Division rivalries are important for every team, not just the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The player match-ups in these critical games will be discussed in sports bars and living rooms across the country, with some being more significant than others.
When the Buccaneers face-off against their NFC South rivals this year, there’s going to be some added pressure.
Tampa finishes the regular season with three-straight divisional games: at home on Monday Night against the Falcons, on the road Christmas Eve in Carolina, and at home again on New Year’s Eve against the Saints.
They don’t play one game against an NFC South opponent until Week 8. Then, they play all three in just a four-week spread.
The schedule makers certainly made sure to give Bucs fans plenty of drama here in very intense bursts.
So, while the first half of the year will consist of contests outside the division, the back half will be stuffed full of rivalry.
It’s going to be exciting, and will be even more exciting if the Buccaneers are winning. To do so, they’re going to have to stop certain players, or beat some.
Let’s look at five such players in the NFC South, in no particular order, who the Bucs’ coaching staff is going to have to game plan against if the team wants to finish with three-straight victories in 2017.
Now, to be fair, all the quarterbacks have to be game planned against. Got it. I’m not including them here because honestly, it would be too easy.