Skeleton Keys To Victory Week Three: Jets vs Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 2-0 heading into week three of the NFL season. After going on the road the first two weeks, they will make their home debut this Sunday against the New York Jets. This is also the Bucs throwback white creamsicle jersey game, so excitement should be at an all time high.

The Jets have yet to scratch out a win this season. With a new head coach and a new direction this year, they haven’t been able to get off the ground. However, that’s not to say that this will be an easy win.

The Bucs are far from full strength going into this game. This game will test their depth and the mental toughness of this roster. To win they win have to follow my week three skeleton keys to victory.

Don’t Travel By Air

It’s no secret that the Bucs have been absolutely crushed with injuries along the offensive line. Of the five starting offensive linemen, only two are original starters going into the season and both are playing out of position. It’s a makeshift group that we should all have a lot of concerns about. 

Add to that, the Jets have some pretty good pass rushers. Will McDonald is a very bendy and explosive edge rusher who was born to pressure that quarterback. They also have Quinnen Williams who is one of the best, most disruptive defensive tackles in the NFL. Those are all huge mismatches for this version of the Bucs offensive line.

However, that is negated significantly in terms of run blocking. Right tackle Charlie Heck is a much better run blocker than pass blocker. If Grizzard dials up runs to the outside, away from Williams and other starting defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, that will put this offense in a better position.

Test Tyrod

The Buccaneers aren’t the only team dealing with injuries. The Jets will be without starting quarterback Justin Fields in this game, so it will be long time journeyman Tyrod Taylor getting the start. This should be a huge advantage for the Bucs.

Even as a veteran, Taylor has only started a handful of games over the last four years. Practice time aside, Taylor just hasn’t seen the field much in recent years. In the most optimistic Jets lens, he will be rusty if nothing else.

This is the perfect opportunity for Todd Bowles to attack the quarterback. Dial up the exotic blitzes and make Taylor think about where pressure is coming from. If he doesn’t process fast enough or he gets the ball out too fast and makes mistakes then it could be devastating for the Jets offense. 

Don’t Get Dunked On

The Bucs defense has been very good this season. The run defense has been excellent and the coverage has been very good. However, there is one exception to that.

SirVocea Dennis has been a liability at times in pass coverage. He seems to just lose running backs in the flats or take bad angles to get to the ball. He needs to be better this week.

I believe he can be better. He has the physical tools to play coverage, but he wasn’t asked to do it a lot in college and he’s been injured a lot at the NFL level. He needs more experience doing it. If he can just flow to the ball and tackle these dink and dunk passes then he’ll be just fine.