The Bucks, who have lost three straight and four of their last five, should be well-rested when they return to the field Sunday. There are nine days between games in Weeks 8 and 9, and there will be a chance to end the losing streak and get back to .500 against the 3-4 Texans in Houston.
Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles has said this every week. Losses don’t snowball, However, if they lose three games in a row, it’s a different story. The Bucks really need to stop the bleeding this week, as they’re still in the NFC South race as November begins. They enter Week 9 a half-game behind the first-place Falcons and Saints.
This game, and next week’s game against the Titans, will be even more important for Bowles and his team given the impending Week 11 trip to San Francisco. The 49ers have lost three in a row, but they are still a better football team than the Bucks, and a trip to the West Coast won’t be too kind to this franchise.
So a win against the Texans would get things back on track, at least a little bit, and give Tampa Bay some kind of hope again.
lastly…
Bucs QB Jameis Winston – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
The last time these teams met in the regular season, it was a completely different world. The last time the Bucs and Texans played was before the pandemic, before the Tom Brady and Deshaun Watson lawsuits in Tampa, on Dec. 21, 2019 at Raymond James Stadium. Jameis Winston threw four interceptions, including one on a pick-six, and the Texans won 23-20.
Tampa Bay came into the game despite three early Winston turnovers and entered the fourth quarter tied 20-20. But after Houston took a 23-20 lead, they took the fourth pick from the Bucs’ quarterback and the deal was done. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin both absent, the Bucks list for receptions on the day includes Breshad Perriman, OJ Howard, Justin Watson, Dare Ogunbowale, Ronald Jones and Ishmael.・There are quite a few names on the roster, including Hyman, Cody McElroy, and Cameron Brate.
The Texans lead the series against the Bucks 4-1, with a 2-0 record when the teams met in Houston, and a four-game winning streak running into Sunday.
Bucks and Texans trends
Simply put, Tampa Bay is headed in the wrong direction. Any good vibes the team had after a 3-1 start disappeared after the bye week, as the team lost three straight and didn’t look particularly good in any of the games.
The Bucks are currently 3-4, a half-game behind the Falcons and Saints for first place in the NFC South. They need a rebound against the Texans in Week 9 if they are to win their third consecutive NFC South title and make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
Texans QB CJ Stroud and WR Nico Collins – Photo courtesy of USA Today
I was a little surprised by the Texans. No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud helped propel the team to a better team fairly quickly with a 3-4 record when many expected them to once again be at the bottom of the AFC.
After starting 0-2, Houston defeated the Jaguars 37-17 and the following week followed up with a 30-6 win over the Steelers. But since going 2-2, the Texans have been inconsistent in their run in the NFC South. They lost to the Falcons by two points, defeated the Saints by seven points, and most recently lost to the previously winless Panthers by two points.
Following Sunday’s game in Houston, the Bucks close out November with a home game against Tennessee (3-4) and road trips to San Francisco (5-3) and Indianapolis (3-5). Meanwhile, the Texans travel to play the Bengals (4-3) next week and end the month with games against the Cardinals (1-7) and Jaguars (6-2).
Here are the Bucs and Texans standings heading into Week 9.
Bucks offense: 27th in scoring offense (17.3 PPG), 23rd in total offense (298.3 yards per game), 17th in passing offense (220.4 yards per game), 30th in rushing offense (77.9 yards per game).
Texans offense: 20th in scoring offense (21.1 PPG), 17th in total offense (330.4 yards per game), 11th in passing offense (238.6 yards per game), 23rd in rushing offense (91.9 yards per game).
Bucks defense: T-6th in scoring defense (18.3 points per game), 25th in total defense (354.6 yards per game), 28th in passing defense (256.0 yards per game), 10th in rushing defense (18.3 points per game) 98.6 yards per)
Texans defense: T-6th in scoring defense (18.3 points per game), 19th in total defense (335.4 yards per game), 22nd in passing defense (236.1 yards per game), 11th in rushing defense (18.3 points per game) 99.3 yards per)
As of Tuesday, Houston is a 2.5-point favorite to win this game, with the over/under set at 40 points (By MyBookie.ag).
What will decide the Bucs vs. Texans game?
Bucs RG Cody Mauch, C Robert Hainsey, LG Matt Feiler, QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
Sunday afternoon, the interior of both offensive lines will be a point of intrigue. The Bucs have a second-year starting center, and their play has been inconsistent. robert heinsey And a new addition to the veteran guard. matt failer and a newcomer cody mauf. last week, aaron stinney He replaced Feiler, who was injured, but it is unclear whether he will be available for Week 9. Tampa Bay’s offensive line has been good overall in pass protection, but its run blocking has been particularly bad inside.
Meanwhile, Houston’s offensive line was plagued with injuries, especially at the center position. The Texans have lost three, yes three, centers since training camp. Scott Quessenberry tore his ACL early in camp, and 2023 second-round center Juice Scruggs started the season on injured reserve. Now, last Sunday, fellow rookie Jarrett Patterson suffered a lower leg injury of his own.
It will happen Michael Deiter Locking Houston’s offensive line in front of its rookie quarterback CJ Stroud on sunday.He will be flanked by former Bucs Shaq Mason and Titus Howard. Howard is the only starter on the current version of the offensive line this year without allowing a sack.
The key to this game may be whether either defensive line can penetrate the opponent’s inside offensive line.acquisition vita vea Returning to full health would be huge, especially for the Bucks. In any case, I’m a newbie, Kariya Kanshi He could be one of the linemen who could make an impact this week.
Bucks OC Dave Canales and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
Beyond the offensive line, this game for Tampa Bay will be decided by the offense. baker mayfield It has regressed in the past 3 weeks. Dave CanalesThe entire offense looked disjointed. It’s too early in the season to keep saying things will work out. That’s why the unit needs a quick start and a perfect performance against a tough team. Demeco Ryans defense.
Houston’s offense will be an interesting matchup. tod bowles‘Defense. Stroud was impressive in his first seven games, completing 60.1 percent of his passes for 1,800 yards, nine touchdowns, and one interception. He’s working without his clear No. 1 receiver, as the production is almost evenly split. Nico Collins (33 catches/547 yards/3 touchdowns), Rookie Tankdell (22/340/2), robert woods (22/227/1) and tight end dalton schultz (23/220/3).
Dameon Piercenearly ran for 1,000 yards as a rookie last year, but he hasn’t really hit his stride this year. He averaged just 3.0 yards per carry and he scored just once in 2023.
Key players to watch
Bucks WR Mike Evans – Photo courtesy of USA Today
mike evans He has 33 catches for 507 yards and five touchdowns this season, and is on track to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the 10th consecutive season. He will play less than an hour from his hometown of Galveston on Sunday, and Tampa Bay will be hoping he has a happy return home. He has only had one 100-yard game this season, but one more on Sunday would mean a lot to him and the Tampa Bay offense.
antwone winfield jr. Essentially, he’s a lock to make at least one impact play every week. In a shocking incident last week, he airballed a pass from Josh Allen that was intercepted by him. Will Gholston. This tied the Buccaneer offense at 10 points. There’s not much to say about Winfield’s offense. Execute the current form That hasn’t been said yet. He’s the best player on Tampa Bay’s defense and will need to continue playing Sunday for a secondary that doesn’t seem to have any other playmakers.
Although he lost a head-to-head battle with No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young last week. CJ Stroud The No. 2 pick is having a good year so far. So far, he has thrown for 1,800 yards, nine touchdowns and just one interception, as well as 68 rushing yards and scores on the ground. Not only that, but he has three wins against the Texans, matching last year’s total of seven games. He has thrown multiple touchdowns in four games so far this year and could have a strong showing. tod bowles“There are some issues with the defense. The Bucs defense in the bowls. He has struggled with rookie quarterbacks in the past.
Jonathan Greenard, a 2020 third-round pick, was a post-productive pass rusher for the Texans this year. He leads Houston with six sacks in seven games.The next closest thing is defensive tackle. mariek collins 3rd overall pick with 2.5 Will Anderson According to Pro Football Focus, he leads the team with 27 QB pressures, although he has one. Houston’s 15 team sacks are tied for second-fewest in the NFL this season.
Bucks vs. Texans game information
when: Sunday, November 5th
where: NRG Stadium (Houston, Texas)
kick off: 1:00 PM ET
tv set: CBS – Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analyst), Evan Washburn (reporter)
Bucks Radio: 98Rock – Gene Deckerhoff (play-by-play), Dave Moore (color), TJ Ribbs (reporter)
Spanish radio: 96.1 Caliente – Carlos Bojorquez (play by play), Martin Gramatica (analyst)
