Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Buffalo Bills Game Preview

Morale is not high in Tampa.

At least for the moment.

The fanbase has the right to feel somewhat defeated. Especially after the team squandered a golden opportunity to extend their NFC South lead last Sunday vs. the Falcons.

The loss didn't just result in the Buccaneers falling to second place in the division, but it also solidified the fact that the offense is more or less sputtering out of control.

The Buccaneers have managed to score just 19 points over their past two contests, both times spoiling strong defensive efforts where the Bucs' defense was able to hold their opponents at or below the 20-point threshold.

With new offensive coordinator, Dave Canales, bringing a jolt of energy with him when he came over from Seattle, expectations for this offense were, at the very least, to improve upon their performance last season under Byron Leftwich.

So far, that hasn't happened.

But despite all the doom and gloom that comes with losing two consecutive home games, there are positives to be found.

First of all, the Buccaneers are 3-3. And with 11 games still to be played, there's plenty of time to right the ship. Although the run game has been a complete disaster, the Bucs' offensive line has been one of the better units in the league in terms of pass protection. Tristan Wirfs has managed the transition from right to left tackle seamlessly, and he looks like one of the best in the league already. Second-year player, Luke Goedeke, is thriving after making the move to his more natural position at right tackle. And Mike Evans looks like prime Mike Evans.

Most importantly, the defense looks very solid. Lavonte David, Antoine Winfield Jr., and Vita Vea are playing as well as anyone in the league at their respective positions. And early returns on Calijah Kancey — who has now played two full games — are extremely positive.

That said, the Buccaneers are facing a daunting challenge on Thursday. As if traveling to Buffalo to take on Josh Allen and the Bills in Orchard Park isn't hard enough on its own... but the Bucs will also be facing a Bills team that just lost in embarrassing fashion, to an inferior New England Patriots team.

As a result, the Bills will be extra hungry to avenge their loss. Especially in front of a national television audience on Thursday Night Football.

The Bills' success as a team starts and ends with Josh Allen. He's one of the most athletically gifted players we've ever seen at the position, and his rocket launcher arm, combined with his size/physicality, and ability as a runner, presents a unique set of challenges for any defense he faces.

The Buccaneers will need to pay close attention to star receiver, Stefon Diggs, but the rest of the Bills offense hasn't been anything special. The Buccaneers defense is the best in the NFL at generating turnovers and coming up with stops in the red zone. The fact that they're more or less at full strength on that side of the ball is important, too. That said, Tampa Bay needs to get better at defending third down, as they're currently the worst in the NFL in that department, allowing their opponents to convert half of their third down attempts.

If the Bucs can put together a strong defensive game plan, and find a way to limit Diggs' impact, they can give themselves a chance.

The greatest challenge for the Buccaneers is going to be the same challenge that has plagued them in nearly every game this season.

Scoring points.

The Bills have a deep arsenal of pass rushers, and one of the best safety tandems in the NFL on the back end. Even though they'll be without cornerback, Tre' Davious White, and All-Pro linebacker, Matt Milano — both lost for the season due to injury — Buffalo's experienced defense has the potential to dominate the Buccaneers' stagnant offense.

This means the Buccaneers need to come out with a fresh game plan if they have any hope of generating traction on offense. It's going to come down to Dave Canales coming out in attack mode, and utilizing the pass protection, and dynamic receiving weapons he has been afforded within this offense. The rest will be up to Baker.

Dave Canales and Baker Mayfield are both feeling the heat after a string of underwhelming performances. Not only do they need to put together a productive offensive performance for their team's sake, but also to prove to the Buccaneers' organization and the fans, that they are the individuals best suited for the jobs they currently occupy.

The formula is simple: Score more points.

You can follow Collin Haalboom on X.

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