The last time the Bucs played the Panthers in Week 16, offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard admitted that the gameplan put in place did not work out. Tampa Bay met its goal of controlling the clock and rushing it 33 times for 169 yards, but the unit mustered just 20 points.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield’s abilities were neutralized with this plan in place, similar to how the military found a way to limit “Eleven” throughout Stranger Things Season 5 by finding her Kryptonite (no spoilers here).

To better utilize Mayfield heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale, Grizzard discussed his plan this time around and answered a variety of questions about how No. 6 can put it all together to help Tampa Bay climb out of the “Upside Down.”

How Does Josh Grizzard Want Bucs’ Offense To Attack Panthers Defense?

The Bucs have been just 1-7 in the second half of the year, playing uninspired football and looking completely unlike the team they were early on. That has led to plenty of criticism being put on the coaches, who have repeatedly pointed to the execution not being there. Definitive answers have yet to reveal themselves, and there is no more time to start searching.

Bucs OC Josh Grizzard – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

That point is driven home by playing the Panthers again in Week 18. Having seen Carolina so recently, it puts both teams in a situation where they have seen each other and know what to expect. There has not been a long stretch to drastically change, so it will come down to execution being paramount to success.

“It’s definitely unique, just because it is so recent,” Grizzard said about seeing the Panthers so soon. “It’s not like we’re going to change much of our scheme; they’re not going to change much of their scheme. We know who they are in terms of the players and the scheme and really where they’re going to be. You have to be able to dress things up and have different wrinkles… It’s also nice because when you prepare for a team and it’s the first time we’ve played them, there’s a ton of tape. Now, you’re really only getting the Seattle game to go through and see what kind of adjustments they make.

“It’s really going to come down to execution from their end of it and our end of it, once you kick it off, to see how we’ve changed slightly and how they’ve changed slightly and then being able to adjust in-game to see what their plan is and what our plan is to ultimately go down there and score some points.”

One adjustment many have been clamoring for is to not be so predictable, especially running the football. It became apparent what Tampa Bay would do and when they would do it the last time around, as there was minimal variety with first down runs and mixing in the passing game. Baker Mayfield was held to just 145 passing yards on 26 attempts, with a large chunk of his yards coming from a 40-yard catch by Emeka Egbuka.

After seeing how Mayfield was held back from slinging the football, will there be a change about the offense being so run-heavy?

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and RT Luke Goedeke – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Bob Donnan

“Really, with every week we play, we want to try to establish the run early,” Grizzard said. “When it comes to how much that’s going to happen, how efficient those are…We talked last time about earning the right to run the ball that many times – whether it’s versus Carolina or anybody we play – where if you’re able to be efficient and explosive then you earn the right to be able to keep the pressure on them by running it. We always want to be able to start the games like that and then be able to adjust as it goes. We’ll see how it shakes out on Saturday.”

With that, it sounds like the emphasis early remains on pounding the rock. Depending on the success of doing so there needs to be, as Grizzard mentioned, adjustments made. Not being stubborn, not sticking with it just to control the clock with 2-yard runs, but adapting on the fly and finding different ways to move the football.

That is where Mayfield comes in.

Josh Grizzard Discusses What Has Affected Baker Mayfield

It is not a coincidence that the Bucs’ losses have added up at the same time that Baker Mayfield’s play has leveled off. It seems like many moons ago that Mayfield was the talk of the NFL, with that conversation coming and going. As of late, the discussion has evolved into what has affected him. He has been listed on the injury report on a near-weekly basis, while his efficiency has waned. Even in games where he completes a high percentage of his passes – such as going 33 of 44 (75%) and throwing for 346 yards with two touchdowns against the Dolphins last week – all of his efforts are negated by throwing one or two costly interceptions.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Nathan Ray Seebeck

To be clear, it is far from being all on Mayfield. Still, Josh Grizzard had to answer a handful of questions about what is going on with his quarterback. Compared to last season, his numbers have cratered, and he has failed to deliver lately after once leading the way. Is that a product of being worn down physically, or something else?

“I wouldn’t necessarily put [that] on a couple of the interceptions as of late,” Grizzard said about injuries playing a role in Mayfield’s performance. “He plays the game very hard, as we see…He practices hard, he’s in the meeting rooms, he conducts himself like that in the meeting rooms as well. Ultimately, you don’t want to see him take those shots. Being able to get hit in a game like that is not something, of course, we want to see. But, at this point in the season, everybody is so banged up.

“I know he’s been at the point where he was banged up, and he’s gotten a little healthier [then] got hit again. With it being the last week of the season – the last week of the regular season – it kind of is what it is when it comes to a bunch of different positions on that side of it. Ultimately, [we are] trying to protect him from him, at times.”

That last line is telling, as more than ever before, Mayfield has been forced out of the pocket. It has resulted in him having 51 carries for 351 rushing yards with 25 of those attempts going for first downs, but it has also meant taking shots from opposing defenders. Grizzard believes Mayfield has done enough to win games, and the uneven results are a product of him battling and trying to make something out of nothing.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and Panthers ILB Christian Rozeboom – Photo by: IMAGN – Bob Donnan

“We’ve had big time drives this year where he’s gone down with the execution of the [offensive] line, the [wide] receivers and [has] won games in the two-minute [situations],” Grizzard said. “He hit on it on one of the interceptions in the [last] game, where it was just not a great decision when it came down to the red zone area. Then, the one to ‘J-Mac’ (Jalen McMillan) where if he just puts a little more on it…Really, ‘J-Mac’ had a step on him. He’s done an unbelievable job of battling on those… He knows, when it comes down to it, trying to eliminate those when the game is on the line.”

Needing a win to stay alive in the NFC South, the Bucs need to put it all together. Closing out his press conference, Grizzard was asked about how he can help Baker Mayfield find success and end the regular season with a positive result.

“I think that it’s on all of us – on the whole offense… If we can run it better – I thought we had some good runs early on and then they dried up a little bit – but where if we can continue to put the pressure on the defense to be able to run it, to stay balanced, to have some of those third-down conversions, that way it’s not a two-minute drive…

“That way, the two-minute drive is turning into three points and we’re not down 10 [points]. [If] we can put all of that together, that way, ultimately, it’s a team game – being able to run it, throw it, keep them balanced, keep the score where we want to be, and then ultimately get a lead in a couple of these games and being able to run the rock out.”

The question remains – will anything change? That answer will come on Saturday afternoon.