Five Observations as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Enter the Playoffs
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have about as much momentum offensively entering the playoffs as they could.
Even considering that wide receiver Mike Evans went down early in the game with a left knee injury, the Bucs imposed their will through the air against the Atlanta Falcons en route to an 11-5 record and the No. 5 seed in the NFC.
That in and of itself is the most important takeaway, of five, that we pulled from Tampa Bay's Week 17 performance, as we look forward to Saturday's Wild Card matchup against the Washington Football Team.
No Mike Evans, no problem
When you lose your No. 1 wide receiver due to an injury, the comfort of knowing your No. 2, and even No. 3, can turn into a No. 1 is a luxury that the Buccaneers carry into the postseason.
Evans went down on Tampa's second drive of the game against the Falcons. Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown combined for 13 receptions, 214 yards, and three touchdowns after Evans' injury.
That'll more than work, especially with a tight end in Rob Gronkowski and a generally reliable slot receiver in Scotty Miller at the helm as well. There is no doubt that the Buccaneers would like Evans to be available at all times, especially right now, but they have the weapons in the passing game to live without him.
The Bucs are hopeful that Evans will be healthy enough to play on Saturday against Washington, as he suffered no structural damage from the injury.
Tom Brady is on an absolute tear, at the right time
Since the Buccaneers' bye week, Tom Brady has completed 69.1% of his passes for 1,333 yards, 12 touchdowns, and one interception (which came off of a drop from Miller) across the final four regular-season games. He's averaging 9.8 yards per attempt and has been nearly perfect on deep passes compared to a cold deep-passing streak in the middle of the season.
This is why Tampa Bay signed Brady. The Buccaneers had an enticing roster a year ago that needed something to put it over the top. Brady does that, and as he's done throughout his entire championship-riddled career, he's playing his best football when he needs to.
The Football Team will present a strong pass rush, averaging nearly three sacks and over 16 quarterback pressures (per PFF) per game, and is equipped with the nation's No. 2 passing defense. The Buccaneers are talented enough offensively overcome such a challenge, but it won't be easy.
Which is why Tampa Bay signed Brady.
Sean Murphy-Bunting has stepped up when needed
With Carlton Davis III sidelined for two weeks due to a groin injury, the Bucs have needed other members of the secondary to step up. Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting has done just that and made an impact.
Against the Falcons, Murphy-Bunting recorded six tackles, a defended pass, a forced fumble and a recovery. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan didn't look his way too often, and he didn't let much past him in man coverage from what could be seen on broadcast tape.
Murphy-Bunting allowed three receptions for just 20 yards against Detroit the week before, per Pro Football Reference.
Davis was able to participate in limited fashion early last week for the Buccaneers before taking a step back on Thursday. The team ultimately decided to rest Davis before the playoffs, which proved to be a fine choice given Murphy-Bunting and Co.'s performance over the last two weeks. The hope is to pair a healthy Davis and an improved Murphy-Bunting as the postseason gets underway.
Tampa Bay got lucky with its first round matchup, all things considered
Washington's defense shouldn't be undersold, but neither should Tampa Bay's offense at this point. On the other side, Tampa Bay has an edge defensively over Washington's offense rather significantly.
The Football Team ranks No. 30 in total offense, No. 26 in rushing offense and No. 25 in passing offense this season. The Buccaneers stand at No. 1 in rushing defense, No. 6 in team defense, and No. 21 in passing defense.
Linebacker Devin White most likely will not be available for the Buccaneers as he isn't expected to pass NFL COVID-19 protocol in time, but the anticipated returns of edge rusher Shaq Barrett and defensive tackle Steve McClendon from the COVID-19 list, and perhaps Davis, would be welcome as Tampa Bay can control this game by scoring their own points and preventing mishaps on defense. Washington's offense shouldn't be too tall a task if the Bucs are healthy enough defensively.
Win and receive
The Buccaneers have gotten more aggressive as of late with opening kickoffs, electing to receive after winning the toss in back-to-back weeks. That has led to consecutive opening-drive touchdowns for Tampa Bay, after previously not scoring in the first quarter since the Week 10 matchup against Carolina.
Luck has to go the Buccaneers' way here, but this formula is working when the Bucs win the coin toss. Tampa Bay's offense is built to be aggressive and can control games by scoring early and often. That strategy will become all the more important while playing football into the month of January.
