The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off of their third straight win and will now host the Buffalo Bills. With five weeks left to play before the playoffs, Tampa Bay is in the driver’s seat for a top three seed. On the other hand, the Bills have to win and try and keep pace with the rest of the AFC to win their division or earn a wildcard seed. This will be a tough test for the Buccaneers so let us take a look at things to watch for on Sunday.
Super Bowl Preview?
Before the season both of these teams were popular Super Bowl picks. This far into the season the Buccaneers have looked like a contender but the Bills haven’t been as sharp. They are coming off of a demoralizing divisional game against the Patriots where the opposing quarterback only passed the ball three total times. Even with that loss the Bills still have plenty to play for as they aren’t completely out of their division, plus they can still earn a wildcard placement. With a win against the Buccaneers, the Bills can start to get right before the postseason kicks off.
This Sunday they will be playing a Buccaneers team that is as hot as they have been at any point this season. The team is coming off of a drubbing of the Atlanta Falcons, a game in which Tampa Bay never trailed. Quarterback Tom Brady will look to continue his absolute dominance over Buffalo, as he owns a 32-3 record against them. Looking at the Buccaneers’ schedule, this game looks to be their last real test before the playoffs.
Can the Buccaneers Keep the Ball Rolling?
The Buffalo Bills currently rank as the 2nd best defense in the league. On the other side, the Buccaneers have the 2nd ranked offense. This game will have a healthy dose of “best on best” action. Tom Brady will look to continue his MVP campaign this week against a top-tier defense. Although Buffalo lost its top corner Tre’Davious White, they still have playmakers in the secondary. In both safeties, Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, they have two veteran defensive backs who are both proficient in stopping the run and guarding against the big play.
The Buccaneers have arguably the best offensive weapons in the league, and they will need them all Sunday. Look for the Buccaneers’ offense to get the running game going and start to hit more play-action fakes off of those runs. With wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, as well as tight end Rob Gronkowski, the Buccaneers will take their shots through the air.
In the end, with a talented defense like Buffalo, the key will be to minimize mistakes. If Tampa Bay can win the turnover battle and score a couple of touchdowns, they will earn their 10th win.
Wrap-Up
This week’s matchup is going to have two Super Bowl hopefuls looking to lock up playoff spots. In the end, it will come down to who will make the least amount of mistakes. Both teams will have talented offenses and defenses so if either gets sloppy with the football it will be no surprise to who comes out on top.
