Bucs Record Watch 2023: Week 15 vs. Packers

[max]

Only a few weeks after the Bucs’ season looked dead, they’re suddenly in for some meaningful December football. Back-to-back wins over the Panthers and Falcons have them narrowly leading the NFC South ahead of a crucial Week 15 contest against the Packers at Lambeau Field. With a win, Tampa Bay can strengthen its hold on first place in the division while getting the team back to .500 for the first time since the end of Week 7. It would then set up a huge three-game stretch to close the season as the Bucs try to three-peat as NFC South champions. They would be in position to potentially make the playoffs by winning two of their three remaining games against the Jaguars, Saints and Falcons. A loss to Green Bay, though, costs Tampa Bay control of its own destiny and makes that final stretch more difficult. Of course, this game is just as big for the Packers, who currently hold the No. 7 seed in the NFC. The playoff picture is crowded, and Matt LaFleur’s team only has a playoff spot via tiebreaker right now. A loss would be a setback for Green Bay’s chances to make the playoffs in its first season without Aaron Rodgers. As much as there is riding on this game, there are plenty of milestones still within reach for some on the Bucs’ roster. Last week, Chris Godwin joined Mike Evans as the only receivers to total 500-plus receptions with Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, Evans passed Muhsin Muhammad for 34th-most receiving yards in league history. Now, let’s see where things stand heading into Week 15. Mike Evans Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR With one more receiving touchdown, Evans will tie Rob Gronkowski (92) for 12th-most in NFL history. Two more would move him ahead of Gronkowski for 12th. Another receiving score would also tie Evans with Mike Williams (11 in 2010) for fifth-most in a single season in Bucs history. Two more receiving touchdowns would tie Evans with himself (12 in 2014 and 2016) for third-most in a single season, while three more ties him with himself (13 in 2020) for second-most in a single season by a Buc. Finally, Evans is four receiving touchdowns away from tying his own single-season franchise record (14 in 2021). With a touchdown of any kind, Evans will tie Rob Gronkowski and Jim Taylor (93) for 30th-most total touchdowns in NFL history. Two total touchdowns will tie him with Jerome Bettis, Priest Holmes and Marshawn Lynch (94) for 27th-most in league history. Evans is only 175 yards away from passing Calvin Johnson (11,348) for 33rd-most receiving yards in NFL history. He would also pass Johnson for the sixth-most receiving yards by a player through the first 10 seasons of his career. Back on the franchise record front, Evans needs 33 more points to break Martin Gramatica’s franchise record for career points scored (592). Finally, his 151st game on Sunday will leave him only seven behind Mike Alstott (158) for ninth-most in team history. Chris Godwin Godwin needs one more receiving touchdown to tie Jimmie Giles (34) and pass Cameron Brate (33) for second-most in Bucs history. Plus, with two more receptions, Godwin will have his fifth straight 60-catch season. He would become one of only eight players with 60-plus in each of the last five seasons, though Cleveland’s Amari Cooper is close to doing so as well. Godwin’s 60-catch season streak is already the second-longest in franchise history Sunday will be Godwin’s 101st game, tying him with Jeremy Trueblood, Ali Marpet and Ian Beckles for 38th-most in franchise history. Rachaad White Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: USA Today With two total touchdowns, White will tie five players for the 10th-most single-season touchdowns from scrimmage by a running back in franchise history. White is also just 41 receiving yards away from joining Warrick Dunn as the only players in Bucs history with 1,000-plus rushing yards and 750-plus receiving yards through their first two seasons. And with 65 scrimmage yards, White will become the eighth player in team history with 2,000 scrimmage yards over the first two seasons of his career. Shaq Barrett Barrett is still 10.5 sacks away from passing Gerald McCoy (54.5) for fourth-most in Bucs history. He is also one forced fumble away from tying Ronde Barber and Warren Sapp (15) for fourth-most in team history. Yaya Diaby Diaby is just 1.5 sacks away from passing Gaines Adams (6.0 in 2007) for the third-most by a rookie in Bucs history. He needs three more to pass Adrian Clayborn (7.5 in 2011) for second-most by a Tampa Bay rookie. Lavonte David Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR David now only needs four more tackles to mark his 10th season with 100-plus tackles, joining London Fletcher (14 such seasons) and Bobby Wagner (11) as the only players to accomplish that feat since 2000. David also needs four tackles and one tackle for loss to make this his fourth season with 100-plus tackles and 15-plus tackles for loss. No player has done that more than twice since 2006, when tackles for loss became an official stat. Sunday will be David’s 178th game with the Bucs, leaving him five behind Paul Gruber (183) for fourth-most in team history. It will also be his 178th start, which has him five behind Gruber (183) for third-most in franchise history. With 1.5 more sacks, David will pass Brad Culpepper (33.0) for eighth-most in team history. And with two more passes defensed, he’ll move ahead of Donnie Abraham (64) for fifth-most in Buccaneer history. Jamel Dean If Dean is good to go against the Packers, he’ll have a chance to chip away at the 11 passes defensed that separate him and Aqib Talib (54), who has the seventh-most in team history. Antoine Winfield Jr. Winfield is now only one forced fumble away from tying Jermaine Phillips and Stylez G. White (10) for ninth-most in franchise history. The post Bucs Record Watch 2023: Week 15 vs. Packers appeared first on Pewter Report.

Source: https://www.pewterreport.com/bucs-recor ... s-packers/