With the NFL Playoffs finally upon us, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will get a first-round home game against the Washington Commanders. It’s a rematch from Week 1, but neither team is the same version of themselves that the other one saw earlier in the year.
Washington heads into this game on a five-game winning streak, and Jayden Daniels is the clear favorite for Rookie of the Year.
While the Bucs are 10-7 and won their division, their season was filled with many injuries and wins in ugly fashion. It's only fitting we discuss a few kinks that need to be addressed if they want to come out on top Sunday night.
1. Baker Mayfield must limit mistakes
While Baker Mayfield has put up MVP numbers, there have been some costly turnovers along the way. He is tied for the most interceptions in 2024 with Kirk Cousins with 16, and several of those have cost them big time.
Washington has only seven interceptions on the year, but if Baker gets careless, they can put themselves in a bad position.
Not only does Baker lead the league in interceptions, but he also leads in fumbles with 13, which is also tied with Kirk Cousins. He can't afford to be careless with the football when the season is on the line.
2. Buccaneers defense needs to create turnovers
With how many injuries they've suffered on the defensive side of the ball, it's easy to understand why the Bucs have struggled on that side of the ball.
However, it's still notable that they have one of the lowest turnover percentages in the NFL. With Jayden Daniels playing his first playoff game on the road, the Bucs should be looking to get pressure and cause mistakes.
3. Getting off the field on third down
The Bucs defense hasn't been terrible on third down, but they must be better, not just in this game but throughout the playoffs.
They rank 14th at 38.1%, and that number goes down to 35% at home, respectively.
Again, with a rookie quarterback under center, it's imperative to limit the defense time on the field and not let Daniels extend drives with his ability to escape the pocket and scramble.
4. Secondary needs to limit Jayden Daniels’ passing attack
If there's an area the Bucs defense has struggled with the most this season, it's through the air.
They rank 29th in opponent passing yards per game at 243.9, and with Todd Bowles's defensive background, that's unacceptable.
With several of their missing players in the secondary getting healthy in the last several weeks, Tampa Bay looks to improve in that area.
Guys like Antoine Winfield Jr., Jamel Dean, Tykee Smith, Josh Hayes, and Mike Edwards have all missed time this year, which has contributed to inconsistency in pass coverage.