A new series is coming to Bucs Wire this season, and we hope it provides some extra depth to what you want out of your Tampa Bay coverage.
Each week, we will be breaking down who has the advantage in positional matchups across the board. Every matchup on offense and defense will be discussed, and the next game getting this treatment is their matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Bucs are sure to make things challenging, but they should be able to hold their own. Here are our thoughts on how they match up positionally.
Edge Rushers
The Steelers’ offensive line has been a work in progress since the last season Ben Roethlisberger played. They have invested heavily in the group, which includes two first-round draft picks and other free agents. Meanwhile, the Bucs’ defensive front and their edge rushers have been on a steady increase, led by Yaya Diaby. Look for them to be able to generate pressure on the Steelers’ quarterbacks and get in the backfield to create chaos for the running backs as well.
Running Backs
Josh Grizzard called plays for the first time last week, and he showed that he is going to have a similar approach that previous coordinators did with this Bucs offense, where they will have the run setup to succeed one way or another. After putting up nearly 200 years on the ground against the Titans, look for the Bucs to repeat that against the Steelers. Rachaad White isn’t likely to play, but that doesn’t mean Sean Tucker and Owen Wright will be able to repeat that sort of dominance against a weaker Steelers linebacking unit.
Wide Receivers
The stars of this group we all know and love, with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, neither veteran is playing any in the preseason though. What we have seen is some early dominance in the pairing of Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka, but also deeper down the depth chart in Garrett Greene, Ryan Miller, and Jacob Harris. That depth they boast is too much for the Steelers’ thin secondary. I would expect Kyle Trask and Connor Bazelak to have a decent showing, as well as this being the perfect scenario for the team to debut Teddy Bridgewater.
