Buccaneers at Cowboys: Five Game-Changing Players

By Fansided and Bailey Adams/FanSided via The Pewter Plank
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Nov 15, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers helmets on the bench during the second half of a football game against the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

The Buccaneers are still streaking after a 16-11 win over the Saints and put their five-game winning streak on the line against the 11-2 Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Here, we break down five players that can directly impact the game’s final score.

The Buccaneers were once 3-5. They are now 8-5, and they have a real shot at making the playoffs. Some tough competition has come their way in recent weeks, but this week’s opponent may be the toughest yet. Tampa Bay heads to Dallas this weekend for a Sunday night prime-time matchup with the 11-2 Cowboys.

This past Sunday, the Bucs hung on late for a 16-11 win against the division rival Saints. Tampa Bay is still tied for first place in the NFC South, while also holding the final NFC wild card spot. The rest of the league was no help last week, but the Bucs helped themselves. If they can keep winning, nothing else will matter. But, winning will be pretty tough this week.

The Cowboys hit a bump in the road last week, losing to the Giants by a score of 10-7. It was Dallas’ second loss to this season, and both have been to New York. That could mean one of two things. Either they come back with a vengeance this week against the Bucs, or they continue to fall back down to Earth.

Tampa Bay is one of the hottest teams in the league at the moment, and Dallas is one of the top Super Bowl contenders this year. This is a big one for both teams. Who can change the outcome of the game?

Nov 15, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Dallas Cowboys middle linebacker Rolando McClain (55) chases Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) during the first quarter of a football game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Doug Martin

Things haven’t been going too well for the Bucs on the ground, but they’ve been able to win regardless. That may not be possible this Sunday. The Cowboys are one of the top teams in the NFC. It’ll be a tough test for Tampa Bay, and Doug Martin will need to step up.

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    After a breakout year in 2015, Martin isn’t having the same success in 2016. He missed significant time with an injury, but he hasn’t produced enough even when at full strength. On 128 carries, he has just 379 yards. His average of just three yards per carry certainly isn’t as good as it could be. Part of that low average is due to a struggling offensive line, but no. 22 needs to be better as well.

    Dallas has a strong run defense, holding opponents to an average of 83.1 rushing yards per game. That’s the second-lowest mark in the NFL, behind only Baltimore. And remember, the Bucs are coming off of a game in which they managed to score just one touchdown against a sub par Saints defense. If Martin continues to get bottled up at the line of scrimmage, there will be too much pressure on Jameis Winston. Winston has been able to handle it, but the Bucs would obviously be better off with a balanced offensive attack. Whether or not Martin can find success on the ground could definitely change the outcome of Sunday’s game.

    Nov 20, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee (50) prior to a snap in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

    Sean Lee

    The second-ranked Dallas run defense is led by seventh-year linebacker Sean Lee. He will be tough to run against on Sunday, and if the Cowboys come away with the win, he’ll play a big role. He is second in the NFL in total tackles, racking up 130 in 13 games. 83 of those are solo tackles, proving his ability to make an impact all over the field.

    Lee is as important to the Cowboys’ chances of winning as Doug Martin is to the Bucs’ chances. That will be a key matchup to watch, as Dallas will look to keep its run defense strong. Lee (and the rest of his defense) has played at a high level this season. The Cowboys are giving up an average of 18.3 points per game. That mark is the fifth-best in the league, and it sure makes things difficult for Tampa Bay on Sunday night.

    The Bucs need to find some balance with their offense. Even with Martin, Charles Sims and Jacquizz Rodgers all healthy last week, the backfield didn’t provide much of a threat to go with the passing game. Lee will be tough to run through, as he has 12 tackles for loss this season, totaling 32 yards. With the Tampa Bay offensive line struggling to get any push, he could bust through and make it into the backfield quite a bit on Sunday. If he does that, Dallas will have a better shot at win no. 12.

    Dec 11, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Keith Tandy (37) reacts after intercepting a pass to seal the win against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints 16-11. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

    Keith Tandy

    The Bucs have seen a lot of different players step up during this five-game winning streak. One of those is safety Keith Tandy. Thrust into action after an injury to Chris Conte, Tandy has come through in a big way. In back-to-back weeks, he has come up with a game-clinching interception with under three minutes to go. Last week, he led the Bucs with nine tackles (eight solo), a tackle for loss and three passes defended.

    Dallas has a young offense, but it’s very talented. Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott has torn up the league, leading his team to 11 wins. By throwing for 3,139 yards and 20 touchdowns, he has supplanted Tony Romo as the team’s starter. He will be tough to stop on Sunday, especially as he looks to bounce back from a rough performance against the Giants last week.

    The Buccaneer defense will have to continue to be at its best this week, and Tandy could once again be a large part of that. Even if Conte returns from injury, Tandy has to start. He has been a difference-maker in the last couple of weeks. Even though Conte had started playing better prior to his injury, Tandy has been on another level as of late. If he can continue his stellar play this week, the Bucs could be staring at another monumental win and a six-game winning streak.

    Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) carries the ball during a game at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Cowboys defeated the Vikings 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

    Ezekiel Elliott

    What a rookie season. While Dak Prescott has undoubtedly been impressive for the Cowboys, rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott has been the team’s biggest difference-maker. The 21-year-old leads the NFL in rushing yards with 1,392. He is averaging 4.9 yards per carry, and has found the end zone 12 times on the ground and once through the air. If he keeps it going on Sunday night, he can swing things in Dallas’ favor.

      The Bucs have been solid against the run this year, having allowed just one running back to single handedly put together a 100-yard rushing game. But, Tampa Bay will have its hands full with Elliott this Sunday. The former Ohio State Buckeye has six 100-yard rushing games this season. In total, he has rushed for 80-plus yards in 12 out of 13 games.

      Tampa Bay will need Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David to be solid on Sunday. Dallas will look to control possession by feeding Elliott. There have been just two games this season in which he has carried the ball less than 20 times. In one of those games, he rushed for 134 yards. In the other, he totaled 92. The Bucs will have to contain the rookie this Sunday. They probably won’t stop him completely, but if he runs wild, the Cowboys could run away with a victory.

      Sep 25, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers punter Bryan Anger (9) punts the ball against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

      Bryan Anger

      Pro Bowl rosters haven’t been announced yet, but punter Bryan Anger has to be a lock, right? He has been as consistent as anyone on the Bucs’ roster, proving that the punting competition in the preseason was a complete waste of time. The 2012 third-rounder has punted 58 times this season, landing 48.3 percent of them inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.

      Even in today’s NFL, it seems like the concept of flipping the field is an underrated one. Anger’s ability to flip the field and pin the opposition with bad field position has been a massive part of Tampa Bay’s success. Looking at last week, the Bucs may not have been able to come away with that 16-11 win without Anger. He pinned the Saints inside their five twice in the fourth quarter. That was major part of the Bucs’ ability to keep their momentum.

      Against a team like the Cowboys, special teams will be highly important. The Bucs need Anger to be on, as it would be a big advantage to keep the young, explosive Dallas offense from starting with solid field position. If Anger can pin the Cowboys deep a couple of times and the defense can come up with a few stops deep in Dallas territory, Tampa Bay could gain a lot of confidence and momentum. That could be crucial if the game remains tight.

      Who do you have changing the game this Sunday night, Bucs fans? Let us know in the comments, on Twitter or on Facebook.