Each week after every Bucs game, we’ll take a closer look at the snap count distribution for the Tampa Bay offense and defense. We’ll assess what we can learn from who played the most and least from the game.

Here is a closer view of of which players received the highest and lowest number of snaps in the Bucs’ 21-3 loss on Sunday afternoon against the Panthers in Week 7.

Bucs Offense

We have to start with whatever it is that the Bucs were doing at left guard, right? While struggling rookie Luke Goedeke started the game, he was replaced by Nick Leverett in the first half. But then, out of nowhere, Goedeke was back in the game. Leverett had to be injured, right? Nope, and he later went back into the game, only for the coaches to put in Goedeke one more time after that. It was a revolving door, and the question is why would they keep rotating these players?

Bucs LG Luke Goedeke – Photo by: USA Today

Goedeke played 48 of 67 snaps and Leverett had 20. The Bucs have to decide on one or the other. Continuously changing guys in and out for the sake of it doesn’t do the team any favors. And it should be Leverett that gets the start on Thursday against the Ravens.

The Bucs used more formations with three tight ends on the field than they had previously. They tried to give the Panthers different looks and even threw it with Ko Kieft on the field. Kieft saw an upgrade in snaps this week with 18 and Kyle Rudolph even got eight snaps while making one reception. Cade Otton had the third-highest number of snaps out of the skill players at 81% and was second on the team in receiving yards with 64 on 4 catches.

Chris Godwin had the most playing time at receiver with 94%, but that was because Mike Evans injured what looked to be his elbow in the first half. He did return a couple of moments later. Outside of Russell Gage’s 41 snaps, the Bucs showed very little interest in using any of their other receivers as Breshad Perriman, Scotty Miller and Jaelon Darden all combined for 22 plays.

I liked the rotation at running back on Sunday. Leonard Fournette only out-snapped Rachaad White 40 to 29, or 60% to 43%. Quite frankly, White was the better back of the two in the game. I wouldn’t have any complaints if they moved that margin even closer on Thursday.

Bucs Defense

Tampa Bay didn’t have many choices at corner other than to play rookie fifth-round pick Zyon McCollum with Carlton Davis III and Sean Murphy-Bunting out. In his first career start and just third career game, McCollum played 100% of the 50 defensive snaps and struggled throughout. The Bucs also could’ve elected to use Dee Delaney, who played 11 snaps.

Bucs NT Vita Vea and LB Lavonte David – Photo by: USA Today

Things also were skewed when Antoine Winfield Jr. left the game with a concussion. The Bucs still had Mike Edwards and Keanu Neal available at safety. Edwards played every snap and Neal was on for 81% of them. It’s a short week coming up, so it would be surprising if Winfield is available on Thursday with such a serious injury. The Bucs continue to be banged up in the secondary.

I’ve been asking for Vita Vea to get more playing time each week and he accounted for 70% of the snaps, but he wasn’t too impactful outside of a sack in the first half. The defensive line continues to use the rotation of Will Gholston, Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Logan Hall with a mix of Deadrin Senat, although the Bucs were once again gouged on the ground for 173 yards.

Todd Bowles said that they had “two busts” in the game that led essentially to the huge number. However, in three out of their last four games, the Bucs have allowed over 150 rushing yards to their opponents. This isn’t an outlier anymore, it’s a common trend that needs to change.