Buccaneers Win 40-17 Against the Chargers
The Buccaneers got a huge win against the team’s toughest remaining opponent in dominating fashion. Although they got off to a rough start due to turnovers, they quickly turned it around after halftime.
This win was a complete team effort, with significant contributions coming from both sides of the ball.
Baker Mayfield went 22/27 for 288 yards, with 4 TDs and only 1 interception. His top target, Mike Evans, accounted for 159 of those yards, along with 2 TDs. The rookie, Jalen McMillan appears to be continuing his breakout, posting his 2nd straight game with at least a touchdown and over 50 receiving yards. The running-back room also had themselves a day, once again headlined by Bucky Irving’s performance.
While we have become accustomed to these offensive fireworks, the defense is what stood out in this matchup. Although they have proven to be suspect throughout the season, today, that was not the case. The team held Justin Herbert to 195 yards with 2 TDs and an interception while completely shutting down the rushing attack, holding the Chargers to just 32 total yards. The key takeaway from this game was keeping the Chargers scoreless in the second half. If the defense can maintain this level of play in the coming weeks, the Buccaneers could be viewed as a legitimate contender going into the playoffs.
Going into Dallas
The Buccaneers are currently 8-6 heading into their matchup against the Cowboys. Dallas, who sits at 6-8, would be officially eliminated with a loss to the Buccaneers. It has been a down year for them, especially after losing Dak Prescott due to injury, but they still remain a team that can win on any given Sunday. At this time, the Bucs are currently 4-point favorites in this Sunday Night Matchup.
The teams are 3-3 in their last six matchups against each other. In the past two contests, the Bucs have won, 31-29 in 2021 and 19-3 in 2022. Dallas does have their number all-time however, leading 13-6 dating all the way back to their first meeting in 1977. We will see if the Buccaneers can grab the recent edge, making it three straight wins in a row vs Dallas.
There are some additional noteworthy topics to watch for in this game. One of the biggest headlines being Mike Evans chasing his 11th straight thousand-yard season. He currently is at 749 yards with three games left to play. This means he will need just over 83 yards per game in the closing stretch.
Another storyline to look out for is the Cowboy’s revival on offense. Over the past 4 games, they have been averaging just under 28 points per game. It will be important to see how the Buccaneer’s defense can hold up against this unit.
Buccaneers Playoff Outlook
The NFC South title has primarily become a two-team race between the Buccaneers and Falcons. Though it is worth mentioning that the Saints could steal it if the Falcons and Bucs lose out.
With the Falcons on a slide and benching QB Kirk Cousins, the division is the Buccaneers to lose. However, the Falcons play the NY Giants this week, a game in which they are heavily favored. So, if the Bucs dropped their matchup against Dallas, assuming the Falcons take care of business against New York, the Falcons would retake the division lead.
In this scenario, week 17 becomes utterly important as the Falcons take on the 9-5 Washington Commanders. Assuming the Bucs win at home vs Carolina, a Commanders win would give Tampa back 1st place in the NFC South.
However, if the Falcons win, the Buccaneers still have a few paths to a playoff spot, all contingent on a Buccaneers week 18 win. One would be the Falcons losing against Carolina, resulting in the Bucs taking the NFC South title. If the Falcons win, there could be another opportunity through the wildcard, based on the play of teams such as the Commanders, Rams, or Seahawks in the coming weeks.
Nonetheless, if the Buccaneers win out, none of this would matter, as they would clinch the division title, along with the #3 seed in the NFC.
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