Gameday Preview: Can the Buccaneers Finally Right the Ship Against the Ravens?
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With the Baltimore Ravens traveling to Raymond James Stadium for Thursday Night Football, all eyes will be on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they desperately seek the evasive taste of victory once again.
Not only are the Bucs reeling from an overall performance perspective, but they're also reeling from a health perspective
Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, this has been the case for the vast majority of their games this season. And although the injury issues feel magnified — based on the team's desperation to get back in the win column — the Bucs have no one to blame but themselves.
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Coming off back-to-back losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers — two inferior opponents who were both significantly undermanned due to injury themselves — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are all out of excuses.
The offense has remained stagnant. The defense has been trampled on. The coaching staff is getting dragged through the mud. And the greatest quarterback of all time is facing heavy scrutiny about his personal life, marital status, and commitment to the team.
This feels like rock bottom for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But is it?
This week's matchup vs. the Ravens feels like a fork in the road.
If the Bucs go right and take down a legitimate AFC contender, they can dispel the evolving national narrative that they're washed up.
If they go left and lose at home in what would be their third consecutive loss, they will only add fuel to the hateful fire, and continue to see their respectable reputation float away like burnt ashes in the wind.
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Despite blowing leads in three of their four losses this season, don't be fooled, the Ravens are for real. Although they don't roll out any game-breaking skill position players, they are led by the most explosive athlete the league has ever seen at the quarterback position. Lamar Jackson's dominance as a runner remains his trump card, but his development as a passer continues to impress. It's all the more astounding when you consider he doesn't have a true number-one wide receiver to throw to.
He does however have a major weapon at the tight end position in Mark Andrews, who I consider to be the second-best tight end in football. That said, it appears as though the Ravens' star tight end is at serious risk of missing this primetime game after not practicing all week due to a knee injury. Andrews is a tough player though, and he has never missed a game in his 5-year career.
Despite giving up a ton of points this season, the Ravens have faced a challenging early season schedule, and their defense is significantly more talented than what they've shown so far.
Conversely, the Buccaneers' offense just can't seem to get out of their own way. Although this group's lack of production can be attributed to a variety of factors, including injuries, their inexperience along the interior offensive line, and a lack of execution — a lot of it falls on the shoulders of their contentious play-caller, offensive coordinator, Byron Leftwich.
I've expressed my concern with Leftwich's play-calling many times already this season, while patiently waiting for the moment that he changes my mind. Unfortunately, that moment is fading towards the horizon, as Leftwich appears steadfast in his commitment to running a basic, bland, and predictably traditional offense. Which is all the more frustrating when you consider the plethora of uber-talented playmakers he has at his disposal.
Similar to the offense, the Buccaneers' defense appears to be searching for their identity. This group earned its reputation as one of the most stout run defenses in the league under Todd Bowles, which is just part of what makes their lackluster performance over these last few games so mystifying.
The true quality of the Bucs' run defense will be put to the ultimate test when Lamar Jackson and co. take the field later this evening. This season, the Ravens' quarterback has more rushing yards himself than all of the Buccaneers' running backs combined.
There will be plenty of elite talent on the field when the Ravens and Bucs clash in this game.
The question is, can the Bucs right the ship?
There's no denying they have a great opportunity before them. In front of a national television audience, against a quality opponent, to prove to the world — and more importantly, themselves — that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still have what it takes to be considered Super Bowl contenders like they were coming into the season.
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