Each week following 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 in the game.

Let’s get a closer look at the Bucs players who received the highest and lowest number of snaps in the team’s 30-7 win where they demolished the Giants on the road and got a victory that was much needed.

Bucs Offense

Sunday’s game was the return of Mike Evans after missing the previous three games and four weeks. It was curious, especially based on comments made by Liam Coen during the week, how much Evans was going to be used and how long it would be for. The Bucs had to balance getting the most out of Evans while also keeping him available for the home stretch.

Tampa Bay was able to toe the line quite well. He played 39 snaps and 60% of the time, so not as much as his typical playing numbers, but certainly enough to have an impact on the game, which he definitely did by leading the team with 68 receiving yards and drawing an important pass interference penalty at the goal line.

While Evans’ return was the headline, rookie receiver Jalen McMillan also came back for the first time in a couple games. McMillan ended up leading all Bucs receivers in playing at 41 snaps and 63%. It’s evident they want to get him going and he’ll be important for the offense as they chose him over Rakim Jarrett, Trey Palmer and Rakim Jarrett to play a majority of the game. It appears that Sterling Shepard will round out the trio of starting receivers in 11 personnel with the Bucs as he played 54%. Jarrett played 32% of the snaps while Palmer was at 26% and Miller played 23%.

Tight end Cade Otton led all skill players at 53 snaps, but surprisingly that came out 82%, which is much lower than his usual rate of about 98%. There are times that Otton never comes out of a game. We do have to remember that the Bucs won in a blowout and there a couple of substitutions at the end. Payne Durham saw a slight increase too at 37% and wound up making a nice 26-yard catch.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs finally used all three running backs! And each of them had an impact in the game!

Liam Coen had talked about getting Sean Tucker more involved and he did, somewhat. Tucker ended up with four rushes for three yards and one catch for seven yards, but he did have to convert on a fourth-and-short on the opening drive to keep it going and later cashed in on that drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown and the first score of the game, which hurt his rushing average.

Bucky Irving and Rachaad White virtually played the same amount. Irving just edged out White 34 snaps (52%) to 32 (49%) but each also had 12 rushing attempts. White is typically the top receiving running back, that but that wasn’t the case as Irving caught six passes for 64 yards, leading the team in catches and being second behind Evans in the amount of yards gained. Tampa Bay had all three running backs score a touchdown as the team had four rushing touchdowns by four different players in the game with Baker Mayfield’s score and Tommy DeVito celebration.

This article can’t be written without mentioning that nose tackle Vita Vea lined up in two goal line packages as the Bucs offense scored. Vea has an offensive touchdown in his career and it looks like they’ll use him in some pacakges moving forward. Maybe he can add another score to his career stats.

Bucs Defense

I was very intrigued to see how much defensive back Mike Edwards was going to be used for the start of his second stint with the Bucs. On one hand, he’s familiar with Todd Bowles and the defense having began his career here and winning a Super Bowl. But on the other hand, it had been two seasons since he was in Tampa Bay and certain things on the defense can be different. Edwards played a reasonable amount at 25 snaps, which was 42% of the plays on defense.

Edwards probably wound up having to play more since Jordan Whitehead ended up injuring his pectoral muscle in the second half, keeping him out for the rest of the game. Tampa Bay had one injury in the secondary going into the game with nickelback Tykee Smith out, which meant Christian Izien was in for most of the game.

Izien, who was playing in his home area being from Far Rockaway, New York and playing his college ball at Rutgers, played a great game at MetLife Stadium recording a team-best 10 tackles. He was on the field for 83% of the snaps.

Part of the reason why we saw so much of Edwards and Izien is because the Bucs opted for more dime coverage. Typically the Bucs will have about five players that play all 100% of the snaps. This time they only had three with Zyon McCollum, Jamel Dean and Antoine Winfield Jr. They subbed out inside linebacker K.J. Britt and even Lavonte David at times, but with the caveat that the Bucs had a 23 point lead and didn’t need them to play wire to wire.

Bucs S Christian Izien, CB Zyon McCollum – Photo by: USA Today

The big lead allowed the Bucs to give out less snaps to defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and the two-way playing Vita Vea, who saw two snaps on offense as a blocking fullback down by the goal line. Kancey and Vea actually played the same amount at 54% snaps and were absolute menaces in the backfield going after Tommy DeVito on every passing play. Each of them recorded a sack.

The other injury that happened in the game was an ankle injury to outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. It happened early on, so he only played eight snaps. Anthony Nelson picked up the slack with him out, playing 63% of the snaps and also recording a sack, which was his third of the year.

This opened the door as well for Chris Braswell to play 44%, a rookie career high in percentages. Starting outside linebacker Yaya Diaby played 80%, the most he’s been in for all season.