Week 16: Five Bucs to Keep an Eye on Against thes Jaguar
On Christmas Eve in Week 16, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars will square off. After victories over the Panthers, Falcons, and Packers, the Bucs are now 7-7, while the other team is heading in the other way. Tampa Bay is projected as the fourth seed and is tied with the Saints for first place in the NFC South. On the other hand, the Jaguars (8-6) are leading the NFC South by a tiebreaker despite having lost three games. The Bucs recently defeated the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, putting on their best all-around performance of the 2023 campaign.
In Week 15, Baker Mayfield tore up the Packers’ defense and recorded a perfect passer rating; the Bucs will want to build on this impressive performance when they play the Jaguars. The following five Bucs should be kept an eye on on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium:
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Evan Engram has the most targets (83), receptions (70), and yards (539) on fast passes this season going into Week 15. His 88 receptions rank second among all NFL tight ends in 2023. Engram enters his routes with explosive speed and moves into and out of his breaks with ease. After the catch, he is physically strong and possesses the pace to work the field vertically.
Lavonte is not always Engram. Though it will be David’s task on Sunday, he possesses the necessary talents to succeed when he is man-against Engram or when the tight end for the Jaguars is in his designated zone. David is regarded as one of the NFL’s top coverage linebackers of the last ten years because of his smooth transitional footwork. What makes him unique is his awareness of angles and how to use them against running backs and tight ends.
David recorded nine tackles, two tackles for loss, a split sack, and a pass defensed against the Packers in Week 15. Whether he was flying across the formation to force an incomplete against an empty set by the Packers or sifting between spaces unoccupied to drop rushers, he was a vital member of the Green Bay team. The Bucs’ defense took the game to new heights with little over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Jordan Love was pressed by Shaq Barrett and David, and Barrett successfully removed the ball. Love hesitated because to the Packers’ receivers’ long routes, which Todd Bowles’ aggressive team capitalized on.
