The Worksheet, a fantasy football overview by Rich Hribar, breaking down everything you need to know for the Week 7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers Sunday afternoon game.
| Tampa Bay | Rank | @ | Carolina | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -10.5 | Spread | 10.5 | ||
| 25.5 | Implied Total | 15 | ||
| 20.2 | 20 | Points/Gm | 17.2 | 27 |
| 17.2 | 5 | Points All./Gm | 24.3 | 23 |
| 64.7 | 13 | Plays/Gm | 53.8 | 32 |
| 65 | 22 | Opp. Plays/Gm | 67 | 30 |
| 5.1 | 21 | Off. Yards/Play | 4.8 | 29 |
| 4.7 | 4 | Def. Yards/Play | 5.3 | 12 |
| 34.02% | 31 | Rush% | 38.39% | 19 |
| 65.98% | 2 | Pass% | 61.61% | 14 |
| 41.03% | 15 | Opp. Rush % | 47.01% | 29 |
| 58.97% | 18 | Opp. Pass % | 52.99% | 4 |
- Tampa Bay has hit their implied team total just once through six weeks, tied for the fewest number of times in the league.
- Carolina is a league-worst 1-5 against the spread.
- 22.2% of the Carolina offensive plays have resulted in a first down or touchdown, the lowest rate in the league.
- The Panthers are running 13.2 fewer offensive plays per game than their opponent, the largest differential in the league.
- The Panthers have run just five offensive plays inside of the opponent's 10-yard line, the fewest in the league.
- The Buccaneers are the only team in the league that has yet to allow a touchdown from outside of the red zone.
- Just 20.3% of Tampa Bay's offensive yardage has come via rushing, the lowest rate in the league.
Quarterback
Tom Brady: Brady was one of the larger fantasy letdowns on Sunday, throwing for 6.1 yards per attempt, 243 yards, and one touchdown against a depleted Pittsburgh secondary.
Brady now has thrown one or fewer touchdown passes in five of the opening six weeks. He currently is sporting a 3.2% touchdown rate after 6.6% and 6.0% rates over his previous two seasons with the Bucs. The Bucs have a league-high nine red zone possessions the past two weeks, but just three touchdowns (33.3%) on those red zone opportunities, 22nd in the league over that span.
Tampa Bay cannot run the ball effectively, so I do anticipate we will see some touchdown regression for Brady along the way over the remainder of the season.
Even with that said, it is hard to elevate Brady as more than a back-end QB1 since we are getting nothing on the ground while he and the Bucs work to find their footing reaching the end zone. The Bucs are still just 25th in the NFL in touchdown rate per drive (15.2%).
Carolina’s defense has at least been game this year compared to their offense. The Panthers are allowing 6.8 yards per pass attempt (11th) and a 3.9% touchdown rate (15th) to opposing passers.
