Sunday’s late afternoon game window for Week 15 is jam-packed with important matches that will affect some of the NFL’s top contenders in both the AFC and NFC. The game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Chargers may be the collection’s best-kept secret. Both clubs have a chance to secure postseason berths, but they must perform well in the last four weeks to ensure that their standing does not shift. The Bucs might be less confident going into this game than the other team.
In the NFC South battle, Tampa Bay leads by one game, but a defeat plus an Atlanta Falcons victory gives the opponent back control with no assurance of a chance to retake the top spot. The Bucs will need to put on a more polished offensive performance than they have in the past two weeks if they hope to allay those worries. They enter this game on a three-game winning streak, but they are well aware that the Chargers will not hold back in punishing them for any mistakes.
In particular, Baker Mayfield has a responsibility to play cleaner than he has lately. In his last eight quarters of football, including overtime, Mayfield has lost a fumble, taken eight sacks, and made four interceptions. “Normally you have your guys that every once in a while might need a breather… on early downs… that’s not the case when you play these guys,” Mayfield stated. “They can switch between their boys and feel great about it.
“They don’t beat themselves. They do a good job of taking care of the football… and forcing teams to beat themselves and taking advantage of those mistakes.” Related: Baker Offers 6-Word Reason for Bucs Move to First The Chargers defense, abundant with talent, ranks fifth in the league in total sacks (39.0) with a turnover difference of +11. Los Angeles ranks 10th in the league in takeaways at 17, but the difference reflects the true danger of this group.
Any errors made by the Bucs’ offence provide the Chargers and quarterback Justin Herbert opportunities, as Mayfield hinted. Los Angeles will have extra motivation to get back on track when they return home because they have dropped two of their past three games going into this one. In this game, Mayfield and the rest of the Bucs will need to pay close attention to detail and take good care of the ball. However, the Bucs might be in a strong position for a huge road win if they perform well in those areas.
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