Redskins vs. Buccaneers: Week 10 offense and defense matchups, score prediction
Redskins defense vs. Buccaneers offense
This is the area where Washington really has to win if they’re going to win this contest. Against Atlanta, their defense was simply atrocious. They couldn’t pressure Matt Ryan enough from the outside, and they weren’t able to contain the Atlanta receivers. Tampa Bay will pose a similar issue.
The Bucs have a plethora of receiving weapons that they can exploit at any moment. The big names are obviously Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson, but tertiary receivers Adam Humphries and Chris Godwin are capable of doing damage too. Additionally, the tight end duo of O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate is strong, and it looks like Howard is one of the rising stars at the position league-wide.
Washington’s defensive weakness is their secondary and their linebackers in coverage. They possess a strong front against the run, but a lack of a quality all-around pass rush will make it hard for them to cover all of these weapons in a timely manner. Namely, DeSean Jackson could get his chance at a revenge game, as his deep speed will likely be combatted by a banged-up Quinton Dunbar. Hopefully, Dunbar will be healthier in Week 10, but if he isn’t, Jackson could take advantage there.
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The other thing to watch is how the team elects to cover Howard. Washington has actually been good at covering TEs this year in terms of yardage allowed, but they may spread themselves a bit too thin in this one. They’ll need their safeties — and namely, D.J. Swearinger — to step up and help cover the tight ends over the middle. If they can at least limit Howard, that will make Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s life a bit more difficult.
Speaking of Fitzpatrick, he is prone to turnovers, so the Redskins have to look for opportunities to be aggressive and seek out picks. I wouldn’t mind seeing the team get aggressive on breaks to the ball in this contest, though I would definitely be wary of them leaving the Buccaneers weapons too open. They’ll have to find a fine balance to ensure that everything goes well.
On the ground, Washington needn’t worry much about Peyton Barber. He hasn’t performed well this year and the Redskins have been good against the run, save for last week against the Falcons. And after that embarrassing performance, they will certainly be looking to bounce back against easy prey like Barber.
On this side of the ball, the Redskins have the advantage, as they can render the Bucs one dimensional. That said, they have to contain the Bucs’ passing game enough to avoid having to showcase offensive excellence to keep pace in a shootout. If the Bucs succeed in the passing game, the Redskins could be in trouble.