By james art Each week after each Bucs game, we’ll take a closer look at the current number distribution for Tampa Bay on offense and defense. We’ll weigh in on what we can learn from who played the most and least in the game.
Let’s take a closer look at the Bucs players who received the highest and lowest number of snaps in their brutal 41-31 loss to the Ravens on Monday Night Football, in which injuries to star wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin could affect the rest of their season.
Bucs offense
It was the first opportunity to see the newly vaunted “three-headed monster” for the Bucs of Rachaad White, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker with White back in the lineup. They all definitely had their impact of the game when Tampa Bay rushed for 125 yards against Baltimore with 92 coming from the back three. White was also second on the team in receiving with 71 yards on six catches, scoring twice.
The amount of photos was spread out in a fairly even fashion. White led the running backs with 48% of the snaps, but Irving and Tucker were not far behind with 35% and 20% respectively. White had 10 rushing attempts compared to five each for Irving and Tucker. While White led with 40 rushing yards, Tucker had the best yards per attempt average with 5.8 and Irving had the best yards per catch with 18. All three running backs played their roles well and that’s a great sign that moving forward given that they’ll need all three with the wide receiver injuries.
Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: USA Today
It was a devastating night for the Bucs wide reception room it goes beyond just this game. Mike Evans left in the second after aggravating a hamstring injury that left him writhing in pain after an incomplete pass. Evans was able to walk away under his own power, but he looked bad.
To make matters worse, Chris Godwin was tackled with less than a minute left and the Bucks were down 10 points, suffering a horrific ankle injury. Initial reports indicated that Godwin had sprained his ankle. He was put in an air cast and had to be taken off the field. He’s probably out for the year.
Because it happened so late in the game, Godwin’s save percentages stayed the same at 85%. Evans was only available for 28 percent due to his hamstring injury. Initially, when Evans and Godwin were available, Jaylen McMillan was the third wide receiver to line up with them, but after Evans went out, Trey Palmer played the most. Palmer finished with 72% and McMillan with 60%. Sterling Shepard played 45% despite being the most productive of those three in the previous weeks.
With backup Payne Durham out, rookie Devin Culp made his NFL debut. He didn’t play much, only coming in for one snap as well as the backup to Justin Skule, coming in as an extra blocker. Cade Otton played his typical amount on 98% of the snaps and led the Bucs with eight catches for 100 yards while taking some tough hits throughout.
Bucs defense
Rookie corner Tyrek Funderburk was thrown right into it, playing 100% of the snaps in his first career start. He joined Zyon McCollum, KJ Britt, Lavonte David and Antoine Winfield Jr. like other players who have gone all the way. Funderburk made five tackles in the game.
Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby and Ravens QB Lamar Jackson – Photo by: USA Today
Jordan Whitehead is usually close to 100%, but he ended up playing only 75%, which was a surprise. It was his second-lowest of the season behind the Week 5 game in Atlanta, where he shot 69 percent, but he left that game early with an injury. In this match he played all the time. Tykee Smith’s numbers also dropped because he left the game with a concussion. He ended up playing 24% and backup nickel Christian Isien played 17%.
Another surprise in the game was outside linebacker Yaya Diaby not leading the Bucs’ outside linebackers at times. this actually went to Joe Tryon-Shoyinka with 66%, with Diaby in second place with 59%. Anthony Nelson played almost the same amount as Diaby at 61%, but there was a big jump after that for Christian Braswell, who came in on 36% of the snaps.
Diaby had five tackles and a sack. JTS recorded four tackles and two tackles for loss. Nelson had two tackles and one made by Braswell.
Calijah Kancey was a workhorse for the Bucs on defense, playing in 73% of the snaps. It was the seventh most of anyone on defense and without a doubt the most of any defensive tackle. Vea Vea’s 64% was similar to his usual amount, and Ernest Brown got a good share of the snaps at 27%, which was slightly less than Greg Gaines (34%) but slightly more than Will Gholston (19%). Brown has found his way into the Bucs defensive line rotation moving forward.