Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Full Tampa Bay Game Preview
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will look to bring their record up to .500 this week as they head out on the road to face the Philadelphia Eagles.
Both teams sit at 4-5 on the year, with the Bucs coming off a dramatic last-minute home win over the Dallas Cowboys, while the Eagles fell by just one point at home to the Miami Dolphins.
Tampa Bay's defense is coming off arguably its best performance of the season, while rookie quarterback Jameis Winston is hoping to shrug off his two-interception outing last week. Both teams are dealing with key injuries, some of which could be up in the air right up until kickoff Sunday.
Bucs fans, here's everything you need to know heading into this week's game.
Viewing Info
Date: Sunday
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
TV: Fox
Week 10 Results and Recap
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NFC South Standings
- Carolina Panthers (9-0)
- Atlanta Falcons (6-3)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)
- New Orleans Saints (4-6)
It wasn't pretty, but the Bucs bagged a 10-6 home win over the Dallas Cowboys last week, thanks to some late-game heroics and a dash of good fortune.
Neither team seemed to want to take control, as the game headed into the final minutes without a single touchdown scored. Jameis Winston marched the Bucs down the field for what looked like a game-winning drive, but when this year's top overall draft pick launched toward the goal line on a scramble, he dropped the ball just before reaching the end zone.
But the Bucs were saved by the yellow flag, as a defensive-holding call against Dallas gave the Bucs another shot from point-blank range. Winston would make the most of his mulligan, waltzing into the end zone on a naked bootleg for the go-ahead score.
Despite being left with just 54 seconds and no timeouts, the Cowboys still had a shot to win it at the last second, thanks in large part to a personal foul on Tampa Bay's Mike Jenkins on the kickoff. But Matt Cassel barely overthrew Dez Bryant in the end zone, and the ball landed right in the arms of Tampa Bay safety Bradley McDougald to seal the win for the Bucs.
The Bucs held Cowboys running back Darren McFadden to just 32 yards on 17 carries, while Bryant and Jason Witten combined for just 87 yards on 10 receptions. Dallas managed just 216 total yards all afternoon, surrendering three sacks and failing to find the end zone.
Winston overcame his first two turnovers since Week 4, throwing for 264 yards and scoring his team-high fourth rushing touchdown of the season. Doug Martin topped 100 total yards, while Mike Evans went over 100 yards receiving for the second straight week.
News and Notes
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Despite Drops, Evans Coming Up Big
Mike Evans took plenty of grief for his plethora of drops two weeks ago against the New York Giants, but there's no denying the positive impact he's had on Tampa Bay's passing game this year, considering the injuries the team has dealt with.
Veteran teammate Alterraun Verner says there's a ton of pressure on the second-year pass-catcher to perform, but he can handle it, per Scott Reynolds of PewterReport.com:
"He definitely has that target on his back and I think that’s why you’ve seen so many passes go his way. There is a lot on his plate and I think he’s handled it well. He’s been making plays to help us stay in games. There’s definitely a lot of pressure on Mike, but it’s something he can handle.
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Injuries to Vincent Jackson, Louis Murphy and Austin Seferian-Jenkins have left the Bucs thin in the receiving corps, and despite his recent string of drops, Evans has caught 16 passes for 276 yards over the past two games. Tampa Bay will rely on him heavily again this week.
Winston Enjoys Comparisons to Cunningham
Long before the Bucs made him the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, a young Jameis Winston hoped he'd one day make it to the NFL—wearing Philadelphia Eagles green.
Winston's love for the Eagles came in part because of former Eagles great Randall Cunningham, a player whom Winston was compared to favorably in high school, per Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune:
"Randall Cunningham was one of those guys, especially back in those times, that brought excitement to the game, like Steve Young. So I just fell in love with him. Also, when I was coming out of high school, on your Rivals page they have players in the NFL that they compare you to, and my comparison was Randall Cunningham. So, that made me even more of a fan.
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Winston has already impressed with his play so far this year, so it's likely Eagles fans will wish he had ended up in their colors by the end of Sunday's game.
Eagles' Barwin: Bucs Rookies Are Impressive
Tampa Bay has gotten quality contributions from plenty of first-year players so far this season, from multiple new faces on the offensive line and receiver units to linebackers and corners.
This youth movement has caught the attention of Eagles pass-rusher Connor Barwin, who praised the Bucs' young blockers up front, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com:
"I think that they’re a real solid group. They’ve looked good all year, from what I’ve seen. Obviously the rookies came in and played really well – played better than most rookies usually do. The left tackle is a big guy. He’s done great in the run game and he’s been pretty good in protection, too. They haven’t, as a group, given up that many sacks this year.
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Left tackle Donovan Smith and right guard Ali Marpet have started since day one for the Bucs after both were chosen in the second round of this year's draft, and aside from Marpet's recent injury, they have played admirably. They'll have their hands full with Barwin and company this week, but they've proved so far this year they're up for the challenge.
Latest Injury News
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Vincent Jackson
The team's No. 2 receiver has missed the last four games with a knee injury, but he was finally able to return to practice in a limited capacity Thursday.
Jackson posted 21 catches for 319 yards and a pair of touchdowns before the injury, and his absence has been painfully obvious. Rookie undrafted free agents Donteea Dye and Adam Humphries have done their best in his stead, but there's been no substitute for Jackson's size and experience to pair with Mike Evans.
It's still unclear whether or not Jackson will be healthy enough to play Sunday, so keep a close eye on his status during Friday's practice.
Jacquies Smith
Another starter the Bucs have sorely missed in recent weeks, Smith was still limited in Thursday's practice with an ankle injury that has kept him out of action since Week 8.
Despite missing two games, Smith still leads the Bucs with five sacks this season, and his absence has been a huge hit to the team's ability to get after the quarterback. His status for the game is still up in the air, but the Bucs need him back as soon as possible.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins
Not only has Jackson missed the last four games, but Winston has been without his top tight end since Week 2 as well, as Seferian-Jenkins has missed most of the 2015 season with a significant shoulder injury.
Despite only playing in two games so far this season, Seferian-Jenkins has already matched his touchdown total from last season with two and was averaging nearly 20 yards per catch prior to the injury. A young quarterback can never have enough weapons at his disposal in the passing game, and Seferian-Jenkins' return to game action—whenever that may be—will be a welcome sight.
Ali Marpet
Despite hailing from a Division III school and being thrust into the starting lineup from day one, Marpet has put together a solid performance at right guard for the Bucs this season.
But an ankle injury has kept Marpet limited in practice this week, and he's in danger of missing another start. Tampa Bay's offensive line doesn't have much quality depth, and Marpet has quickly become one of the better players in the entire unit.
*All injury information courtesy of Buccaneers.com.
Top Matchups
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Bucs Linebackers vs. Eagles Quarterback
No matter who is starting at quarterback for the Eagles, Tampa Bay's linebackers will have to play their best mental game of the year as they read and react to the play-action fakes in Chip Kelly's uptempo offense.
The Bucs will likely be in nickel packages for most of the game, which means Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David will be the only linebackers on the field. Both have the athletic ability and instincts to get the job done against both the run and pass, but it will come down to their ability to make quick decisions on the fly. If they can't, it could be a long day for the Bucs on defense.
Jameis Winston vs. Eagles Back Seven
The Eagles have been one of the NFL's best teams when it comes to creating turnovers, and rookie quarterbacks tend to give the ball away fairly often.
Winston had gone four straight games without turning the ball over until throwing a pair of picks last week, but he also proved he can overcome those mistakes and still put his team in position to win. Look for the Eagles to throw tons of different looks at Winston Sunday as they try to force him into making poor decisions.
Matchup X-Factors
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Bucs X-Factor of the Week: LB Kwon Alexander
He's only 21 years old, but Alexander is already establishing himself as the heart of the Tampa Bay defense. Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David may wear the captain's badges, but Alexander's presence in the middle has been the most vital in the Bucs' progression on that side of the ball.
As the quarterback of the defense, Alexander's ability to make play calls and adjustments on the fly will be put to the test against a fast-paced Eagles offense. His ability to read and react to play-action fakes and make the right decisions will be a key factor in whether or not Tampa Bay can keep up with Chip Kelly's tempo.
He's just a rookie, but Alexander has the athletic ability and knack for making big plays that the Bucs need to get a huge road victory this week.
Prediction: Bucs 20, Eagles 17
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The Bucs are banged up, but the Eagles might be even more so heading into this game. Philly will likely be without its starting quarterback, as well as two key playmakers on offense in Ryan Mathews and Josh Huff.
Tampa Bay might be without Vincent Jackson and Austin Seferian-Jenkins again, but Jameis Winston has gotten the job done without them for weeks now and should be able to do it again this week.
These two teams are going in opposite directions when it comes to momentum, with the Bucs coming off a dramatic comeback win and the Eagles losing a nail-biter at home.
The Bucs have been steady on offense, with the defense finally catching up a bit last week. If the Bucs can force a handful of three-and-outs and keep the Eagles defense on the field with sustained drives, they should be able to wear Philly down.
The key for Tampa Bay will be avoiding turnovers, as the Eagles are one of the league's best at creating takeaways. Winston threw two picks last week after going four games without a turnover, so he'll need to get back to his mistake-free ways to give the Bucs their best shot this week.
Expect a close one, with Winston leading another late drive to get the Bucs to .500 on the year.
Prediction: Bucs 20, Eagles 17
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