Perhaps the toughest stretch of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers schedule comes to a head on Sunday with a showdown out west against the 49ers.
Tampa Bay mercifully ended its four game losing streak last Sunday, defeated the Tennessee Titans 20-6 and getting back into the win column for the first time since the bye week. It had been since the beginning of October that the Bucs won a game, but baby steps is the perfect way to describe the approach to this season.
Offensively the Bucs have yet to fully wake up, despite having talent like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Rachaad White has gotten it going in the passing game too, but the Bucs stubborn reliance on a nonexistent run game has continually been the offense's undoing.
Against the 49ers, one of the best teams in the NFC, the Bucs will need to be perfect. Mental mistakes will add up quickly, and not using Evans or Godwin as effectively as they should be will put Tampa Bay in a tough spot.
That being said, there are ways the Bucs can pull off an upset on Sunday. Tampa Bay hasn't been blown out of games this year, with the only possible exception being a loss to the Lions in Week 6. Even in that game the Bucs were closer than the final score indicated, but it will take more than just some good vibes to pull off a second-straight win on Sunday.
What channel is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game on today? (November 19th)
San Francisco is a Top 3 team in the NFC, but it's not impossible to beat the Niners. Cleveland, Minnesota, and Cincinnati all found a way to do it as the Niners are 2-3 in their last five games coming into Sunday.
It's the 34-3 thrashing of Jacksonville that is cause for concern, as that's the Niners team we're used to seeing. The Bucs of last Sunday, though, were a team much closer to their true selves. The defense allowed only six points, knocked Will Levis down 13 times, and stifled Derrick Henry for just 24 yards on 11 carries.
That's the sort of smothering defensive attack the Bucs will need against an offense that is about as high-flying as it gets.
Here's everything you need to know to catch today's game:
- Date: Sunday, November 19th
- Start Time: 4:05 pm ET
- Location: Levi's Stadium | Santa Clara, CA
- TV Channel: FOX
- Announcers: Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston
- Radio: WXTB 97.9 FM | More Affiliates
- Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket | Fubo
Tampa Bay is in the late window this weekend thanks to the game being out West in California. It's not officially the Game Of The Week, though, as FOX isn't airing a doubleheader. Local markets will get the game, but outside of that it's not a nationally televised affair the way last year's meeting was.