BUCCANEERS STATISTICS
Buccaneers’ keys to victory: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown for more than 400 yards with four touchdown passes in back-to-back games, but the Bucs have needed all of them — they have won each game by just one score. Tampa Bay will have to maintain that kind of offensive output if it wants to hang with QB Ben Roethlisberger and a Steelers team that scored 37 in a Week 2 loss to the Chiefs. The Bucs defense has to stop letting late leads dissipate. And with injuries mounting in the secondary, the pass rush has to improve.
Steelers’ keys to victory: QB Ben Roethlisberger might need another 400-yard game if Pittsburgh wants to get a road win on national television against Tampa Bay’s hot offense. WR Antonio Brown and RB James Conner will have to keep the Steelers offense balanced, and with the big numbers the Buccaneers have put up through the air this season, the Steelers will have to get after Fitzpatrick and keep him from making big plays.
Matchup to watch: Bucs WR DeSean Jackson vs. Steelers CB Artie Burns. Jackson has topped 120 yards in both two games and scored three touchdowns. Burns has struggled, and he’s Pittsburgh’s best cover man.
Who wins? Week 1 could have been a fluke for both teams, but the Bucs proved they’re a legitimate threat after beating the Eagles and the Steelers were thrashed by the Chiefs offense. Tampa Bay feeds off the home crowd and, for the third week in a row, makes just one more big play than it allows.
Bucs, 38-34 Possession Avg. Total Net Yards Net Yards Rushing Avg. Per Game Net Yards Passing Avg. Per Game Passing
Bucs Opp. Rushing Bucs Opp. Scoring Bucs Opp. Att
61 48 810 78.7 93 72 753 77.4 Att. Yds Avg Lng TD 57 37 TD 10 8 Cmp 155 2.7 23 134 3.6 20
Rsh Rec Ret 1 4 Possession Avg. Total Net Yards Net Yards Rushing Avg. Per Game Net Yards Passing Avg. Per Game Steelers Yds 8 4
Bucs 0 0 Cmp% 1 4 Pts 75 61
Opp. T at Cleveland 21-21 (OT) L ...... Kansas City ...... 42-37 Sept. 24 at Tampa Bay 8:15 Sept. 30 .. Baltimore .. 8:20 Oct. 7 ......... Atlanta ......... 1 Oct. 14 ... at Cincinnati ... 1 Oct. 21 ............. Bye ............. Oct. 28 ...... Cleveland ...... 1 Nov. 4 ..... at Baltimore ..... 1 Nov.8 ..... Carolina ..... 8:20 Nov.18 ...... atJax ...... 8:20 Nov. 25 ... at Denver ... 4:25 Dec.2 ...L.A.Chargers ...1 Dec. 9 ... at Oakland ... 8:20 Dec. 16 New England 4:25 Dec. 23 at New Orlns 4:25 Dec. 30 ..... Cincinnati ..... 1 Yds/ Att
13.3 8 8.1 4 Receiving Bucs Opp. Int. Bucs Opp.
Kicking
Bucs Opp. TD Int
1 0 Rec. Lng
75 50 Yds
2/9 151.5 4/20 115.6 Avg Lng TD 48 819 17.1 75 72 773 10.7 50 No. Yds Avg 0 0 0 1 16 16.0
PAT
9/10 6/6
Total First Downs Rushing
3rd Down Pct. 4th Down/Att. 4th Down Pct. Penalties/Yards Sack/ Lost
FG
2/3 1/2
Bucs Rtg 8 4 TD 0 0
Pts
15 9
Opp. W...at New Orleans... 48-40 W ..... Philadelphia ..... 27-21 Sept.24..Pittsburgh ..8:15 Sept. 30 ..... at Chicago ..... 1 Oct. 7 ................ Bye ............... Oct. 14 ....... at Atlanta ....... 1 Oct. 21 ....... Cleveland ....... 1 Oct. 28 .... at Cincinnati .... 1 Nov. 4 ....... at Carolina ....... 1 Nov. 11 ..... Washington ..... 1 Nov. 18 ...at N.Y. Giants ... 1 Nov. 25 ...San Francisco ...1 Dec. 2 ......... Carolina ......... 1 Dec. 9 ..... New Orleans ..... 1 Dec. 16 .... at Baltimore .... 1 Dec. 23 ........ at Dallas ........ 1 Dec. 30 ........ Atlanta ......... 1