Game 10, Offensive Drive Analysis: Power Re-energized

For a four game stretch, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense was averaging 26.5 points per game. The following two games, the scoring took a nose dive  Against the NY Giants, the offense mustered 18 points in a loss. Next, the Bucs' offense only put up 10 points, but came away with a win. The only relationship I found was the run game was becoming stifled in recent weeks. OC Dirk Koetter had noted in his weekly press conference that the offensive line needed to improve its blocking, also acknowledging the run game was becoming slowed down.

Last Week's Offensive Drive Analysis: Power Outage

The focus of refinement lead to an explosion. RB Doug "Douggernaut" Martin rumbled for 235 yards, Winston threw for five touchdowns to five different receivers, and the offense was 5 for 6 in the Red Zone and put up 38 points!

Philadelphia's Basic stats before the game

Defensive Passing:  16^th (246 yards/game)

Defensive Rushing:  19^th (111 yards/game)

Points Against:  9^th (20.4 ppg)

Tampa Bay's Basic stats before the game

Offensive Passing:  23^rd (227 yards/game)

Offensive Rushing:  6^th (126 yards/game)

Points For:  24^th (21.2 ppg)

Here is what transpired in the game for the offense:

Although a lot of the fanfare is about Winston's five touchdowns to five different receivers, lost is the heavy lifting that Martin did in this game. The chart above shows the importance of Martin's contribution to the game as well as should be praised so much more. While Winston was normal in passing yards, Martin took off like rocket with his 235 yards on the ground.

Look at those long drives of 70 yards or more.  There are five of them. Three of those five had double digit plays, which meant they ate up a lot of clock. In my opinion, the most important part of the game was drives 6, 8, and 9, as they sandwiched halftime.

Before scoring the fourth touchdown on drive 6, the Eagles had just scored a touchdown in 2 minutes and 2 seconds. Philadelphia's game is to have quantities of offensive drives. With nearly over six minutes left in the half, there is a possibility the Eagles can score again. Drive 6 consumed nearly five minutes and scored a touchdown, making it Bucs 28, Eagles 14.

Then in the third quarter, the Eagles had an offensive possession ONCE. Drive 8, the Bucs offense held onto the ball for nearly 10 minutes and scored a touchdown. The ensuing offensive drive, Drive 9, closed out the third quarter and ebbed away over five minutes, which concluded with a field goal. The score afterwards was Bucs 38, Eagles 14.

The offense slowed the game down to play at their pace, instead of playing at the Eagles fast pace offense tempo.

3^rd down conversions for drives 6, 8, and 9:

Drive 6:  3 - 3^rd down conversions; 1 - 4^th down conversion (4:59) TD

Drive 8: 4 - 3^rd down conversions, including 3^rd and 16 (9:47) TD

Drive 9: 1 - 3^rd down conversion (5:11) FG

In the second half, out of 30 minutes of playable time, the Eagles offense was on the field for only 12 and a half minutes. The offense shut the door in the second half by playing keep away with the Eagles' offense, all the while scoring some points.

Conclusion:

The offense did many things well from passing to running to Red Zone Conversions. They basically dominated all aspects of the offensive game. The running game was exceptional. And it all starts from the run game because the previous two games the offense struggled to generate points, which coincides with the lack of a strong run game.

If the offense can do three things well, then the team can increase its chances of winning every game:  1) establish the run game, 2) Winston makes good decisions in and around the Red Zone, and 3) control the time of possession (TOP) by having many drives of 70 or more yards.