Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today It’s win or go home for either team, but for Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles, who has a 17-17 record over two seasons, he might need to win a playoff game to ensure he sticks around in 2024 – despite winning two division titles. Bowles finished 8-9 last year and lost the team’s home playoff game to Dallas, 31-14. Would back-to-back losses at Raymond James Stadium in the postseason cost Bowles his job? One thing is for sure. A postseason victory by Bowles would assure his return as the Bucs head coach because it proves to the Glazers and general manager Jason Licht he can win in the playoffs. A victory would mean wins in six out of the last seven games and could also mean Tampa Bay is one of the hotter teams left in the NFC playoffs. The Bucs could carry over some real momentum into their next playoff game. The Bucs have several important free agents who could be playing their last games at Ray-Jay, including two Tampa Bay legends in 34-year old linebacker Lavonte David and 30-year old wide receiver Mike Evans, in addition to quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has won over the fan base. It would seem likely that all three return in red and pewter next year, but free agency is a two-way street. What’s At Stake For The Eagles 
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts – Photo by: USA Today Nick Sirianni’s team slipped from 14-3 a year ago to 11-6 this season, but Eagles fans are up in arms with the way it’s happened. Philadelphia has lost five of its last six games and is limping into the playoffs – literally and figuratively. The Eagles are a banged up team right now with several questionable starters heading into Monday’s playoff game, including quarterback Jalen Hurts (finger on throwing hand), wide receivers A.J. Brown (knee) and DeVonta Smith (ankle), running back D’Andre Swift (illness), guard Cam Jurgens (eye), safety Reed Blankenship (groin) and cornerback Darius Slay (knee). Not to mention the fact that Philly lost rookie star safety Sydney Brown to a torn ACL last week. Most of the Eagles’ injured starters will play, but how effective they will be at less than 100% remains to be seen. The Eagles have not played well down the stretch, regressing on both offense and defense. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson was once regarded as a hot head coaching candidate, but that hoopla is gone after Hurts’ regression. New defensive coordinator Sean Desai was demoted in favor of Matt Patricia, and the defense has actually gotten worse as a result. Is it crazy to think that Sirianni could be on the hot seat despite three winning seasons and a Super Bowl appearance last year? The Bucs Win If… 
Bucs RT Luke Goedeke – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR Tampa Bay must shut down Philadelphia’s ground game, as the Eagles gashed the defense for 201 yards rushing back in Week 3. Philly amassed 25 points and 472 yards of total offense on Monday Night Football when the teams met earlier this season. The Bucs defense couldn’t get off the field and allowed the Eagles to possess the ball for nearly 18 more minutes, which is over an entire quarter. Stopping Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense, especially on third down, is paramount. Offensively, the Bucs could not run the ball back in Week 3, nor could the team do much of anything right offensively. Tampa Bay generated just 174 yards in offensive coordinator Dave Canales’ third game as the play-caller. Now, Canales has a season’s worth of experience to draw from, and the Bucs have had some late-season success running the ball quite well, in addition to putting up 30 points or more twice in the month of December. This game will likely come down to turnovers and the turnover margin. The Bucs have the fifth-best turnover margin at plus-8 this year, and do a really good job of protecting the football offensively – outside of a four-turnover game against New Orleans two weeks ago in a 23-13 loss. The Eagles have a minus-10 turnover margin, which is one of the worst in the league. Both teams had two turnovers each in Week 3, so for the Bucs to win they’ll have to probably finish plus-two or plus-three in the turnover category. The Eagles Win If… 
Bucs NCB Christian Izien and Eagles RB D’Andre Swift – Photo by: USA Today Philadelphia prevailed on Monday Night Football in Tampa Bay in Week 3 because it won in the trenches and with its ground game. The Eagles have big, massive men on both sides of the ball at the line of scrimmage. If Philadelphia is going to prevail again over Tampa Bay, it must own the line of scrimmage again and have another big rushing performance in the Wild Card game. The Eagles must also get healthy – quickly. Having an extra day of rest not only helps Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield’s injured ankle and ribs, but also helps the slew of Philadelphia players who are also dealing with injuries. A lot of Philly’s injured players are key starters and stars too, which makes these injuries even more problematic. The Eagles defense has been a huge letdown down the stretch, as the team has the 30th-ranked scoring defense, allowing 25.2 points per game. That’s up nearly six points per game from last year when Philly was in the Super Bowl. There will be some opportunities for Tampa Bay to score touchdowns against Philly’s weakened defense. The Eagles will have to work hard to limit Chase McLaughlin’s appearances to field goals rather than extra points on Monday night. Bucs’ Key Matchup On Offense Bucs Interior O-Line vs. Eagles Defensive Tackles 
Bucs RG Cody Mauch and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR In Tampa Bay’s Week 3 loss to Philadelphia, the Eagles defensive tackles dominated the interior of the Bucs offensive line. The quartet of defensive tackles Jordan Davis, Fletcher Cox, Marlon Tuipolotu and rookie Jalen Carter combined for nine tackles, seven QB pressures and two sacks. Rachaad White carried the ball for just 38 yards on 14 carries, while rookie Sean Tucker had two carries for one yard. The Bucs’ ground game was ground to a halt. It was no surprise that Carter (94.9), Tuipolotu (86.2) and Cox (85.8) had the three highest Pro Football Focus grades of the game on defense for Philadelphia, while Davis had a 70.3 grade. Meanwhile, left guard Matt Feiler had the lowest PFF grade on offense with a 41 grade, while rookie right guard Cody Mauch was the second-worst with a 48.7 PFF grade. Center Robert Hainsey had a lowly 51.8 PFF grade as well. That trio surrendered eight of the nine Eagles pressures, while Hainsey and Mauch allowed Philly’s two sacks. Tampa Bay hopes that the experience gained over the year will help its offensive line. Right tackle Luke Goedeke and left tackle Tristan Wirfs have more experience at their new position switches since Week 3, while Mauch has more experience period. And the Bucs have swapped out Feiler for Stinnie, who has been a more effective run blocker. This matchup is still an edge for Philadelphia, but Tampa Bay’s interior trio simply cannot let it be as lopsided as it was earlier in the season. Bucs’ Key Matchup On Defense Bucs Run Defense vs. Eagles Offensive Line 
Bucs NT Vita Vea and Eagles C Jason Kelce – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR In the Bucs’ 25-11 loss to the Eagles in Week 3, Philly’s massive offensive line controlled the trenches on both sides of the ball. But it was really the Eagles O-line that did the most damage, as Philadelphia rolled up 472 yards of offense, including 201 yards on the ground. That led to the Eagles owning an 18-minute time of possession advantage. Bucs nose tackle Vita Vea actually played pretty well against center Jason Kelce, finishing with a 68.1 Pro Football Focus grade, which was the third-highest of the game for Tampa Bay. Backup nose tackle Greg Gaines was next with a 60.3 PFF grade. It was the other defensive tackle spot that was getting blown apart, as Mike Greene and Logan Hall recorded abysmal 36.1 and 39.1 PFF grades, respectively. Remember, rookie defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, the Bucs’ first-round pick, didn’t play back in Week 3, and he’s third on the team with 10 tackles for loss. While the undersized Kancey hasn’t been stellar at stuffing the run this year, his quickness and ability to penetrate can present some new and different challenges for the Eagles offensive line that they haven’t seen before. Throw in the fact that rookie outside linebacker YaYa Diaby is now a starter and has more experience stopping the run, and inside linebacker Devin White healthier than he was in Week 3 and, it could be a different story against the Eagles run game. Philadelphia’s offensive tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson are mammoth and both are good. Kelce is no slouch at center either, and the “tush push” or “brotherly shove” is still formidable. But Tampa Bay’s run defense should be better this time around and needs to make a difference in the outcome. The post SR’s Pick-6 Preview: Bucs vs. Eagles – Wild Card appeared first on Pewter Report. Source: https://www.pewterreport.com/bucs-eagle ... sr-pick-6/
