Important matches to decide: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Sure, this matchup could just as easily be described as Jalen Carter versus the Buccaneers’ interior offensive line. The combination of Graham Barton, Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson will have to do better against the Eagles than they did against the Denver Broncos for the Bucs to have a chance in this competition. The problem? Jalen Carter. So far, Carter appears to be the best defensive tackle in the entire league in 2024. He is a game destroyer. Not only is he a force in the running game, but his combination of strength, length, mobility and tenacity also make him an absolute nightmare when it comes to overwhelming the passer from the inside.

In the first two games of this season, Baker Mayfield showed the best pocket retention we have ever seen from him in his professional career. His ability to remain calm even under pressure while keeping his eyes on the ground allowed him to achieve a lot of success that wouldn’t have been possible if he had instead panicked or crashed too soon. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened last week against the Denver Broncos. Mayfield became impatient and missed a lot of open receivers as a result.

With Jalen Carter staring at him this Sunday, Mayfield will be under pressure. If the Bucs’ IOL can play well that will certainly help, but keeping Jalen Carter out of the backfield all game isn’t a realistic goal. That’s why Mayfield needs to regain the poise he had in the bag at the start of the season and find ways to extend plays without looking downfield. When he does that, you can trust that his receivers will find ways to open up.

For the first time in his six-year career, Saquon Barkley is playing behind a dominant offensive line. The results speak for themselves, as Barkley currently leads the NFL in rushing yards (351) and rushing touchdowns (4). Additionally, Saquon is one of the most explosive and physically versatile running backs in league history. He is a unique weapon and has the ability to change the course of a game in an instant.

For this reason, the Bucs’ linebackers will play an especially important role on Sunday. Despite playing one of his worst games in recent memory last week, Lavonte David can be counted on to fill gaps, fend off blockers, make tackles and penetrate pass coverage. KJ Britt, on the other hand, can’t do that. That doesn’t mean he can’t do it, but Britt is far more one-dimensional as a linebacker goes. Britt can run downhill and make a tackle, but his lack of agility, lateral quickness and coverage skills have been evident so far this season.

Second-year player SirVocea Dennis has performed brilliantly in points this season. His performance in the Bucs’ Week 2 win over the Detroit Lions was a deciding factor in the outcome of that game. However, due to injuries and the fact that he was selected in the fifth round of the draft, Dennis hasn’t had much opportunity to show his consistency. Although Dennis Britt is clearly superior in his coverage skills, the Eagles are depleted at the receiver position, negating his value in this particular matchup in the eyes of his head coach.

Whether it’s KJ Britt, SirVocea Dennis or a combination of both playing alongside Lavonte David on Sunday, there’s no doubt the Bucs’ linebackers will need to play better than they did against Denver last week. Unless? Saquon Barkley could have a field day. And if that happens, it becomes much more likely that the Bucs lose their second straight home game.

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