The Tampa Bay Buccaneers get a Week 6 home date with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium, with both teams carrying very different stories into kickoff.
Tampa Bay comes in at 1-4 after finally getting its first win of the season, and the Buccaneers are trying to keep their year from slipping away in a weak NFC South. Pittsburgh arrives at 3-2, sitting one game behind first place in the AFC North. That matchup also puts undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels in the spotlight opposite future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers in his final season.
Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm ET on Sunday, October 18, in Tampa, Florida. Accuweather.com says the weather should be a comfortable 78 degrees with mostly sunny skies at kickoff, a sharp break from Tampa’s usual September heat.
The Buccaneers’ injury report is a heavy one. Baker Mayfield (thumb), S Antoine Winfield Jr. (rib), and WR David Sills V have all been ruled out.
CB Benjamin Morrison (quad) is doubtful. LB Josiah Trotter (knee), LB SirVocea Dennis (ankle/foot), RB Sean Tucker (quad) and CB Ayden Garnes (ankle) are questionable.
Pittsburgh has its own list to monitor. WR Roman Wilson (finger), WR Ben Skowronek (calf) and S DeShon Elliot (knee) are out. CB Jalen Ramsey (wrist), CB Jamel Dean (ankle), TE Pat Freiermuth (calf) and RB Rico Dowdle (toe) are questionable.
For TV viewers, the game will air locally on CBS. Andrew Catalon will call the action, Logan Ryan will work as the analyst, and AJ Ross will report from the sideline.
Streaming options depend on where you are. Paramount+ will carry the game if it’s in your local market. In-market viewers can also stream it on NFL+, while out-of-market fans can find it on NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube TV.
On the radio side, the flagship broadcast will air on WXTB 97.9 FM with Tony Castricone on play-by-play, Dave Moore as the color analyst and Jay Recher on the sideline. The radio stream will also be available nationally on SiriusXM Ch. 380.
In Other News...
Bucs Inactive List Creates One Big Problem Against Pittsburgh
The Buccaneers arrived for Week 6 already thin in a few key spots, and their inactive list only sharpened the edge of the matchup with Pittsburgh. Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield Jr. are both out with multi-week injuries, which keeps Tampa Bay without its starting quarterback and one of its most important defenders as it tries to navigate another difficult week.
Easton Stick is back as the backup quarterback for the third straight game, while the backfield got another shake-up with Sean Tucker inactive and Josh Williams elevated for the game. The Steelers brought their own list of absences into the afternoon as well, including receivers Ben Skowronek and Roman Wilson, while cornerback Jamel Dean was active and Sean Murphy-Bunting was not, leaving both sides to work around some familiar lineup uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Face A Brutal Test If Two Problems Don't Improve
Bucky Irving gave Tampa Bay exactly the kind of spark it needed last week, piling up a career-high 165 rushing yards and adding a rushing-plus-receiving touchdown against Dallas. If the Buccaneers are going to keep up that momentum against Pittsburgh, they may need Irving to stay central to the plan while the offense also gets quarterback Jalon Daniels into a cleaner early rhythm.
The matchup gets even trickier if Tampa Bay cannot tighten up two areas that have been lagging. The Bucs have had trouble getting after the quarterback, with only six sacks in five games, and they are still waiting for a first-career sack from Rueben Bain Jr., while also having to deal with Steelers back Jaylen Warren and the usual turnover battle that can swing a close game fast. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Goedeke Is Becoming A Bucs Strength Where Fans Once Worried
Luke Goedeke has gone from an early source of concern to one of the more dependable pieces on Tampa Bays offensive line. After beginning his career with the Buccaneers at left guard and running into real growing pains, he found a better fit at right tackle and has settled in as a steady pass protector beside Tristan Wirfs.
The result has been a far more secure edge for the Bucs than many fans expected when Goedeke first arrived. His consistency has given Tampa Bay a valuable presence on the line and a reminder that development in the NFL is not always linear, especially for linemen who need the right position and the right role to show what they can do. [Read more 🡒]