We've officially reached crunch time for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as these next few weeks are absolutely critical. The Bucs currently hold a slim lead over the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South, and two more wins would lock up a division title.
A few losses, though, could mean the end of the season and potentially major changes in Tampa.
There's a lot on the line in Week 16, as the Bucs head to Charlotte to try and stay ahead in the playoff race. The Panthers will bring an elite backfield into the big divisional matchup, a group that has thrived all season.
For a defense that has struggled as mightily as the Bucs, it's no surprise fans are a bit nervous.
Rico Dowdle, the Panthers' lead back, burst onto the scene in Week 5 with 206 rushing yards against the Dolphins, followed by 183 more yards against his former team. The long-time Cowboys' running back wasn't expected to have a large role entering the season, but with one Chubba Hubbard injury, it was on from there.
If the Bucs want to win, stopping Dowdle will be key.
Buccaneers need guys like Vita Vea to step up in a big way against Panthers
Dowdle has thrust the Panthers' rushing attack into the Top 10 in the league in yards, but will face a stout Bucs rush defense. Despite struggling in the last two games, Tampa Bay is in the top 10 in rushing yards against this season. The two recent hiccups were against division rivals in the Saints and Falcons.
Outside of the few anomalies, the Buccaneers' defense has stopped the run against elite running backs this season. Saquon Barkley gained just 43 yards on 19 carries in Week 4, and Christian McCaffrey just 54 in Week 6.
With both units mostly at full-health, this matchup will be elite.
Vita Vea is a player who the Bucs need o step up in Week 16 to defend the run. The long-time Bucs' defensive tackle struggled in Week 15 against the Falcons and just secured one tackle. Over the last five games, Vea has just eight tackles but two sacks.
He'll match up against Panthers center Cade Mays, who has struggled to block the run this season. According to PFF, his 59 run block grade is 31 out of 39 centers in the league.
Next to him is left guard Damien Lewis, who is an elite lineman. Lewis is the 8th-ranked guard by PFF, and rightfully so. With nearly 800 snaps, Lewis has allowed just one sack all season.
Regardless of who's battling in the trenches, the Bucs have one goal: Stop the run. They've done it before, but must perform when it matters most. If Tampa Bay controls Dowdle and Hubbard, they'll force Bryce Young to beat them, which is just what the doctor ordered.