Buccaneers vs Seahawks: Five Game-Changing Players
Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; A view of an official Wilson football on the sideline at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Seahawks (7-2-1) come into Raymond James Stadium this Sunday to face the Buccaneers (5-5) in a 4:05 matchup. Here, we break down five game-changing players in the game.
Sunday was a big day for the Buccaneers. The 19-17 win over the Chiefs could be a signature win for Dirk Koetter’s team, but it can truly become a signature win if Tampa Bay can follow it up with another big upset. The Seahawks are never an easy test, and they are playing some very good football lately. The Bucs are playing their best ball of the year, but is it good enough to beat another perennial contender?
Tampa Bay did have just enough to beat Kansas City last week, which was a major step forward for the franchise. The Bucs still have a lot of holes on their roster, but the guys that are there continue to play well enough to compete. There’s still a long way to go, although there is an opportunity this week for the team to prove that it has enough to contend now.
Seattle is yet again a Super Bowl contender, proving as much with its back-to-back wins over New England and Philadelphia. The team’s defense is dominant, which is going to provide the Buccaneer offense with one of its toughest tasks of the year. Pete Carroll’s team does have to travel all the way across the country for this game, but will it give Tampa Bay an edge?
The Seahawks are contenders every year, which is where the Bucs want to be very soon. Which five players can change the outcome of Sunday’s matchup?
Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) against the Chicago Bears at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Jameis Winston
What sophomore slump? Sure, Jameis Winston had some issues with accuracy early in the season. As of late, he has been much better on the field and his leadership is unmatched in the Tampa Bay locker room. His ability to lead was especially huge in last week’s upset, and he’ll have to step up again this week to beat Seattle.
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It’s no secret that the Seahawk defense is one of the most dominant in the league. It has been for years now, and it’s giving up an average of just 17.3 points per game in 2016. When Seattle met New England a couple of weeks ago, Tom Brady finished without a touchdown. The best quarterback in the NFL was completely kept out of the end zone. If the Bucs want to stay hot this Sunday, Winston will be the key. Considering the fact that the secondary features Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, that’s a lot to ask of the 22-year-old quarterback.
“Famous Jameis” turned in a historic rookie season last year. However, he’s on pace to be even better this year. With six games left on the schedule, he’s on track to surpass his rookie passing yards (4,042), and he’s just three passing touchdowns away from beating his total from last year (22). If Winston can produce at a high level on Sunday, the Bucs could be looking at a second consecutive upset.
Nov 20, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin (89) runs for yards after the catch against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Philadelphia, 26-15. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Doug Baldwin
As Russell Wilson‘s top target, Doug Baldwin will be a big difference-maker on Sunday afternoon. The Buccaneer secondary has been better in the last two weeks, but it took a hit this week as Jude Adjei-Barimah was suspended for four games. Brent Grimes‘ status for Sunday is also unclear, which is another obstacle for Tampa Bay. What comes as an obstacle for the Bucs on defense will be an advantage for Baldwin on Sunday.
Baldwin has been good all year long, catching 54 passes for 733 yards and five touchdowns. He averages 13.6 yards per catch, and has gone over 100 receiving yards twice this year. He is coming off of a game in which he caught just four passes, but an average of 26 yards per catch put him over 100 yards (104).
Stopping the passing game will be one of the tough tasks that Sunday’s game brings for Tampa Bay. The Seahawks will want to wear down the Buccaneer defense by keeping it on the field, which will in turn keep their own defense fresh. Baldwin will be at the center of that effort, as Wilson likes to target him more than anyone else. If the Bucs can stop him, they’ll have a much better chance of winning. If they can’t, it could be a long day.
Nov 20, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Cecil Shorts (10) catches a pass as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Phillip Gaines (23) defends during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Tampa Bay won 19-17. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Cecil Shorts
The Bucs have seen a lot of injuries this season, especially to their wide receivers. As a result, they’ve needed some background guys to step up as frequent targets. Cecil Shorts struggled to get going for weeks, but finally played a big part in last week’s win over the Chiefs. He caught five passes on seven targets for 62 yards. If he can stay involved this week, it would be a nice plus for the Tampa Bay offense.
The Seattle secondary will certainly have much of its focus on Mike Evans, which could leave some opportunities for the Bucs’ supporting cast. Adam Humphries, Russell Shepard and Cameron Brate will see their fair share of targets, but with Shorts flying under the radar, it might be wise of Tampa Bay to look his way on Sunday. With as much talent as the Seahawks have on defense, whoever covers Shorts will still be solid. But with Richard Sherman likely focused more on Evans, Shorts could see a lot of targets once again.
The Bucs need their supporting receivers to show up on Sunday. This game is not one that Evans can win on his own. Shorts, among others, will need to be at his best if Tampa Bay wants to head into December with a 6-5 record.
Nov 20, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) celebrates after a sack against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Bobby Wagner
With all of the talk about Seattle’s secondary, linebacker Bobby Wagner is sometimes overlooked. The Bucs definitely can’t afford to overlook him this week, as he will figure heavily into stopping Tampa Bay’s run game. Doug Martin found his stride a bit more last week, and will presumably be even healthier this Sunday. Wagner will play a big part for the Seattle defense, both in stopping Martin and also protecting his zone in pass coverage.
Wagner is having another spectacular season in 2016. Through 10 games, he has 108 tackles (58 solo), two and a half sacks, one interception and two pass breakups. He will be one of the best linebackers that Tampa has seen or will see all season long, and it will be difficult to keep him from being a big factor. Because of the success that the Seahawks’ secondary has week in and week out, teams can be more willing to run the ball. If the Bucs choose that route on Sunday, Wagner will be there to stop it.
Regardless of the run-pass splits, Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter will have to make sure his offense establishes the run. If Wagner steps up and the Bucs struggle to establish any sort of run game, it will swing things in Seattle’s favor.
Nov 20, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Roberto Aguayo (19) kicks a point after touchdown during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Tampa Bay won 19-17. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Roberto Aguayo
It’s taken some time, but if last Sunday was any indication, Roberto Aguayo has found his footing. The second-rounder was a mess early on this season, but has delivered lately. He has made nine of his last 10 field goal attempts, including seven straight between weeks eight and 11. He made all four of his field goal attempts and his one extra point attempt last week, which earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Against a team like the Seahawks, the Bucs won’t roll to a win. It’ll have to be a hard-fought battle, and in any close game, it could come down to one kick. Aguayo will have to stay sharp this week, especially considering the red zone struggles that Tampa Bay had a week ago. Those red zone struggles won’t be easy to overcome this week against an even better defense. Aguayo may have to kick a couple of field goals to keep the team in the game, and he may even need one to win the game for his team.
Steven Hauschka, Seattle’s kicker, is one of the top guys in the league. He is 21-for-24 on field goals this year, going 15-for-16 on kicks longer than 30 yards. He will be at the top of his game, which makes Aguayo even more important to the outcome of Sunday’s matchup.
Who do you think changes the game this Sunday, Bucs fans? Let us know in the comments, on Twitter or on Facebook.