As the Bucs prepare to face the Panthers for a second time this season, they are spending time this week going over how things went during the first matchup. It was a game that came down to the wire and almost slipped out of Tampa Bay’s grasp. They cannot afford things going like that again, especially with a playoff spot on the line over the last two games of the season.

That is why both offensive coordinator Liam Coen and co-defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers are hoping that the lessons learned produce a more convincing win on Sunday afternoon.

What Did Liam Coen Learn About Facing The Panthers The First Time?

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: USA Today

Sunday is another opportunity for Liam Coen to demonstrate his offensive prowess. Coen’s unit has had no trouble putting up points on the scoreboard, but he recognizes the importance of starting the game off fast – and for good reason.

When scoring first in games this season, the Bucs are 8-1. When they don’t, they are 0-6.

“Points are going to be at a premium, especially this week, and we’ve got to start fast,” Coen said on Thursday.

With how things went the first time, this game will be even more of a chess game than the last. Expect Tampa Bay to rely on its ground game like it did in Week 13 when they ran 39 times for 236 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Facing the worst run defense in the league, a successful ground attack will allow them to control the clock and keep the ball in their hands. Coen and the rest of the offense have been studying how the Panthers might attack them based on how things went then.

Bucs OC Liam Coen – Photo by: USA Today

“I think, just, their coverage structures and some of the different things – the nuances, how do we really want to try and go at it?” Coen said about what he learned facing them earlier this month. “I think, obviously, we ran it pretty well the first time around. Some of their coverages got us a little bit in some instances with the quarterback and the reads and just trying to define some of those a little bit more. We really dove a little bit more into how they’re playing us maybe different than some other teams in some ways.

“I think we really did a better job this week – or, not a better job, but when you play somebody the first time, you get a little bit of an opportunity to study it more, see it, dive into it…I think we have a little bit better of an idea of maybe some of the things that are going on out there and maybe how they want to play us a little bit differently than some other teams.”

Bucs Co-DC Kacy Rodgers Knows The Panthers’ “Recipe”

Cowboys QB Cooper Rush – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs defense did not put its best foot forward facing the Cowboys offense on Sunday night.

In a game where they faced backup quarterback Cooper Rush, they gave up 26 points and allowed Rush to do what he wanted through the air. That cannot happen again facing Panthers quarterback Bryce Young.

Young has turned his season around after an early-season benching to throw touchdown passes in eight consecutive games and has started to manage head coach Dave Canales’ offense with more success. That included during the team’s last showing, where they put up 392 total yards of offense and scored a season-high 36 points in an overtime win over the Cardinals.

“It all worked together because the rushing – you know, we just watched him again as a [defensive] line group and they… There was one series [where Young] had a 34-yard run and two plays later [he] had a 23-yard [run] so he had 57 yards rushing on two plays in the same drive,” Bucs co-defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said. “That’s just taking pressure off him because he knows he can make plays with his legs if it isn’t there on the throw, then he has a really good tailback behind him. Offensive line, they spent a lot of money on so it’s kind of coming together for them.”

Rodgers alluded to the additions of guards Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt being a big reason for the career year running back Chuba Hubbard has had. In his mind, how they operated their offense is an “ideal blueprint” they will attempt to emulate on Sunday afternoon.

Panthers QB Bryce Young – Photo by: USA Today

“We know going into this game that they look back at it and [we’re] trying to see how they saw it,” Rodgers added. “Well, they’re looking at it as a game maybe they had a good chance to win. They missed a couple of field goals, fumbled at the end. They’re coming here like, ‘We should have beat them the last time. Here we come.’ And you look at their last Arizona game, I think they ran the ball 36 times for 243 [yards]. When we spoke to the defense on Tuesday, this is the ideal blueprint you would think they would want to play.

“They ran the ball, averaged almost six yards a carry, six explosive runs. You’re managing a young quarterback so you give him a running game, now it opens everything up. Now the problem is he played a major role in the running game because he had about 80 yards rushing of that himself. Their recipe that they showed against Arizona is really very indicative of how we think they want to play and how we feel like they will attack us.”

The Bucs will be hoping they can cook up a better recipe on offense and defense to come out with a win in Week 17. Offensively it will mean establishing the run game and limiting turnovers. The defense had been playing better post-bye week but reverted to struggling. Facing a young quarterback who is building confidence with the pieces around him, they need to shut him down and make things difficult.