that, plus he’ll need to proceed to be robust towards the run as Carolina seems to be to get Chuba Hubbard going the best way it did when he ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns in final week’s win over Arizona.
Bucs CB Zyon McCollum and Panthers TE Tommy Tremble – Photograph by: USA In the present day
On the Panthers’ aspect of issues, the offensive focus right here is on tight finish Tommy Tremble. For no matter cause, Tremble has the Bucs’ quantity. His general profession manufacturing isn’t all that particular, however he performs higher towards Tampa Bay than every other workforce within the league. He has extra targets, catches and yards towards Todd Bowles‘ protection than every other protection within the NFL, with 15 catches on 21 targets for 179 yards. He has eight touchdowns in 4 seasons, and two have come towards the Bucs. At this level, it wouldn’t shock anybody if he has one other large sport towards them this Sunday.
Again in Week 13, Tremble caught 5 passes for 77 yards (15.4 avg.), with an extended of 38. He has a approach of getting free towards this Buccaneer protection, which should do a greater job towards him this time round.
Xavier Woods has been the Panthers’ do-it-all-playmaker on protection this season. Baker Mayfield is aware of this, as Woods acquired him for an interception earlier this month. The veteran security has crammed up the stat sheet for Carolina, as he has a team-high 102 tackles (64 solo), two tackles for loss, 5 passes defensed and a team-high three interceptions. He did enable a landing within the loss to the Cowboys two weeks in the past, however he’s allowed 10 catches on 17 targets for less than 45 yards during the last six video games.
Carolina’s cross protection is far stronger than its run protection, and Woods is a part of that along with his three interceptions and 5 passes defensed. Jaycee Horn (13 passes defensed, one interception) and Michael Jackson (14 passes defensed, one interception) are the opposite two central figures within the Panther secondary, which will probably be trying to drive Mayfield into some errors on Sunday afternoon.
