With Doug Martin sidelined by a hamstring strain and Charles Sims on injured reserve, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers knew they would have to lean on Jacquizz Rodgers on Monday night if they hoped to establish a rushing attack. And lean on Rodgers they did.

The former Atlanta Falcon and Chicago Bear carried the ball 30 times for 101 yards in the Buccaneers' thrilling 17-14 win over the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte on Monday. Those were both single-game career highs for Rodgers, who had never before logged more than 18 totes in one outing and who had not had 10 or more in a game since December of 2014. Rodgers' previous career high for yards was 86, recorded on Sept. 22, 2013 against Miami during his time with the Falcons.

Rodgers became the first Tampa Bay back to have 30 carries in a game in almost three years, since Bobby Rainey carried 30 times for 163 yards in a win over Atlanta on Nov. 17, 2013. In fact, Monday night featured just the 18th 30-carry game by an individual in franchise history. The Buccaneers are now 15-3 in those games and have won 12 in a row.

Individual 30-Carry Games, Buccaneers, All-Time, Sorted by Date

Rodgers added five receptions for 28 yards on Monday night, giving him 35 offensive touches overall. That is tied for the 11th most in a game in team history and is the most by any Buccaneer in almost a decade. The last Buccaneer to record 35 or more touches in a game was running back Earnest Graham, with 36 against Arizona on Nov. 4, 2007.

Rodgers only joined the Bucs on Sept. 13, signing as a free agent after being released by the Bears. Monday night's game was his fourth with the team, and his first start. Rodgers is now the fourth running back in team history to rush for 100 yards in his first start as a Buccaneer.100 Yards Rushing in First Start as a Buccaneer

It should be noted that Eckwood, Wonsley and Williams were all rookies in their respective first starts, with Eckwood and Williams coming aboard as draft picks and Wonsley as an undrafted free agent. Rodgers is thus the first veteran free agent acquisition to rush for 100 yards in his first start as a Buccaneer.

Tampa Bay opened Monday night's game with a 15-play field goal drive, of which the first six snaps were runs. Rodgers tallied all of them, finishing the drive with 10 carries plus one reception. Using information gathered on the Pro Football Reference website, that marked the first time since at least 1998 that a Buccaneer player has carried the ball 10 or more times on a game-opening drive. Information prior to 1998 is not readily available.

That drive chewed the first 8:32 off the clock at Bank of America Stadium. So far, it is the Buccaneers' longest drive of the season in terms of both plays and time elapsed. The last time the Buccaneers had a drive of at least 15 plays was also at Carolina, a 16-play march in last year's season finale (1/3/16). The Bucs eventually turned the ball over on downs on that possession, however. The last scoring drive of at least 15 plays for the Buccaneers occurred last year at Philadelphia (11/22/15).

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While Rodgers did yeoman's work, all of the Buccaneers points in their 17-14 victory were scored by kicker Roberto Aguayo (three of five field goals), and wide receivers Mike Evans (26-yard TD catch) and Adam Humphries (2-point conversion). That was Evans' fourth scoring reception, tied for the most through a season's first five games in team history.

Most Receiving TDs, First Five Games of a Season, Buccaneers

Evans caught six passes for 89 yards and that third-quarter, game-tying touchdown on Monday night, pushing his 2016 totals to 32 catches for 449 yards and four scores. The third-year receiver is currently tied for seventh in the NFL in receptions while ranking seventh in yards and tied for fifth in TD grabs. The only other player in the NFL to rank in the top 10 in both yards and receptions and also have at least four touchdowns is Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown.

Evans has the third-most receiving yards through the first five games of a season in team annals and he's one of just five Bucs to have at least 400 in that span.

Most Receiving Yards, First Five Games of a Season, Buccaneers

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QB Jameis Winston moved up another notch on the Buccaneers' all-time passing chart, leaping over Jeff Garcia into eighth place. He needs less than 800 more yards to pass Craig Erickson and jump up another notch. Winston is on pace to throw for 4,246 yards and 29 touchdowns, both of which would be new franchise records. The current standards were set by Josh Freeman in 2012 when he threw for 4,065 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Buccaneers Career Passing Yardage Leaders