How the Buccaneers can beat the Seahawks in Week 5

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head cross-country to take on the 3-1 Seattle Seahawks in Week 5.

Banged up and missing several key starters, including Mike Evans, Jamel Dean, Bucky Irving and Benjamin Morrison, the Bucs face a difficult challenge ahead against a Seahawks team that has 10 days to rest and prepare. Tampa Bay will need to be locked in on all three phases and cannot afford to make the same mistakes as they did in their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. 

However, the Bucs can win this game despite being decimated by injuries. If they follow these Keys to Cannon Fire, the Bucs can come home from the Pacific Northwest, stealing a road win.  

Establish a balanced offense 

The Seahawks come in with a formidable defensive front, holding defenders to just 89.8 yards, which ranks sixth in the league. The Bucs come into this game without their leading rusher. With Bucky Irving sidelined, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker and rookie Josh Williams will need to fill in and try to keep Seattle’s defense honest.

It will be a tough task, but if the Bucs want to achieve any consistency moving the ball down the field, establishing a run game early will be key.

However, the Seahawks are dealing with major injuries in their secondary and pass rush. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon, safety Julian Love and edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence are all out for Sunday’s contest. Taking advantage of their depletions on defense should make passing the ball easier, which should open up the ground game as well. 

Get off to a fast start 

The Bucs have scored a touchdown on their opening possession just once this season. Meanwhile, the defense has allowed teams to score on every opening possession. Tampa Bay’s defense has usually settled down by the second half, but getting off to a quicker start and shutting down offenses needs to be a priority.

Lavonte David cited a lack of focus and energy in their latest slow start to the game, and Tampa Bay will need to come out sharp on defense on Sunday to help secure the road win. 

The offense has been decimated with injuries, but there have been opportunities to extend drives that have been missed. Baker Mayfield said after the loss to the Eagles that the offense has talked about starting fast, with Chris Godwin exposing that it comes down to the players making plays. If the Bucs are going to steal a win in Seattle, scoring points early and quieting the crowd will be crucial. 

Avoid mental errors 

Plug this in every week, right?

The Bucs have struggled in all three phases with untimely mistakes. A blocked punt gave the Eagles seven points in the opening minutes of Sunday’s loss. A lack of containment on Jalen Hurts by the defense and a red zone interception by Mayfield late in the game made things difficult for themselves.

The Bucs have struggled in the red zone this season, an area Seattle has excelled. The Seahawks have the second-best scoring defense in the NFL, allowing just 16.8 points per game, and have held a 46.2 red zone rate on defense. Meanwhile, the Bucs are 29th in red zone scoring. Executing on third down and the red zone and cleaning up the special teams units will be paramount to a Buccaneers victory.