FAB 4. Bucs vs. Panthers – 4 Match-ups To Watch

Each week you can find 4 Match-ups to Watch in the Fab 4 section of my SR’s Fab 5 columns. We begin this week with an advanced look at the Bucs’ home opener against the Panthers in Tampa Bay.

Bucs WR Mike Evans vs. Panthers CB Troy Pride, Jr.

The Bucs might want to align Evans, who typically lines up on the left side of the formation as Tampa Bay’s split end (X receiver), on the right side to take advantage of Pride, Jr., Carolina’s fourth-round pick, who got his first NFL start on Sunday. Pride struggled mightily in his first start last week in the Panthers’ 34-30 loss to the Raiders, and allowed all six targets that came his way – by six different receivers – to be caught for 106 yards and a touchdown, according to Pro Football Focus. Pride had a PFF grade of 29.9 in his first game, including a 41.2 coverage grade, surrendering Henry Rugg’s 45-yard catch and Nelson Agholor’s 23-yard touchdown catch.

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Evans battled through a hamstring injury to play in all but five snaps on offense last Sunday in New Orleans, and was limited to just one catch – a 2-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter – but also drew two big pass interference penalties totaling 67 yards. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich should try to match Evans up with Pride, who played almost exclusively on the left side of the field (35 out of 58 snaps), as often as possible. The Panthers would ideally like to have top cover cornerback Donte Jackson match up against Evans now that James Bradberry is gone, but he suffered an ankle injury that limited him to just 11 snaps on defense. Rasul Douglas replaced Jackson at right cornerback. Look for Evans to go off and record his first 100-yard game of the season against the rookie.
Advantage: Evans

Bucs ILB Devin White vs. Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey

White is featured in this spot for the second week in a row – this time against McCaffrey after helping the Bucs defense hold Saints running back Alvin Kamara to just 16 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries (1.3 avg.) and five catches for 51 yards and another score. McCaffrey fared much better against the Raiders than Kamara did against the Bucs, rushing for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries (4.2 avg.) and catching three passes for 38 yards (10.2 avg.). PFF gave McCaffrey a 70 grade as a runner last week and a 59 grade as a receiver.

Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey – Photo by: Getty Images

Despite joining Lavonte David with a game-high 11 tackles and also recording a pass break up, PFF somehow gave White a 55 overall grade last week, including a 58.6 run defense. White missed two tackles, according to PFF, but was all over the field and also recorded a tackle for loss. Sometimes PFF’s analytics grades are head-scratchers. White has the sideline-to-sideline speed to keep up with McCaffrey, who is Carolina’s main weapon on offense. McCaffrey got the majority of his rushing yards – 49 yards on 13 carries – running to his right, which is where White will be waiting for him on Sunday. And White will be there for the outlet passes in the flat too, as he held Kamara to just one catch for minus-2 yards.
Advantage: White

Bucs LT Donovan Smith vs. Panthers DE Stephan Weatherly

Smith had a rough outing in New Orleans, allowing four pressures, two QB hurries, two sacks and one hit combined to Saints pass rushers Trey Hendrickson, Carl Granderson and Cameron Jordan. Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said he was “very disappointed” in Smith’s play and expects him to bounce back against Carolina in Week 2. Smith earned a 64 overall grade from PFF, but just a 58.8 grade in pass blocking.

Bucs LT Donovan Smith – Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

He should have an easier time against Weatherly, who is subbing for Gross-Matos, who was the Panthers’ second-round pick this year and is in the concussion protocol after Sunday’s game. Gross-Matos struggled in his NFL debut against Las Vegas, generating a 53.1 PFF overall grade in Week 1 with a 55.3 pass rush grade. Gross Matos registered just one assisted tackle and no sacks, QB hits or pressures, while Weatherly, a free agent signee from Minnesota, had three tackles. Weatherly has six sacks in his five years in the league, so don’t be surprised to see the Panthers slide speed rusher Brian Burns over to face Smith, too. Burns had three tackles and one pressure in the season-opening loss to the Raiders, but had 7.5 sacks as a rookie last year, including two against the Bucs in 2019.
Advantage: Smith

Bucs OLB Shaquil Barrett vs. Panthers RT Taylor Moton

Barrett, who is fresh off his first Pro Bowl after leading the league in sacks with 19.5 in 2019, was held without a sack in the Bucs’ season opener. Tampa Bay’s franchise player registered five hurries, two tackles and one pass deflection in New Orleans and will look to bounce back in Week 2. Barrett recorded three sacks at Carolina in a Week 2 win last year to win NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Could lightning strike twice?

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: Getty Images

Barrett will be battling right tackle Taylor Moton, a former second-round pick in 2017. Moton is entering his third season as a starter and averaged a 76 grade from PFF over those two seasons, including an 81 grade as a pass protector. Last week against the Raiders, Moton gave up one hurry and one pressure and earned a 67 overall grade and a 62.9 pass blocking grade. Barrett needs to dial up Tampa Bay’s pass rush against Carolina, especially after the defense recorded just one sack last week at New Orleans.
Advantage: Push