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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Graduation Day is upon us.
Give the Bucs their due for a 6-2 getaway that is tied for tops in the NFC. Tampa Bay has played some of the conference’s elite clubs, but the cumulative record for the first eight opponents is an unsightly 31-35.
That’s about to change in a big way.
Coming off a much-needed week off, the Bucs face the Patriots at home Sunday, followed by road matchups against the Bills and Rams. Those three teams are a combined 19-6, in large part because of the stellar play of their quarterbacks.
Buc fans should be confident in Tampa Bay’s rush defense, which ranks No. 7 in the league. Guess who is No. 1? New England.
Todd Bowles isn’t losing sleep about a Patriots ground game that averages a paltry 3.9 yards per carry. The only guy Bowles should worry about as a ball carrier is second-year pro Drake Maye, who leads all NFL quarterbacks with 59 rushing attempts.
Maye does the bulk of his damage with his accurate right arm, topping the league with a 74.1 percent completion rate. He makes smart decisions and throws on time, so Bowles is determined to place Maye under duress.
Tampa Bay’s revived pass rush welcomes the challenge against a young QB who has already been sacked 34 times.
“They’ve got veteran players who play physical,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said of a Buc defense that forced four turnovers in New Orleans before the bye. “What Todd adds is a lot of pressure, great disguises and bringing multiple players from off the football.”
Maye’s mobility and willingness to scramble makes the task more complex. Don’t be shocked if Bowles utilizes a spy to keep Maye from drifting out of the pocket.
In emerging as a legitimate MVP candidate, Maye has led the Patriots to an unbeaten mark on the road, including a victory at Buffalo.
This feels like a game that’s got a little bit extra to it,” Maye said of Sunday’s matchup, which has drawn the premier CBS announcing team of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo.
It’s the best game of the Week 10 slate as the Bucs begin a treacherous 3-game gauntlet before the schedule softens. Tampa Bay’s pass defense is gearing up to face three of the league’s top quarterbacks.
Maye isn’t surrounded by stellar targets. He doesn’t have an Emeka Egbuka, but he spreads the ball around and has thrown four TD passes to veteran tight end Hunter Henry, who should draw extra attention in the red zone.
Josh Allen is the league’s reigning MVP — and he’s got a decent shot to repeat. Matt Stafford has thrown an NFL-high 21 TD passes, so he’s also in the conversation for the NFL’s most prestigious individual award.
Overall, Maye, Allen and Stafford have combined for 51 TD passes and only 12 interceptions. A healthy and refreshed Buc secondary will be severely tested.
This isn’t Spencer Rattler under center.
Yards per pass attempt is a key metric when assessing QB play. Maye ranks third (9.0), Allen is fifth (8.2) and Stafford is No. 8 (7.8) while Mayfield is 16th at 7.1.
If the Bucs go 2-1 during this gauntlet, they’ll be in great shape for the stretch run. At 8-3, you’d have to figure Tampa Bay finishes with at least 12 wins, earning one of the NFC’s top seeds. But it won’t be easy.
New England is 4-0 on the road, Buffalo’s only home loss came against the Patriots and the Rams are 3-1 at home, the only blemish an OT setback against the 49ers.
“It’ll be critical that we take care of the football,” Vrabel said.
For the Bucs, it’s all about taking care of business the next three weeks.
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