One play shows how preparation helped the Buccaneers stuff the Packers and their league-leading red-zone offense

• The Buccaneers shut down the Packers league-leading red zone offense in the NFC championship.
• One play illustrates the preparation that went into Tampa Bay's success in the red zone.
• The Buccaneers will have to be brilliant in the red zone once again against the Chiefs should they hope to win Super Bowl LV.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are through to Super Bowl LV after their win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship.

The Buccaneers win came thanks to several factors - the solid play of Tom Brady and the cowardly coaching of Matt LaFleur, to name two. But one of the biggest game-changers of the day was the Buccaneers red zone defense.

Through the regular season, the Packers had the best red zone offense in the NFL, scoring touchdowns on 76.8% of their red-zone possessions. But on Sunday, Green Bay scored touchdowns on just two of their four trips to the red zone - costing them eight potential points that proved to be the difference in the game.

A week earlier, the Packers scored at will against the Rams, with no touchdown easier than this goal-line throw from Aaron Rodgers to Devante Adams.

Adams lined up on the left side of the formation, then broke out into a sprint to the right side of the play just before the snap. Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey tried to keep pace with him but didn't have the speed to prevent him from making an easy catch in the end zone.

Ramsey immediately turned to safety Nick Scott, frustrated that he hadn't switched on to cover Adams after the play.

—Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 16, 2021

It was a play that looked unstoppable, but Tampa Bay was prepared for the Packers' red-zone offense.

With the Packers lined up in a similar spot at the two-yard line, Adams shifted from the left side to the right side of the formation. He was shadowed by Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis, who followed him to the opposite side of the field pre-snap.

Then, just as Aaron Rodgers was about to snap the ball, Adams broke to sprint back to the left. Davis motioned to safety Javon Hagan to switch onto Adams if he made it to the other side of the formation. Then, Adams switched things up again, pivoting and sprinting back to the right. Davis stayed with him and absolutely blanketed him, leaving Rodgers with no other option but to throw the ball in the dirt.

—The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) January 25, 2021

While the Packers would score on their next snap, the play was indicative of just how ready for their red-zone offense the Buccaneers defense was. Tampa had prepped for the play, and even though the Packers ran a slight variation on what they had run the previous week, the Buccaneers were ready to track Adams and keep him out of the end zone.

Tampa Bay will once again have their work cut out for them in the Super Bowl, as shutting down the Kansas City Chiefs' high-octane offense is no easy task. The last time the two teams met, wide receiver Tyreek Hill burned the Buccaneers for 269 yards and three scores.

But with two weeks to prepare, Tampa Bay might be able to find a way to get the stops they need to win.