The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play in a huge game on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. While Buffalo isn’t a division rival or a conference opponent, it is a 6-3 team. That means this Week 11 matchup will see two likely playoff teams face off against each other, and it’s always great for teams to test themselves against other good teams in the league.
When that happens on Sunday, there could be some trepidation from Bucs fans as the team has to contain Josh Allen, James Cook, and the rest of the Bills. While that’s always a tall task, there are multiple paths to victory for Tampa Bay, and one path is extremely simple. That path is running the ball. There will be opportunities for the Bucs to get their ground game going on Sunday, and that could ultimately be the key to victory.
Buccaneers should lean on run game in Week 11 against Bills
The rushing attack hasn’t been a strong point for the Tampa Bay offense this season, averaging just 99.8 rushing yards per game — 25th in the NFL. However, the Bucs have found success on the ground in a couple of wins this season, like when they rushed for 169 yards against the Houston Texans and 122 yards against the New York Jets. Sunday could be another opportunity to have one of those games.
The Bills have been abysmal against the run this season. They will enter Sunday’s game allowing 147.6 rushing yards per game, which ranks 30th in the NFL. Buffalo is also giving up 5.5 yards a carry, which is tied for the worst mark in the league. The inability to stop the run is why the Bills have been upset by teams like the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins. The Bucs are hoping they can do the same.
Tampa Bay has been winning thanks to the arm of Baker Mayfield and the team’s deep wide receiver room, but if that combination isn’t needed on Sunday, there’s no shame in having them take a backseat. While Bucky Irving is still expected to miss Sunday’s game, the Bucs could lean on their other running backs against the Bills.