The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ran all over the Carolina Panthers en route to a season saving rivalry victory over the team that broke their hearts for the NFC South crown last season. Tampa ran the ball more than 80 percent of the time in historic fashion, and while Bucky Irving led the way, Kenny Gainwell had his best game as a Buccaneer, too, as all three of the Bucs running backs went off against a soft Panthers defense.
Gainwell carried the rock 14 times for 88 yards, beating out his previous season high of just 18 yards on 4 carries a couple of weeks prior in that win over the Cowboys. Funny enough, it was Gainwell's only game without a reception, and he has surprisingly never caught the ball more than three times in a single game and has only registered 20 receiving yards once in the 2026 campaign.
The Buccaneers could be doing a lot more with Gainwell out of the backfield this season. Against the Panthers, they probably already found out the merits of giving him the ball on the ground, and they've still yet to fully unlock him in the passing game.
Kenny Gainwell is being underused by the Buccaneers
Even though Zac Robinson loves his screens, he hasn't really schemed one of his best YAC guys into space to do some real damage. Gainwell was one of the NFL's best receiving backs, catching 73 passes for the Steelers last season. But Tampa Bay inexplicably hasn't taken advantage of that skillset.
With Baker Mayfield now just two games into his return from an injury and eased back into slinging the ball, a playmaker with the ball in his hands out of the backfield like Gainwell becomes even more important.
And the matchup against the Atlanta Falcons defense dictates that Gainwell gets the rock more. Atlanta allows more passing yards proportionately than rushing yards, but they actually have a very talented secondary in terms of cornerbacks and safeties who can cover receivers and make plays on the ball.
But their linebackers struggle in coverage and won't be able to handle someone like Gainwell who can even split out and catch passes down the field, as he often did for Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh.
Tampa Bay needs to take advantage of that and use Gainwell as a chess piece against Atlanta, because his ability to get in space and make guys miss as a rusher and receiver could prove to be the biggest difference for Mayfield and the Bucs in getting a much-needed W vs. their NFC South rivals.
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