Buccaneers vs. Washington: First playoff preview since 2007
By Rob Leeds
The rest of Washington’s team
When discussing this matchup, the anti-Tom Brady analysts tend to forget that Washington has to win on both sides of the ball, something they did very little this season.
Washington has started three different quarterbacks this season, and Alex Smith is an injury-prone mess that has only started six games this season. The inconsistency at quarterback has also harmed star-receiver Terry McLaurin‘s production, which was uncharacteristically low last month.
Antonio Gibson has been a consistent bright spot on the offense when healthy, but Washington won’t be able to hang their hat on the run game against Tampa Bay. Washington’s best bet will come down to throwing the football, but that is already a difficult prospect.
The Buccaneers have struggled against the pass in the second half of the season, but the potential is still there to step up when it matters the most. Carlton Davis‘ return would help substantially, and Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting have shown flashes in recent weeks that indicate they can match up well with the depleted Washington secondary.
This game comes down to the pass for both teams, and the Buccaneers have a clear advantage in this category. Washington’s secondary has taken a step in the right direction as well, but it will be hard to compete with Tom Brady and the stellar Buccaneer receivers.