3 ways Buccaneers can pull off upset over Eagles in Wild Card
By Josh Hill
Buccaneers defense is stronger than it was in Week 3
One major difference between now and when the Bucs lost to Philly back in Week 3 is how much better off the defense is this time around. Tampa Bay was in a pretty good spot on paper during the first meeting, having allowed only 17 points in back-to-back weeks, but the defense was starting to get banged up.
Carlton Davis missed that game with an injury and Jamel Dean needed to leave early after getting hurt. Devin White couldn't run a potential game-changing pick-six back due to a groin injury that lingered all season and the Bucs were at one point down to Derrek Pitts Jr as the top healthy cornerback.
Things were dire on defense back in Week 3, yet the unit only allowed 25 points to an Eagles team that was far better then than it is coming into this game.
Davis, Dean, and White are all healthy for the Wild Card game, but the defense Philly will see features guys who are playing on an entirely different level. Yaya Diaby has emerged as a stud rookie linebacker and Calijah Kancey has established himself as a true threat on the edge. Antoine Winfield Jr has been playing out of his mind and feels prime to give us a memorable playoff moment -- again.
Philly's offense is dangerous but it's a shell of the one that came to Tampa back in September. It's down a star player and is facing a defense that is recharged and ready to exact some revenge for how things went the first time they met.
More Tampa Bay Buccaneers news and rumors
feed