Buccaneers: 3 players who must step up in Week 3
By Ryan Doyle
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will get their first taste of primetime football this season against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night. A few players need to have big nights if the Bucs are going to keep their winning streak alive.
Tampa Bay is on top of the world. Following back-to-back surprising victories, the Buccaneers face-off against the dysfunctional Pittsburgh Steelers.
As Antonio Brown‘s Twitter stirs up controversy and Le’Veon Bell continues to no-show, the Steelers are on the brink of collapse, while the Buccaneers hope to continue their hot start.
Even with the distractions, Pittsburgh fields one of the most talented teams in the AFC. The Buccaneers are indeed in for another hard fought contest.
If Tampa Bay plans on keeping their undefeated season alive, these three players need to be at their best.
CB Carlton Davis
The Bucs secondary faces their toughest test of the year when the Steelers receivers come to town. They had their hands full with the Saints’ Michael Thomas in Week one, but Pittsburgh’s receiving corps is on another level.
Led by Antonio Brown, the Steelers continue to have one of the most prolific aerial attacks in the league. So far this season, the Steelers have thrown for 755 yards, the second-best mark in the league behind Tampa Bay.
Brown is followed by JuJu Smith-Schuster who already has 240 yards on the year. The Bucs will have their hands full on Monday night.
The difference maker for Tampa Bay will be rookie corner, Carlton Davis. He’ll be matched up with both Brown and Smith-Schuster throughout the night, and it might end up being his toughest test of the season.
Davis struggled in his first two professional games. According to Pro Football Focus, Davis was targeted six times, and he let up five catches against Philadelphia. Ryan Smith, on the other hand, allowed one catch in five targets.
The status of Brent Grimes remains up in the air, but Davis could get the start opposite Grimes despite the early struggles.