Each week after a Buccaneers game, we’ll take a closer look at Tampa Bay’s offensive and defensive snap count distribution and evaluate what we can learn from the players who played the most and least in the game.
Let’s take a closer look at the Buccaneers players who received the most and least snaps during the season. Upset victory They beat the Lions 20-16 on the road on Sunday.
Buccaneers’ attack
Tampa Bay planned to chip block Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, but as Mike Tyson once said, everybody has a plan until they get beaten. The Buccaneers’ plan was to have tight end Cade Otton chip block, to no avail.
On Sunday, the Buccaneers played Otton on 100% of the snaps, something he did often last season. In the first game of the year, Otton played 86% of the snaps in Week 1, but yesterday he played 48 snaps, seven fewer than the 55 snaps he played last week. Otton nearly had a touchdown on the opening drive of the game, but was stopped by Brian Branch. Technically there was no catch, but Baker Mayfield threw the ball to Otton as he was about to be sacked, and he was quickly tackled, resulting in a four-yard loss that counted as a rushing attempt.
Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin – Photo courtesy of USA Today
The wide receiver snaps were perfectly symmetrical, with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan all completing the snaps at a 79% success rate. This shows how much they trust McMillan and how offensive coordinator Liam Cohen runs an 11-man formation (also known as a three receiver, one tight end formation). Godwin had a big first half with seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown, while Evans and McMillan came into their own in the second half. McMillan’s lone catch was for 21 yards in the third quarter, sparking a drive that ended with a 20-yarder. Baker Mayfield scores game-winning rushing touchdown.
Running back Rachad White missed some of the game with a groin injury but still played twice as many snaps as Bucky Irving, with White playing 34 (71%) and Irving playing 17 (35%).
That’s an increase in Irving’s usage, and that’s a good thing. They used the “Pony” package a little more, which is a formation that puts both running backs on the field at the same time, and they did score a touchdown using that personnel on a 41-yard touchdown run to Chris Godwin in the first half. Good things seem to happen when they’re on the field together.
Buccaneers Defense
Much credit should go to defensive tackle Greg Gaines, who has assumed a lot of the responsibility behind nose tackle. Vita Vair He missed the remaining games. Gaines typically plays about 25 snaps per game, but was asked to play more in the first two games of the season due to injuries to other players. Gaines participated in 78% of the defensive plays on 66 snaps. The next closest defensive linemen to Vea were Logan Hall on 35% and Will Gholston on 32%.
Buccaneers ILB Cervosia Dennis and Lions RB Jameel Gibbs – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Every week there seems to be a committee format at inside linebacker between KJ Britt and Servosia Dennis. Last week it was Britt at 66% to Dennis’s 36%. This time it was pretty close with Dennis at 52% to Britt’s 48%. Game plans will no doubt change the outcome between these two this week against the Broncos. Dennis was outstanding again, recording 11 tackles in the game, the second-most on the Buccaneers.
The outside linebacker rotation was largely the same, with the exception of Chris Braswell, whose role was cut in 21% of the games, just halved. That likely had something to do with the Buccaneers using Yaya Diaby more after he was tapered off last week. Diaby’s snap count rose to 76% on Sunday.
Fully healthy cornerback Zion McCollum and inside linebacker Lavonte David played every snap, along with cornerback Jamel Dean. Also in that group was defensive back Christian Izien, who played in place of free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Izien played all 85 snaps and played a vital role, including a key interception in the second half that had a major impact on the game.
