It’s time for the NFL playoffs. The cream has risen to the top, as the sports cliche goes. And the teams that didn’t qualify are pondering why — and positioning themselves for the NFL Draft.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers playoff hopes are high, but the team has been perplexing this year. They’ve had a coaching transition, they’ve dealt with injuries and offseason personnel changes, a tough schedule (as to be expected after the past two seasons), and they took some lumps because of it. But … true to Tom Brady form, they’ve also had some exciting comeback wins.
GridironHeroics previews all of the NFL teams that open postseason play, and we’ll continue it through the entire playoffs.
NFL TEAM: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2022-23 RECORD: 8-9
WEEKEND OPPONENT: Dallas, Monday, 8:15 P.M. (ET)
NFL WEEK ONE POSTSEASON SCHEDULE: Who is playing where and when?
TRENDING?: Well, the Bucs dominated the Dallas Cowboys in week one, but then again — Tampa Bay has been hit or miss in recent weeks and it’s hard to get a read on what the trend is down in Florida
WHAT IS GOING RIGHT?: When you have the No. 2 passer in the league (you know who, initials T.B.), you at least know you can move the ball through the air. That hasn’t been a problem this year (though getting it into the endzone has been). Also, Tampa Bay’s defense has been top-10 stout in the NFL when it comes to yards allowed. Plus — nobody’s better in the clutch than you know who under center. These are the positives.
WHAT IS GOING WRONG?: The run game just hasn’t materialized in 2022-23. The Bucs rushed for a league-low 1,308 yards in the regular season — good for only 76.9 yards per game. Granted, some of this is because the Bucs have you know who under center and don’t need 250 yards of rushing per game, but the top two running backs (Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White) were both under four yards per carry.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS PLAYOFF STAR THIS WEEKEND?: I’m going to go with Leonard Fournette. While he may not be considered on Tom Brady’s level in terms of importance to the Bucs, he’ll be critical Monday. He’s rushed for 668 yards to lead the team, but even more critical he’s been the No. 3 target in the passing game behind two superstars — Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Fournette has been that dump-down threat that Brady always liked to have in his weapons list, catching 83 passes for 523 yards and three TDs. So he’s a near 1,200-yard contributor to this offense this year — more than even Evans has accumulated.
THE KEY MATCHUP THIS WEEKEND?: Tom Brady is 7-0 in his career against Dallas, but he’s going to have a challenge on his hands on Monday, obviously. Dallas allows just a shade over 200 passing yards per game — good for eighth in the NFL. Will Brady shred that defense anyway, or will the Bucs get pinned down like so many other teams have? Dallas really got rolling after that season-opening loss to the Bucs — with only one loss (season finale to Washington) registering as worse than the 19-3 beat down in Texas, at home.
THE SUMMARY: Tampa Bay has obviously been the best overall team of these two the past three seasons, but Dallas has gone 12-4 since losing to the Bucs in week one. The problem for Dallas is, the game is in Tampa Bay, and if this one is close, the best player in NFL history knows how to pull it out — home or away. And the truth is, only the 49ers this year have been able to pull away to the point where Brady never had a shot for fourth-quarter heroics. Tampa Bay’s defense rarely allows it to get to the point where Brady can’t rally the Bucs.
THE PICK: Tampa Bay by 3. WHY?: Tampa Bay is at home, beat Dallas in Week One, and still has one of the most dangerous defenses in the league.
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