BUCCANEERS @ REDSKINS
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8) travel to FedEx Field, Washington D.C. to take on Robert Griffin III & the Washington Redskins (3-6) in a match that looks about as exciting as watching paint drying. However I will try to put some enthusiasm into this as these are two teams, who some people expected bigger & better things out of this season. Oh how they were wrong! (Couldn’t help myself)
We’ll start down the west coast of Florida, the Buccaneers are coming off a loss to divisional rivals, the Atlanta Falcons, on the weekend. A loss that slips them to a miserable 0-5 record at home this season. There were a couple of positives to take out of this game in my opinion. Firstly, the Buccs went a season high 12-17 on third down situations. Washington’s defense ranks an average 20th in the league at allowing opposing offenses to convert on 3rd downs, at 43.1% of 3rd down snaps. The other positive in this game, was rookie WR, Mike Evans. Last week Evans caught 7 receptions for 125 yards & added a Touchdown. This made it 5 TD’s from the last 5 games for Evans. A stat that Tampa Bay fans have been waiting a while to hear after a slow start for the former Texas A&M Receiver.
The Redskins are coming off a much-needed bye week. Perfect timing for injury-prone QB, Robert Griffin III, as he had just made his comeback this season after suffering a dislocated ankle in Week 2. RG3 had made his first start since Week
2 in Week 9, prior to the bye week. He posted up a solid 18/28, 251 yds, 1TD & 1INT. Much-maligned WR, DeSean Jackson (pictured above), posted his 4th 100yd reception game out of his previous 5 games last week with 120yards & a TD. He looks set for another explosive game against a Tampa Bay secondary that allows the 2nd most passing yards per game in the league.
Just going back over that last stat, it will be incredibly tough for Tampa to win this one. Washington rank 6th in passing yards per game and I just see them opening up the Tampa Bay secondary too easily. Expect RG3 to shake off a little more rust and Washington to get the W fairly comfortably.
WASHINGTON by 10.
Shane Bullen