After a 43-13 beatdown of the Panthers in Carolina, the Buccaneers suddenly have a little life again. They’re still 2-5, still chasing both Atlanta and Carolina in the NFC South, but Sunday’s matchup with the Falcons gives Tampa Bay a real chance to make this thing interesting.
The stakes are hard to miss. Atlanta and Carolina are both sitting at 3-4, while the Bucs trail them in the standings.
Tampa Bay also owns the best point differential in the division at +11, ahead of the Falcons at -2 and the Panthers at -15. With four divisional games still on the schedule, a win over Atlanta would tighten the race in a hurry.
A loss, on the other hand, would leave the Bucs digging out of a deeper hole and could even push them toward seller mode before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
So yes, this one matters. And if Tampa Bay is going to pull it off, two position groups have to carry their weight.
The first is linebacker.
Todd Bowles’ defense has been one of the league’s better all-around units, but it still has some weak spots, and Alex Anzalone has been the most glaring one. The veteran linebacker, brought in on a substantial offseason deal to be a leader, has struggled in nearly every area.
He’s been slipping, getting washed out by blocks, taking bad angles and missing tackles. Even in coverage, where he was supposed to help, he’s been more of a problem than a solution.
Josiah Trotter has been the bright spot next to him. The rookie has been excellent.
But the Buccaneers have had trouble defending tight ends as a group, and that’s where Atlanta can make life ugly. Kyle Pitts has been up and down, but he always seems to give Tampa Bay trouble.
Add Bijan Robinson into the mix, and the Bucs’ linebackers are staring at a major test.
Trotter has to keep playing at a high level, but Anzalone has to be better if Tampa Bay wants to slow Pitts and keep Robinson from taking over the game.
The other group that needs to show up is the receiving corps.
Even after Mike Evans unexpectedly left in the offseason, the Buccaneers believed they had enough depth at wide receiver to keep things rolling. That hasn’t happened. The group has not produced anywhere near the level the team expected.
Chris Godwin has flashed his past impact at times, but Tampa Bay still hasn’t seen the full version of him this season. Emeka Egbuka, who is supposed to be the team’s top receiver, is unlikely to play because of a foot injury, and Jalen McMillan still doesn’t have a return timetable.
That puts more pressure on the younger options. Tez Johnson and Ted Hurst have both shown something in limited chances, and now they need more targets.
Tampa Bay can’t lean on the same formula it used against Carolina, when the Bucs rolled up 43 points despite throwing for just 64 yards. That approach is unlikely to work against an Atlanta defense that’s much tougher against the run.
The Bucs are going to have to throw the ball. And with Baker Mayfield still dealing with a thumb injury on his throwing hand, the receivers need to help carry that load.
If Johnson and Hurst can stretch the field and Godwin can work all over it, Tampa Bay can make things easier on Mayfield and give itself a real shot to beat Atlanta in a game that could shape the rest of the season.
In Other News...
Bucs May Have Found A New Way To Help Baker Mayfield
The Buccaneers leaned on the ground game in their recent win over Carolina, and Kenny Gainwell gave them exactly the kind of burst they needed. He carried the ball 14 times for 88 yards, easily his best showing since joining Tampa Bay, and the offense looked more balanced with a heavier commitment to the run.
What makes Gainwell even more intriguing is that his value does not have to stop there. He has been used sparingly as a receiver this season, even though that part of his game could help Baker Mayfield and the passing attack find easier answers, especially with Atlanta coming up and a defense that could force Tampa Bay to get creative in how it moves the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Defense Faces A Bigger Test Than Fans May Realize
Michael Penix Jr. has quietly become one of the more difficult quarterbacks to prepare for this season, and the Buccaneers are about to see why. In just five games, he has shown the kind of accuracy and efficiency that can stress a defense without forcing the issue, pairing a sharp completion rate with a strong touchdown-to-interception profile and the poise to keep drives moving.
For Tampa Bay, the challenge is not just slowing a productive passer, but doing it against a quarterback who has been among the NFLs most careful with the football. The Buccaneers have already spent plenty of time dealing with top-tier arms this year, and this matchup adds another test of whether their defense can stay disciplined when the ball is coming out on time and the mistakes are hard to find. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Catch Falcons Defense At A Very Good Time
The Falcons are heading into Sundays matchup with Tampa Bay thinner on defense than they would like, with inside linebacker Divine Deablo and nickelback Billy Bowman Jr. both ruled out for the game because of injuries. Atlanta is already preparing to lean on rookie linebackers Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. at inside linebacker, while Sydney Brown could see a bigger workload in the secondary as the Buccaneers try to take advantage of a reshuffled group.
Atlanta also elevated running back Khalil Herbert and linebacker Brian Asamoah from the practice squad, giving the roster a little more depth for the trip. For Tampa Bay, it is the kind of injury report that can change the feel of a divisional game in a hurry, especially against a defense that now has to ask young players to handle bigger roles on short notice. [Read more 🡒]