A critical win in Dallas finally stopped the bleeding for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but let’s be real, the next three weeks are gonna show us if they can actually dig themselves out of that early-season hole and claw their way back into the NFC South race. With a 0-4 start looming large, they don’t have much room left for wasted opportunities.
Pittsburgh Rolls In, Then Carolina Awaits
First up, the Steelers are coming to Tampa on October 18. The Bucs are getting some extra rest after their Thursday night game, which is huge before they go up against a Pittsburgh team that’s always a physical battle. The Steelers are sitting at 2-2 right now and they’ve got Indianapolis before their trip to Tampa. That offensive balance the Bucs finally showed against Dallas? They’re gonna need to bring that fire against Pittsburgh, because those guys are never an easy out.
After that, it’s a road trip to Carolina on October 25, kicking off a stretch of back-to-back division games. The Panthers are also 2-2 through four games and will play Philadelphia in Week 6 before hosting Tampa Bay. Carolina’s got some serious offensive firepower that could cause problems, with Bryce Young orchestrating the offense, Chuba Hubbard pounding the rock on the ground, and Tetairoa McMillan as a legitimate receiving threat. If the Bucs want to keep building on that Dallas win, their defense absolutely has to keep those three from taking over the game.
Atlanta Closes Out A Pivotal Three-Game Stretch
The Falcons then roll into Tampa Bay the following week on November 1. Atlanta’s currently 2-2 heading into Week 5, so by the time they get to town, the entire shape of the NFC South could look wildly different. This makes this three-game stretch not just important, but absolutely vital for a Bucs team that’s trying to recover from their awful 0-4 start.
The win in Dallas really laid out what this team can look like: running the ball well, controlling possession, and getting those clutch, timely plays from the defense. If the Buccaneers can repeat that formula over these next three weeks, they actually stand a chance of putting themselves back in the conversation for the NFC South. Otherwise, they’ll be spending the rest of the season just trying to climb out of the mess they made in September.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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