Keys To Cannon Fire: How Buccaneers Can Beat Commanders in Wild Card Round

It's a new season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the first round of the NFL Playoffs begins. In a rematch of Week 1, the Bucs will be hosting the Washington Commanders in the Wild Card round.

These two teams have changed drastically since the first time they met and are very evenly matched. The Bucs and Commanders each boast a top-five offense in the league and have stout defenses that like to pressure the quarterback. In what should be a thrilling matchup on Sunday Night Football, it's win or go home, and if the Bucs follow these keys to cannon fire they'll be the ones moving on.

Establish A Strong Run Game

The Bucs come into the playoffs this year with something they have been missing in any of the other four seasons they've made it to the postseason — a run game. Teams that have success in the playoffs typically have a ground game to lean on and the Bucs will need to utilize theirs against the Commanders. Washington has the league's fourth-worst run defense, allowing 137 yards a game, and that's where Tampa Bay's offense needs to operate.

Establishing a strong running game will benefit the Buccaneers in a multitude of ways and will be necessary if they expect to win Sunday's matchup. Being able to control the clock and pace of the game at home must be a priority for the Bucs. In addition, keeping the Commanders' own top-five ranked offense off the field by extending drives and soaking up seconds off the clock will be crucial to the Bucs winning this game. Attacking the edge with Bucky Irving should lead to promising runs.

Pressure And Contain

The Bucs pass rush has come alive in recent weeks, and they'll need to keep it rolling into Sunday Night Football. Yaya Diaby, Week 18's NFC Defensive Player of the Week, has been heating up with sacks in his last two games and four tackles for loss against the Saints. Vita Vea made the Pro Bowl and Calijah Kancey led the team and sacks and both will need to have big days pressuring the interior. The Bucs signed Shaquil Barrett for a hopeful boost to the pass rush as well.

In Week 1, the Bucs blitzed Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels on 47.1% of his dropbacks. I don't expect head coach Todd Bowles to cede the pressure this time around, either. However, Tampa Bay needs to be disciplined in their pressures as Daniels won't hesitate to take off if he sees the open field. Finding the balance between frequent pressure and containing a dynamic rushing quarterback will be one of the biggest keys to the game.

Avoid Negative Plays

Plain and simple, the Bucs cannot beat the Bucs. Last week they had 12 penalties in a game they needed to win for the NFC South division. That level of sloppiness won't cut it in the playoffs. Ball security will be another key factor. Baker Mayfield has 13 fumbles on the season with the running back room contributing another six of their own. And while they've lost just four of them, the Bucs can't afford to lose the turnover battle against the Commanders.

Speaking of turnovers, Mayfield led the NFL with 16 interceptions this season. Mayfield still needs to be aggressive and play his game, but making smart throws and knowing when not to force it will need to be heightened in this game. And finally, the communication on defense has to be there and tackling must improve. The Bucs defense has been phenomenal in the second half, but they need to start faster. This isn't a game to get behind big in before waking up in the second half. The Bucs need to be dialed in from the get-go and play smart football to secure a win over the Commanders and advance to the Divisional Round.

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