Buccaneers at Chargers: Five Game-Changing Players
By Bailey Adams
Noah Spence
One of the biggest reasons for the recent turnaround by Mike Smith’s defensive unit is Noah Spence. The Bucs are seeing their 2016 second-round pick turn into a force to be reckoned with week in and week out. Last week against Seattle, Spence racked up one and a half sacks, along with a forced fumble. He is second on the team in sacks with five and a half, while also sitting in second for forced fumbles with three.
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The Chargers’ offensive line isn’t the best, which could mean another big day for the Tampa Bay pass rush. Philip Rivers has been sacked 26 times this year, but has been pressured a whole lot more. San Diego has allowed 68 quarterback hits in 11 games, which is good for an average of a little over six hits per game. If the Bucs can get after Rivers, it will effectively slow down the Chargers’ offense.
In week 12, especially early on in the game, Spence made a lot of noise. The Seahawks had no answer for him off the edge, which goes to show how much he’s grown as a player in just 11 games. The rookie is having a great season. If he can continue to produce at a high level on Sunday, Tampa Bay could be coming back home with a fourth straight win.