Bucs DT Calijah Kancey and ILB Devin White – Photo by: USA Today Philly dominated the trenches last time. That keyed a 25-11 victory in Tampa, as the Eagles out-gained the Bucs 472-174 yards and owned an 18-minute time of possession advantage. But the last time these two teams played the Bucs didn’t have defensive tackle Calijah Kancey in the lineup, as he was out due to a calf injury. Now the team’s first-round pick will face the Eagles and he has 11 games worth of experience under his belt. I am concerned about how the 6-foot-1, 286-pound Kancey holds up against the Eagles interior offensive linemen – center Jason Kelce and guards Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens – in the run game. Kancey has been pushed around and out of his gap at times due to his smallish size, especially when double-teamed. At the same time, Kancey does have the elite quickness to slip blocks and penetrate the backfield to stop running plays before they even start, evidenced by his 10 tackles for loss, which is to stop it before it even starts. Kancey has the chance to be a difference-maker up front but has to win each snap by getting off the ball first. Not only can he play a big role in preventing the Eagles from running for 201 yards against the Bucs defense again, but he can also provide some pass rush they didn’t have in Week 3, as Jalen Hurts was only sacked once. Kancey has 34 hurries, including 22 pressures and eight QB hits this year. He’ll need to play like a first-round pick and a superstar upfront for the Bucs to slow down Philly’s offense and beat the Eagles on Monday night. Matt Matera: Bucs’ Run Defense Needs To Get Live If this is going to be the swan song for Devin White, he might as well go out with a bang on this playoff run that hopefully for Bucs fans lasts another month. We’re not even towards the latter half of the week and we’ve already heard various Bucs players on defense say that the biggest key for stopping the Eagles this second time around is limiting them on the ground. 
Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo by: USA Today It’s been an up-and-down season for White. We’ve seen the bad version of him that nearly got him benched, followed by rumored selfishness. But through those moments everyone has also watched an aggressive White at times that looked like the inside linebacker that helped lead the Bucs to a Super Bowl a couple of seasons ago. In Week 3, the Eagles ran for 201 yards against the Bucs. Even last week the Panthers went for 131 yards on the ground. The Bucs survived that one but they won’t be as lucky again facing a better team. Lavonte David is going to do his thing. Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey are a good duo up front. A lot of this is going to fall on White. Since K.J. Britt is injured, it’s more than likely that the Bucs won’t really be able to turn anywhere else but to their high-profile inside linebacker. Even if he struggles stopping the run, maybe he can make up for it by blitzing well. A good game from Devin White helps the Bucs win. A bad game would be disastrous for the unit. Which one shows up will only be found out on Monday night. Bailey Adams: Big Night From Rachaad White Would Help Bucs Control The Game I was asked a similar question Wednesday morning on WDAE’s The Pat and Aaron Show and my first instinct was to say Mike Evans. After all, when he’s having big games, it usually means good things for the Bucs offense. He has the ability to take over games and almost win them on his own, like when he goes for 200 yards and multiple touchdowns. 
Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR But another answer — and the one I’ll go with here — is Rachaad White. The Bucs getting the run game going is never a given, but if they can find success on the ground against the Eagles, they’ll give themselves a phenomenal shot to win the game. Philadelphia’s pass defense finished the season ranked 31st in the league. So there may be plenty of ways to win through the air on Monday night, assuming the pass protection holds up and Baker Mayfield rediscovers some of the accuracy he struggled with in Weeks 17 and 18. But where the Eagles are still pretty strong is in run defense, as they finished 10th in the NFL against the run. Still, the reason White is my pick here is because, if he has a stellar night on the ground, it means four things. For one, it would mean Tampa Bay is winning the battle in the trenches, which will be one of the game’s bigger keys. Secondly, it would keep the Philly offense off the field for longer stretches, which would be a big help after they held an 18-minute time of possession advantage when they beat the Bucs in Week 3. Third, it would take some of the pressure off of a banged-up Baker Mayfield, who is dealing with both rib and ankle injuries. If White gets going, it’ll mean that Mayfield should have to drop back less. And finally, a big game on the ground from Rachaad White would give the Buccaneer offense the type of balance Dave Canales wants from it. It would open things up and make life easier for Mayfield and the passing game, and it would give Canales multiple avenues to attack an Eagles defense that has been in disarray and finished the year 30th in scoring defense. This is all without even getting into the type of threat White is as a pass-catcher. If he’s at his best in both aspects of his game come Monday night, it could be the recipe for Tampa Bay’s offense leading the team to a huge playoff win. Josh Queipo: Antoine Winfield Jr. Is HIM and Will Need To Be HIM Not a Pro Bowler. Not an NFLPA All-Pro. He may be snubbed when it comes to accolades, but on the field, it is Antoine Winfield Jr. who does the snubbing. 
Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: USA Today The Bucs do-it-all safety has saved the team from losing multiple games this season. And it will likely take one of his now so-common, big-time turnovers to help tip the scales of the Bucs playoff game against the Eagles. On paper, Tampa Bay does not hold many advantages over Philadelphia. The Eagles offensive line should control the Bucs defensive line. Likewise on the other side of the ball. Philadelphia’s receiving duo is superior to the Bucs cornerback room, and Jalen Hurts is a more efficient quarterback than Baker Mayfield. In a matchup where there are so many disadvantages it will take a high-leverage, non-expected event to turn the tides. And if there is one player on either side who can deliver such a play it is the Bucs budding superstar. For the Bucs to have their best chance to win they need a start to shine. And no star is shining brighter right now than Winfield. 
Not only does Antoine Winfield Jr. deserve to be an All-Pro, he deserves to be talked about as Defensive Player of the Year pic.twitter.com/qis6mYmNOf — Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) January 10, 2024 Adam Slivon: Robert Hainsey Needs To Lead The Offensive Charge In The Trenches When looking at which player must have a stellar game, it begins in the trenches. The trench warfare was an area in which the Eagles physically overmatched the Bucs in their 25-11 win back in Week 3. On both sides of the ball, Philadelphia is loaded with high-end talent up front. 
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and C Robert Hainsey – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR This means that center Robert Hainsey, as well as guards Aaron Stinnie and Cody Mauch, will need to be at their best on Monday. The last time these two teams played was a struggle for the Tampa Bay offense. Rachaad White had just 38 rushing yards on 14 carries, while Baker Mayfield (15-of-25 for 146 passing yards) had an inefficient game himself and couldn’t get the ball moving. What will set White, Mayfield, and others up for success is an offensive line that is more physical and able to neutralize Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Fletcher Cox. In particular, Hainsey’s play has dipped this season and overall he has been disappointing. For what it’s worth, he ranks as the 31st-ranked center by Pro Football Focus. While the position is surely to be a need in the offseason, the Bucs need him now. Teams win in the trenches, and if the offense is going to have any luck scoring and controlling the tempo of the game, it starts with Hainsey on the interior. He cannot afford to be continually pushed back by bigger defensive linemen, as that will close the pocket on Mayfield when it is already a question of how healthy he’ll be moving around the pocket. It is not just Hainsey who needs to step up, as both Stinnie and Mauch will need to support him and help create running lanes on the second level. But as the one calling the shots and manning the middle, Hainsey will need to be much more improved if the offense wants to be functioning at its peak. The post PR Roundtable: Which Bucs Player Must Shine vs. Eagles? appeared first on Pewter Report. Source: https://www.pewterreport.com/bucs-playe ... oundtable/
