Bucs Keys: Bring the Saints Down
Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
It might be a little too early in the season to call a game a must-win, especially when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a 3-2 record. Still, after last week’s performance, the Buccaneers could really use to rebound with a big NFC South victory.
Last week, the Buccaneers faced off against an offense led by 36-year-old Kirk Cousins, who proceeded to dunk all over Tampa with 509 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. The defense’s performance was unacceptable, and if they let Spencer Rattler do the same in his NFL debut, that’s a tough, tough thing to come back from. The New Orleans Saints come into this game with a 2-3 record and are turning to their fifth-round rookie QB. Derek Carr suffered an oblique injury that will keep him out multiple weeks, which means Rattler is getting the keys to the car until he comes back.
With that said, let’s take a look at what Tampa has to do to come away from the game with a 4-2 record.
Rattle Rattler
Even after a strong preseason, where Rattler completed 20 of his 38 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown, he’s not quite used to the speed of the pro game. Sure, that was against NFL competition, but a lot of that was against the third and fourth-stringers.
The Bucs need to show Rattler what it’s like to face the starters and try to speed up the game for him. As a team, the Bucs have had 54 pressures (fourth in the NFL) and 12 sacks (tied for 16th) this season.
Todd Bowles is known as an elite defensive mind, and he needs to focus his energy on making sure Rattler looks as confused as a late-round rookie QB should be. If he’s “rattled” out there, the Bucs are going to have a great chance.
Wrap It Up
Sticking with the defense, the Buccaneers also need to do a better job of finishing tackles on Sunday. So far this season, the Buccaneers are sixth-worst in the NFL in terms of missed tackles with 36, and PFF grades their tackling at 36.0, which ranks 30th of 32 teams.
The job isn’t going to get easier on Sunday. Alvin Kamara is one of the best running backs in the league, and he’s shifty. The five-time Pro Bowler has 602 total yards, and that’s thanks, in part, to having six broken tackles, tied for fifth in the NFL among running backs. The Bucs can also expect a young QB like Rattler to heavily use Kamara as a checkdown option, and Kamara can do a whole lot with nothing. Tampa must life tough by wrapping up and not letting him pick up the tough yards after contact.
Keep Their Minds On the Ball
Overall, the last key might seem obvious, but it’s a big one: The Bucs need to focus on football. Hurricane Milton made a direct impact on the Tampa Bay area, and although they got out of there early, meaning the hurricane didn’t have a direct impact on their preparation, there is little doubt that there are a lot of thoughts going back to Florida.
“Most of them have their families here with them, so that’s a big relief for them, and they’re able to focus on football. We understand that the things we do in football are small in the game of life and how the hurricane is going to affect people,” Bowles said, pointing out something that should give the team a bit of peace of mind.
Even with the families in New Orleans already, plenty of players will go back to damaged homes and see neighbors who will be going through a similar experience. It’s devastating, but for 60 minutes on Sunday, the focus has to be on winning this football game. Even if just for three hours, the people of Tampa Bay can take a small oasis of time to cheer their favorite team to a victory and forget the realities around them. To do that, the Bucs must focus on what’s in front of them.
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