Inside the Numbers: Panthers vs Buccaneers Game Preview

Breaking down this week's matchup between Carolina and Tampa Bay.

Week 7 starts a crucial stretch for the Carolina Panthers where they play three of their next four games against divisional opponents, starting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This stretch will determine whether the Panthers can scratch their way back into the thick of things or if they will remain toward the bottom of the league. 

How do the Panthers fare against Tom Brady and the Bucs? Let's dive into it. 

When the Panthers have the ball

P.J. Walker completed one pass beyond the line of scrimmage in last week's game against the Los Angeles Rams and threw eleven of his 16 pass attempts behind the line of scrimmage. Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo and interim head coach Steve Wilks reiterated that it was just part of that week's gameplan and not a lack of trust in Walker to throw the ball downfield.

That said, Wilks did not commit to having more of a downfield passing game earlier this week stating that they'll do whatever it takes to win the game.

"Each week you go into a game and as a staff there's a vision for how you're going to play the football game and you try to play to that vision during the course of the game. Did it go exactly how we wanted it to go last week? No. But you look to build on it and I think for a portion of the game, we moved the ball well. I thought we did a good job establishing the line of scrimmage."

Obviously, the biggest adjustment is going to stem from not having Christian McCaffrey, who was traded to the San Francisco 49ers late Thursday night. Carolina will take a by committee approach with D'Onta Foreman, Chuba Hubbard, and Raheem Blackshear all getting touches. Whoever has the hot hand is who will get the bulk of the workload. 

Not having McCaffrey will be just as big of a loss for the passing game as it is the rushing attack. He's one of the most dynamic playmakers in the entire NFL and over the last few years, he became the security blanket for Panthers QBs and rightfully so. In addition to dealing McCaffrey, the Panthers also traded wide receiver Robbie Anderson to Arizona which opens up a ton of opportunities for young guys such as Laviska Shenault and Terrace Marshall Jr.

"Obviously coming off the injury we want to put him back in the fold here," offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo said of Shenault. "Yesterday we got him some reps, so we're just going to keep building on that and see how he feels. He looked good yesterday, so that's a good sign for us."

"Terrace is going to get a lot of opportunities moving forward. He made some big plays yesterday for us in practice. He showed a lot of productivity in the OTAs. In training camp, he had an injury that set him back. He's a young player, a second year guy, and when you have those setbacks it may take you a little bit to get back in the swing of things. But he's a tremendous talent. He works at it. High character guy, so we're just going to keep coaching him and giving him opportunities to shine."

Carolina's offense may have a similar approach in this game as they had in LA with an emphasis on the running game and helping PJ Walker. But at some point, they have to trust him to let it rip downfield.

When the Buccaneers have the ball

Al Holcomb's first game as the Panthers' defensive coordinator produced a pretty solid performance holding the defending Super Bowl champs to just 24 points despite having to be on the field for over 37 minutes. His unit produced the only touchdown of the game for Carolina with a pick-six from cornerback Donte Jackson.

"It's been a couple years since I was actually calling the game but once you start and you get through that first series, it's just like you've been doing it all along," said Holcomb. "You're comfortable. You get a feel for the game, the personnel, some of the plays that they're starting to run and you kind of get into a rhythm."

This week will be a major challenge for Holcomb and it's not solely due to the fact that he's going up against Tom Brady, Mike Evans, and the potent Tampa Bay offense. He could be down several key guys who are battling injuries such as CB CJ Henderson (concussion protocol), CB Jaycee Horn (ribs), DT Matt Ioannidis (neck), LB Frankie Luvu (shoulder), LB Cory Littleton (groin), DE Henry Anderson (elbow), and S Sean Chandler. Several of those guys are deemed questionable with Ioannidis being the only one tabbed as "doubtful".

Speaking of that Buccaneer offense, it hasn't been firing on all cylinders and they failed to score more than six points in a single quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. The ground game, as it has been for many teams this year, has been a major issue. Tampa is averaging just 67.5 rushing yards per game and only 3.1 yards per carry. The lack of a run game has held this offense back from reaching its potential but Al Holcomb isn't going to overlook it. In fact, he has a lot of respect for Leonard Fournette and the Bucs' backs.

"I don't look at it that way," Holcomb responded when asked about Tampa's struggles running the ball. "When you watch the tape, you see a powerful run game. They're trying to get downhill and make the corners tackle and make the secondary tackle. That's what I'm seeing on tape. They have a really good scheme in terms of what they're doing and how they try to attack you and try to expose you.

"When you start with the run game, they have some dynamic running backs, physical running backs, downhill run game. The offensive line has done a really good job. They have two really good tackles and some inside pieces, so it starts with the run game. And then when you look at the pass game, you're talking about arguably one of the greatest to ever do it in Brady. There's great skill on the outside. They're big, they're long. At the end of the day, it's a high octane offense that has a really good run game and we've got our hands full."

You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us Twitter:

Facebook - @PanthersOnSI

Twitter - @AllPanthers_ and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.