The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will head on the road to take on the Carolina Panthers in Week 7 for a must-win divisional showdown that could make or break the Bucs' hopes of turning the season around and making a late push for the NFC South title.
To get a better feel for what the Buccaneers are up against on Sunday, I went behind enemy lines and spoke to Hayden Shapiro, who covers the Panthers for EnforceTheSport.
I gained some valuable intel on how Carolina might try to attack the Buccaneers, and conversely, which matchups could favor Tampa Bay.
Carolina Panthers writer previews Tampa Bay Buccaneers matchup: Bryce Young, Rueben Bain Jr. and more
Q: The Panthers have seemingly taken the training wheels off Bryce Young, who’s putting together a career year while averaging a whopping 40 pass attempts per game. What has changed in Young’s game that has allowed him to thrive in this more aggressive, pass-heavy offense, and what should concern Buccaneers fans most about his development heading into Week 7?
A: Bryce Young is not just throwing the ball a ton, but he’s doing it with pinpoint accuracy. Sure, having two 6-foot-3 or taller receivers helps, but his confidence and command have taken huge steps this offseason. When Young won the Heisman at Alabama, he was an improviser. In Offensive Coordinator Brad Idzik’s new RPO-heavy scheme, the former number one overall pick can be exactly that. He’s able to thrive in this aggressive, downfield offense because he is allowed to make plays by himself. For Bucs fans – watch short in-breaking routes to second-year wideout Tetairoa McMillan. While the former Wildcat might not do much damage after the catch, his savvy and route-running prowess allow him to sit in zones and confuse defenses.
Q: The Panthers currently boast the NFL’s No. 1 passing offense, No. 2 total offense, and No. 4 scoring offense at 29.2 points per game. This is night and day from last year; where the Panthers ranked towards the bottom in all of these categories. Is this a result of Dave Canales giving up play-calling duties to Brad Idzik, or is there something else contributing to the Panthers’ offensive breakout that Buccaneers fans should know about ahead of this matchup?
A: I think the main thing is the weapons that Young has in his holster; Jalen Coker has been remarkable when healthy, the aforementioned McMillan is one of the league’s premier wideouts at just 23-years-old, and Chuba Hubbard is running harder than he ever has. Having a capable runner like Hubbard is crucial to sell RPOs and play-action fakes, so his stability and power have been a huge help. Idzik is creative, and so is Young. The two clearly understand each other, and it could hurt the Bucs.
Q: The Buccaneers won the NFC South for four straight seasons from 2021-24 before the Panthers snatched the crown last season, and they’re in position to win the division again. Is there a growing belief in Carolina that this is their division for the foreseeable future?
A: I think the optimism from fans comes from the Panthers winning while their secondary is depleted, and of course with how well Young is playing. Carolina houses arguably the best cornerback duo across the NFL in Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson – they both landed on Injured Reserve after Week 2. The team shifted to putting trust in backups and rookies, which has worked out thus far. This next-man-up mentality has been missing forever in Charlotte; seeing that is really nice and will only help the Panthers in the future.
Q: Do the Panthers have a clear personnel weakness or a specific matchup that the Buccaneers can exploit on Sunday?
A: Akayleb Evans has been starting opposite rookie Will Lee III at corner. Not only has Evans been picked on, but it’s working. Jameson Williams left with 100+ yards on Sunday Night Football in Week Four, and Devonta Smith got into a rhythm when Evans was across from him. The former fourth-rounder out of Mizzou is just trying to keep things in front of him, which allows for chunk plays. If Emeka Egbuka gets work on him, it could genuinely turn the game sideways.
Q: Vice versa, is there a weakness the Buccaneers have that you expect the Panthers to take advantage of?
A: I think the clear matchup to watch is on the edge. Rueben Bain Jr. continues to take jabs from the media, but he’s doing his job. He sets the edge well and can occupy two blockers from his edge rusher position. The Panthers got back starting right tackle Taylor Moton last week. At his best, Moton is one of the best pass protectors in the league, yet Bain Jr. and him have never faced off. Also pay attention to see if McMillan gets any reps against Bucs corner Zyon McCollum, who is questionable.
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