The Buccaneers are assured of their postseason ticket and everything indicates that they will be rivals of the NFC East champion in the Wild Card Round. Next we make a count of the possible combinations that can be given for that duel
In week 17 of the 2020 NFL Season this will be defined, although the formula is really very simple: if the Buccaneers beat the Falcons then they will have tied for fifth place in the NFC, which corresponds to the best wild card. And that means facing the NFC East champion, the division with the worst-scoring champion in the conference.
That spot is still in dispute between Washington (6-9), Dallas (6-9) and New York (5-10). The combinations are more or less simple, as Washington secures the divisional championship with a win over Philadelphia. In the event of a loss, the winner of the Cowboys vs. Giants game will be the division champion. Of course, whoever the winner is, they will have the Wild Card Round match at home.
We have a lot left to prove.
See you in the playoffs ???? pic.twitter.com/rEcmYQFPBZ
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 26, 2020
The possible scenarios are these:
Washington vs Tampa Bay
This is the most likely of the scenarios at the moment. The WFT is fortunate to face some Eagles who no longer fight anything and who will come out with the intention of spoiling the party of their divisional rivals, but without much motivation other than that.
Now, this match could be very difficult for Tampa Bay. The WFT defense is extremely good and has the potential to be a real headache, even in the postseason. Chase Young heads a front seven very solid alongside Montez Sweat, DaRon Payne and Jonathan Allen. These four players could put a lot of pressure on Tom Brady, creating severe conflict for the Bucs’ offense.
Offensively, Washington is not very strong, but the presence of Alex Smith makes this attack very safe. With elements like Antonio Gibson, JD McKissic, Terry McLaurin and Logan Thomas joining Smith, you probably think they can score at least 20 points, enough material for their defense to work.
Cowboys vs Buccaneers
This is a scenario that the Buccaneers would likely be interested in, as the Cowboys have struggled defensively this season and while they’ve made a jump in recent weeks, they are still not a very efficient unit. This weakness could be exploited with Brady and company, and it seems difficult that the Cowboys could get into a “shootout” with the Bucs.
On offense, Dallas has very interesting elements like Amari Cooper, Cee Dee Lamb and Michael Gallup, although Ezekiel Elliott is still not the player of other years. Andy Dalton would be another question mark for the Cowboys, and it could be a point that the Buccaneers defense explodes in a possible game against Dallas.
Giants vs Buccaneers
Here is a striking question. In theory, the Giants would be the most “suitable” rival for the Buccaneers, starting from the principle that this team would reach the postseason with a 6-10 record and with many doubts. But these Giants are the NFC East team the Bucs faced during the season and had a hard time beating them. In fact, on that occasion, the only one who saved Tampa Bay of a surprise were the errors of Daniel Jones, QB of New York.
So this scenario, although favorable on paper, must be viewed with caution. The Giants already have an idea of what they could face against the Buccaneers, and they could end up being a very difficult opponent for Tom Brady and company.
You guys, who do you think is the Buccaneers’ rival in the Wild Card Round? We wait for your comments.
