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

Here’s a closer look at which players received the highest and lowest number of snaps in the Bucs’ 26-9 road win over the Saints in Week 4, putting them in first place in the division.

Bucs Offense

The Bucs juggled around their running back rotation, which faired out pretty well. Ke’Shawn Vaughn got his first offensive snaps of the season at 30% as he was Tampa Bay’s RB2. Rookie Sean Tucker previously had the role but was rather ineffective and struggled in pass blocking. He wasn’t used on offense, only playing special teams.  Vaughn rushed nine times for 16 yards with a low average 1.8 yards per attempt, but what it did was balance out the time saw by Rachaad White, who saw 70% of the snaps. White played 91% last week, but the number on Sunday is better for everybody involved.

Bucs TE Cade Otton – Photo by: USA Today

“Who’s been around playing against the Saints longer than ‘Sneak’ – as far as in the backfield goes?” offensive coordinator Dave Canales said on the thought process of playing Vaughn. “He’s got the experience. This is a really good defense. They do a lot of cool things, whether it’s first, second or third down with some of the packaging. We felt like ‘Sneak’ gave us the best opportunity, [where] if they did do something exotic, he would have the eyes that have seen it. If they did something in the run game, he’d be able to find his way through those things and I thought he did a great job in the role that he played.”

Everyone had to be moved around as well at wide receiver after Mike Evans left the game in the second quarter because of a hamstring injury. He was in for just 26 plays. Chris Godwin had his best game of the season playing 75% of the snaps, which is where Trey Palmer clocked in as well. Deven Thompkins was utilitzed all over the place in his 45 snaps (63%) and both aforementioned receivers ended up scoring a touchdown.

A shoutout needs to go to Cade Otton again as he played 100% of the time. He was in for all 71 snaps with the offensive line and quarterback Baker Mayfield. He was rewarded with his first touchdown of the season.

Bucs’ Defense

The pectoral of Vita Vea must have been feeling pretty good because his snap count increased back up again to 68%. It just shows how important he is to the defense. A lot of times the group goes as he goes, so it’s no surprise that in a game where he had two sacks, the defense did not allow a touchdown.

Bucs DT Logan Hall – Photo by: USA Today

Logan Hall had a similar amount of playing time but Greg Gaines, Mike Greene and Will Gholston all had their numbers drop. Gaines and Gholston stood out in particular as Gaines went from 52% last game to 38% while Gholston dropped 45% to just 22%.

Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum joined the century mark of playing 100% snaps along with Devin White, Lavonte David, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Carlton Davis. That was big for Davis as well, who is coming off of a toe injury. Dee Delaney came nearly close at 97% after filling in for Ryan Neal. He’s become very important in different roles while taking the ball away twice in the last two games.

The Bucs’ outside linebackers had their usual snap numbers. YaYa Diaby had the biggest play from the group early in the game with a huge tackle for loss on Alvin Kamara. After that the backers were relatively quiet again for the second straight week. They did improve combining for eight tackles and a tackle for loss, but registered only one quarterback hit. Todd Bowles said that was because the Saints were getting rid of the ball quickly.

“I think they did their job for what we were getting,” Bowles said. “The ball was coming out quick quite a bit. We weren’t really trying to rush the passer because the ball was coming out so fast, but I thought they were solid all the way around.”