For a tough Week 9 matchup, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks. Seattle has already won six games this season and Russell Wilson is playing at a level that is unparalleled. Wilson has only thrown one interception to 17 touchdowns so far. He will look forward to playing against one of the worst secondaries in the league.
Key To Winning: Getting To Russell Wilson
The pass rush will be key to having a shot against a very strong offense. Obviously, having Jason Pierre-Paul back is the first step in the right direction for the Buccaneers. The defensive end made his presence felt immensely against the Titans last Sunday. With Wilson being a very mobile quarterback, it will be extremely difficult to collect sacks for the Buccaneers. Look for Wilson to pass for at least 350 yards and three touchdowns.
Bucs Must Find a Way To Run the Ball
If Winston is forced to throw the ball 45 times or more again, mistakes will automatically happen. Therefore, Tampa Bay finally has to find a way to implement a functional running game in order to take the pressure off of Jameis Winston. Winston had the team’s most rushing yards against the Titans with 53. Ronald Jones has 314 yards on the season and Peyton Barber has 262. That is simply not enough to make defenses respect your running game.
Winston Will Not Give The Ball Away Once
Expect Winston to bounce back in one of the NFL’s most hostile environments. The Seahawks are known for having one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL. Consequently, it will be even harder for Winston and the Bucs offense to communicate. Turnovers are a logical consequence. However, look for Winston to not give the ball away in this one. He will play a decent game and score two touchdowns.
Conclusion: Bucs Pull Off An Upset To The Beat Seahawks!
Unexpectedly, Tampa Bay finds a way to beat a great Seattle team on the road. With Tampa’s defensive front completely bottling up Chris Carson, Wilson is forced to do too much. Winston’s turnover-free football enables the Bucs to pull it out at the end. The Buccaneers get a huge win in an unlikely scenario, beating the Seattle Seahawks by three points.
Final score:
Seahawks 24
Bucs 27
Photo credit: buccaneers.com
