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2024-25 NFL Wildcard Preview: Washington At Tampa
2024-25 NFL Wildcard Preview: Washington At Tampa
It’s that time of year.
PLAYOFFS!
Sometimes, it’s the little things in life.
PLAYOFFS!
Yes, Jim More, playoffs.
Here we go.
Hopefully, the rest of the staff can take care of the other previews but Trey has Washington and Tampa coming in hot. Here is your 2024-25 NFL Wildcard playoff preview on the game. Feel free to comment if you agree or disagree.
- When: Sunday, January 12
- Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
- Time: Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET with Football Night in America
- TV: NBC
- Live Stream: Peacock
- Spread: Tampa -3.5
- Over/Under: 50.5
Why The Commanders Will Win:
1: Marshon Lattimore Is The Mike Evans Boogeyman
This Ian Hartitz is a total loser who works for that fraud, Matthew Berry. Nevertheless, credit to him for having this stat because I was looking for it. A blind snail that just got crushed on the side of the road knows that Mike Evans is a problem. Slowing him down is obviously a key to victory. Again, RIP dead snail but even he, she, it, or whatever you wack jobs want to use now knows that much.
Lattimore has proven he can be a pain in the you-know-what. If he can come through, the pathway to victory for Washington becomes far more likely. Plus, don’t forget about Mike Sainristil who has become a baller right away as a rookie. It’s not a group of dead corpses back there responsible for covering Evans.
2: Commanders Have The Better Defense
Speaking of the defense, both Dan Quinn and Todd Bowles are defensive-minded head coaches. The only difference is that Kliff Kingsbury has way more experience than Liam Coen and Quinn has guided his group to way better numbers.
Yards allowed: Commanders (326.9) / Bucs (341.8)
Turnovers: Commanders (+5) / Bucs (-1)
QB Rating allowed: Commanders (93.9) / Bucs (96.6)
Look, it’s not every stat but the Commies defense feels way more reliable to shut this game down. Jonathan Allen is getting healthy. Johnny Newton is starting to come alive. We already talked about the secondary and Washington should have the edge there. Bobby Wagner is still doing the damn thing and Frankie Luvu is criminally underrated. Just saying.
3: NFC South Is A Joke
The Commanders are battle-tested. 12 wins and that still wasn’t good enough to win the division. Are we sure the NFC South is capable of winning a playoff game? Tampa lost to Atlanta TWICE and still got in. Congrats on beating up on New Orleans and Carolina.
Maybe Tampa just isn’t that good. What if they didn’t play in that crap division? They had to scratch and claw to 10 wins as it is.
Why The Bucs Will Win:
1: Tampa Already Proved They’re The Better Team
These two teams already played. Now, that was back in Week 1 but Tampa Bay won handily 37-20 in a game that was never close. If anything, you can argue Tampa is a better team than back then too. Bucky Irving and Jalen McMillan have come alive as rookies and emerged as starters. That wasn’t the case back then. No reason to expect a different result this time around, right?
2: Bucs Can Stop Rushing QBs
Speaking of past performances, if anything, Tampa should have more film on Jayden Daniels this time around. This is the time of year rookie QBs start to hit that wall. Isn’t this the time of year that RG3 wins Rookie of the year and then tanks come playoff time?
Those bumps and bruises of a full NFL season have started to build. If Washington wants to win this game, Daniels is going to have to win with his legs. Except for the part where Tampa Bay is really good at stopping rushing QBs.
Daniels rushed for 88 yards and two scores in the first match up fresh in the season opener. Shouldn’t Tampa Bay be more prepared to stop that element, not to mention the fact that he’s clearly still suffering from that shot to the ribs he took a few weeks ago. By the way, those 88 yards the most Tampa has given up to a quarterback all year. Lamar Jackson only rushed for 52 yards against them.
When you have Vita Vea on your side, it has a trickle-down effect on everything. Tampa stops the rushing threat of Daniels and subsequently wins the game too.
3: Bucky Irving Is Hot
Shout out Trey for having the call of the year? Bucky Irving, AKA Mr. Rookie RB1, is on fire. He’s the bonafide starter now and is in the midst of a rookie season averaging 5.4 yards per carry. He’s also lethal in the passing game. You saw this coming if you read VSM’s draft notes, by the way.
Washington just doesn’t have a guy like this. Austin Ekeler is past his prime and Brian Robinson is fine but he’s not Bucky. A guy like this can just close the game when it matters most. There is a reason why Fantasy football people are mocking him in the first round of drafts next year. He’s a weapon. Too bad for them they’re late to the party.
Verdict:
I’m going to take the Bucs 30-24. There should be points scored in this one. I’m not betting on this game but if I had to, it’s hard to place your hard earned cash down on a rookie quarterback. Not exactly a long track record of rookie QBs making lengthy playoff runs. I’ll take the Bucs at home who, by the way, are playoff tested and made a run last year that’s somehow become forgotten.
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