Home NFL Buccaneers vs Seahawks: Week Five Preview

Buccaneers vs Seahawks: Week Five Preview

October 5, 2025

Opening Shot: Battle at Lumen Field

This Sunday’s Buccaneers vs Seahawks game (4:05 p.m. ET) pits two teams with identical record (3-1) and playoff aspirations in the NFC. Tampa Bay travels to one of the league’s most hostile environments, Seattle’s Lumen Field, where noise and pressure often make all the difference. Both teams are celebrating their 50th season since they were founded as sister franchises in 1976 and are meeting for the first time since the historic duel in Munich in 2022, when the Buccaneers prevailed 21-16.

A Look at the Edge: History, Streaks and Context

Seattle leads the all-time series 9-6, with a clear pattern: in the last eight meetings, the home team has won seven times. The Bucs arrive after losing at home to the Eagles (31-25), while the Seahawks are coming off a 23-20 victory over the Cardinals in Arizona. Both teams share the division lead and know this match could be crucial in the tiebreaker heading into January.

Todd Bowles will look to match his career record against Seattle (currently 1-1), while Mike Macdonald, in just his second season as Seahawks head coach, looks to strengthen his team’s strength at home.

Headwind: Casualties and Doubts

Injuries are once again hampering Tampa Bay’s plan: Bucky Irving has been strained and is questionable, potentially hampering their offensive explosiveness. In the secondary, the situation is critical: Jamel Dean and Benjamin Morrison are struggling with physical issues and will not be unavailable, making it very difficult to stop the opposing passing trio (Smith-Njigba, Kupp, Metcalf).

On the positive side, Chris Godwin returned last week after nearly a year out and is expected to gradually increase his load. Vita Vea, after his exhibition against Philadelphia (2 sacks), arrives confidently to lead the front in his return to the college stadium where he played for Washington.

Key Approach: Red Zone Control and Turnovers

The Buccaneers’ main challenge is clear: the offense has converted only 36% of its red zone attempts into touchdowns, one of the worst marks in the NFL. Seattle’s defense, on the other hand, is sixth in efficiency in that area (46%). To win, Tampa must capitalize on its opportunities inside the 20-yard line and avoid losses like last week’s interception in the end zone.

On defense, the Bucs have improved on third downs (third-best in the league at 32.7%), and that could be key to stopping a Seattle offense that’s advancing 5.73 yards per play. Forcing Darnold into long third downs will be vital to limiting his explosive connection with Smith-Njigba and Kupp.

Rival on Starboard: What Does Seattle Bring?

Sam Darnold has found stability in Seattle: he’s averaging over 240 yards per game and has two straight games with a rating above 100. His pairing with Smith-Njigba (at least 90 yards in each of the four games) is one of the most dangerous duels. Furthermore, Cooper Kupp—Tampa’s true historical executioner (8+ receptions and 95+ yards in each of his five games)—is 62 yards away from surpassing 8,000 for his career.

On defense, the front line led by Leonard Williams and Uchenna Nwosu is racking up sacks and constant pressure. The secondary, featuring Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woollen, has already intercepted seven balls in four games, the second-best mark in the NFL.

Offensive Keys (Bucs): Efficiency and Protection

Establish Rachaad White as RB1 if Irving isn’t 100%.
Regain confidence in the red zone: no more empty drives inside the 20.
Involve Godwin to take pressure off Emeka Egbuka.
Minimize risks against a secondary that thrives on turnovers.

Defensive Keys (Bucs): Stopping Explosiveness and Punishing Mistakes

Vita Vea and Gaines must dominate the interior to force Darnold out of the pocket.
Press with four and launch timely blitzes on long thirds.
Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith must control the middle of the field against inside routes from Kupp and Smith-Njigba.
Looking for the takeaway: Just one interception in four weeks is insufficient for a team that needs to balance the shortstop.

Special Teams: Mandatory Reliability

The kicking game is a concern: the Bucs have suffered from blocking in recent weeks, and Seattle already has two such plays in 2025. Riley Dixon must be accurate in punting, and Chase McLaughlin must regain consistency in field goals if they want to avoid giving away free points.

Statistical Duel

Historic: Seattle leads 9-6; the Bucs won the last one (Munich 2022).
Red zone: Bucs 29th (36.4%); Seahawks 6th in defense (46.2%).
Turnovers: Tampa only 1 INT forced; Seattle already has 7.
Third down: Bucs defense 3rd (32.7%); Seattle attack 17th (39.1%).

The Captain’s Verdict

The Bucs vs Seahawks is a playoff matchup brought forward to October: noise, physicality, and details will make the difference. If Tampa Bay can be efficient in the red zone and protect the ball, they have a case to attack Seattle. If they can’t, the Seahawks’ defensive pressure and secondary could decide the game.

A close game with minimal margin for error: the first team to win the turnover battle will have the wind in their sails.

Players to Watch

Bucs : Baker Mayfield, Rachaad White, Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, Vita Vea, Antoine Winfield Jr.
Seahawks : Sam Darnold, Kenneth Walker, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Leonard Williams, Devon Witherspoon.

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