The Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved to 2-5 with a dismantling of the Carolina Panthers, and their two wins on the season have one glaring thing in common.
In their wins over the Cowboys and Panthers, the Buccaneers established a strong running game in each contest, totaling over 240 rushing yards in both games.
The Bucs have a talented running back stable led by Bucky Irving, and when the offensive line and tight ends win the battle in the trenches and open up holes in the running game, this is a tough offense to stop. The Buccaneers are a run-first team, and that winning formula is staring them in the face.
Buccaneers have found their identity as a smashmouth rushing team
For years, the Buccaneers’ identity was built around an explosive passing attack, getting the ball in the hands of their dynamic wide receivers and pushing it downfield. But with Mike Evans out of the picture and the passing game failing to consistently threaten opponents this season, it’s time for Tampa Bay to embrace a new identity.
In Week 7, Zac Robinson did his best job of the season at finding a way to utilize all three of his running backs.
Bucky Irving led the way with 106 yards and two touchdowns, while Kenny Gainwell rushed for 88 yards and Sean Tucker added 52 yards and a touchdown.
Tampa Bay had a whopping 47 rush attempts for 261 yards against the Panthers, not counting Jalon Daniels’ quarterback kneels at the end of the game.
The blockers up front snatched the souls of the Panthers’ defense and allowed the ground game to rack up a season-high in rushing yards. It was a statement win for Tampa Bay as they demoralized Carolina for four quarters.
If the Buccaneers can run the ball like this consistently week in and week out, this offense will be incredibly difficult to stop, and they have the personnel to make it happen. A rushing attack this efficient allows the Bucs to wear down opposing defenses while keeping their own defense fresh, all while dominating the time of possession and keeping the opposing offense off the field.
It’s the formula behind Tampa Bay’s only two victories on the season, and it’s the key to stringing together more wins going forward. The Bucs have the blueprint right in front of them, and they need to lean into their identity as a smashmouth, physical offense and let their running game lead the way.
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