How the Buccaneers Can Beat the Jets

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers yet again have another opportunity to go 3-0 for the first time in an age. They have started the season 2-0 every year under Todd Bowles, but have yet to win that elusive 3rd game in a row to start the season. Despite the opponent.

Last year, they had to lose one more time to Sean Payton. They did not look like a good team at first, but sort of shaped up toward the end. The Jets look worse than the Broncos did. After a solid week one, they completely collapsed against the Bills. Not only that, but somehow they have more players dealing with injury than the Bucs do.

For the Bucs, the most important thing is the o-line. We have three new players playing along the line today. Hell, we don’t even know who is playing where yet. For all I know, they”ll announce Ryan Jensen is coming out of retirement to play center again. The good news for them is that the Jets will be down Jermaine Johnson. It should help Baker stay upright, but he will need to get the ball out quickly again. I want to see Bucky and Rachaad leaned on early and often. They gave up gobs of yards to the Bills running game.

The Bucs offense has had trouble starting early, and hopefully against the Jets depleted defense, it will be easier going. If the Bucs do air it out, I would think Mike Evans will be locked up against Sauce Gardner for most of the game. But that should leave Emeka Egbuka to go against the Jets CB2, a matchup I think he can win.

On defense, the biggest thing they have to worry about is Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. Now, one thing the Bucs have done better than anything is taking out the opposing team’s primary weapon. They shut down Bijan Robinson on the ground week one as well as handled Drake London, they mostly handled Nico Collins week 2, and now they have the Jets weapons. Garrett Wilson is easily the biggest WR threat for the Jets, and Breece Hall is just the best skill player on that offense right now. I think we might expect to get a similar type performance as we saw from Bijan.

The Bucs should be able to handle him on the ground, but Sirvocea Dennis will likely let up some more big completions to him. Like the offense, the defense has been starting slow, so let’s see if they start hot against a team missing the starting QB.

If the Bucs weren’t dealing with injuries to key positions, it would be so much easier to say they’ll win. But unfortunately the injuries make this a closer affair. The Bucs are more talented than the Jets even right now, but I think their d-line will make Baker’s life hell. It may be an ugly affair again, but the Bucs should still be able to overwhelm the Jets. If the offense just keeps moving and the defense can actually get a turnover.