The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Week 7 snap counts show how much production they got from their defensive rotation in Sunday's 43-13 win over the Carolina Panthers, especially from edge rusher Yaya Diaby.
According to the official NFL gamebook, Tampa Bay played 63 offensive snaps and 56 defensive snaps. Diaby recorded three sacks for 21 lost yards while playing just 22 defensive snaps (39%). It was his first career three-sack game, and he accounted for three of Tampa Bay's five sacks despite playing fewer than half the defensive snaps.
Rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. led the position group with 37 snaps (66%), followed by David Walker with 30 (54%). Keionte Scott played 34 snaps (61%), while Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey each logged 29 (52%). In the secondary,
Jacob Parrish and Zyon McCollum played all 56 defensive snaps, with Ifeatu Melifonwu playing 55 (98%) in Antoine Winfield Jr.'s absence.
Offensively, rookie tackle Ben Chukwuma played all 63 snaps for the injured Luke Goedeke. Center Graham Barton also played every snap, while Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson and Cody Mauch each logged 57 (90%). The six-snap difference reflected late-game substitutions after Tampa Bay had built a commanding lead.
The running back rotation featured Bucky Irving on 37 snaps (59%), Kenneth Gainwell on 19 (30%) and Sean Tucker on nine (14%). The trio combined for 246 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 45 carries. Tampa Bay finished with 258 rushing yards on 49 attempts, averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
Tight end usage offered another look at Tampa Bay's offensive approach because of injuries to their wideouts. Cade Otton played 56 snaps (89%) without recording a reception, while Payne Durham logged 29 (46%), Bauer Sharp played 16 (25%), and Ko Kieft appeared on six (10%). With the Buccaneers attempting just 11 passes, the position group's involvement went well beyond receiving.
Chris Godwin led Tampa Bay's receivers with 46 snaps (73%), followed by Tez Johnson with 41 (65%) and Ted Hurst with 35 (56%). Johnson caught two passes for 33 yards and a touchdown, accounting for more than half of the team's 64 passing yards.
The snap counts illustrate two distinct parts of Tampa Bay's performance. The offense leaned heavily on its running backs and tight ends, while the defense generated pressure through a rotation that kept its edge rushers' workloads relatively low, and Diaby's three-sack outing best exemplified that production.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Buccaneers Week 7 snap counts: Diaby shines in limited snaps
