The Buccaneers began their divisional slate with a massive statement, destroying the Carolina Panthers 43-13. The defense nearly won the game single-handedly, forcing four turnovers, including a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Baker Mayfield's return was muted by Tampa Bay's run game, which steamrolled the Panthers' defense for 258 yards. Special teams also contributed, with a blocked extra point returned for a two-point conversion.

If nothing else, the win showed the Bucs can play winning football convincingly. While the playoffs remain a distant hope, Tampa Bay made it clear they won't go down quietly.

Here are five takeaways from the Bucs' Week 7 win over the Panthers:

The Bucs defense is for real

The big story was Tampa Bay's defense. They had answers for everything the Panthers tried, forcing four turnovers and generally short-circuiting Carolina's offense. The pass rush and coverage stayed in sync for nearly the entire game, and the only touchdowns came against backups. After five sacks and 17 pressures, the Bucs had the Panthers rolling out backup quarterback Kenny Pickett to all but concede the loss.

The Panthers entered Week 7 averaging 0.09 EPA per play, the seventh-best in the league. Against the Bucs, Carolina's offense averaged -0.29 EPA per pass play, helped by Calijah Kancey's fumble-return touchdown. The defense's ability to score consistently and shut down offenses could still turn the Bucs' abysmal start into a playoff berth.

Tampa Bay's offense works best when the rush attack leads the way

Who needs a pass offense when you can just rush for 258 yards? The Bucs neutralized the offensive dysfunction that impaired Tampa Bay's passing attack by running the ball at will against the Panthers. The Bucs averaged just under 27 rush attempts per game and 4.8 yards per attempt coming into Week 7. On Sunday, they ran the ball an eye-popping 49 times and averaged 5.3 yards per attempt.

Danny Smith was Bowles' best hire this offseason

The Bucs had one of the NFL's worst special teams units last season. New special teams coordinator Danny Smith flipped the unit on its head. One key play against the Panthers was a blocked extra point attempt by Tykee Smith, which cornerback Zyon McCollum returned for a two-point conversion. The Bucs also recovered a muffed David Boston punt return, which led to a field goal. Combined with Kancey's fumble-return touchdown, the three-point swing from the blocked kick return and the field goal after the muffed punt matched Carolina's offensive output.

It's hard not to credit Smith with putting the unit in position to make these kinds of plays. After struggling to cover kickoffs like last year, the Bucs' special teams are no longer a liability; under Smith, they've become an obvious contributor.

Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker deserve more snaps

As good as Bucky Irving was against the Panthers, running backs Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker made a strong case for bigger shares of Tampa Bay's rushing snaps. Irving carried the ball 24 times for 109 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per attempt. In 10 fewer attempts, Gainwell gained 88 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per carry, while Tucker had just seven carries for 52 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown run.

While Irving is Tampa Bay's best offensive player, Gainwell and Tucker add different dimensions to the offense. Gainwell is a better receiver and nearly as good with the ball. Tucker may be the most explosive runner in the group. Together, the Bucs could save Irving wear and tear by leveraging Gainwell and Tucker's skill sets, as they did to great effect against Carolina.

Tampa Bay's only shot at the playoffs is to run the table on the division

The Bucs' win over the Panthers not only kept their meager playoff hopes alive. It lit the path to making it happen. The NFC South is not exactly stocked with powerhouse teams. The Panthers had been the best up to this point, but they were hardly formidable on Sunday and are now just a game and a half ahead of Tampa Bay. Taking down the rest of the division is not only possible with how Tampa Bay's defense is playing, but it may be the Bucs' only real option.