By Robert Mills
ORLANDO – The time we have been waiting for is finally here, the start to the regular season! It seems like it was just yesterday the Buccaneers were celebrating a 31 – 9 blowout win over Kansas City in Super Bowl 55. They will start that journey back to that on opening night this Thursday, September 9th, at 8:20 pm. Based on everything we have seen from preseason and last year, I fully expect an exciting, high-scoring affair for this game. Between the Buccaneers headlines of returning all 22 starters from last season and the Cowboys being at full strength finally having Dak Prescott back from his gruesome ankle injury last season, the offenses will more than likely shine.
The big thing I will be watching this game is how the Buccaneers defense will handle its first actual test of the season. We did not get that gauge in the preseason due to many backups playing, and even though the Cowboys aren’t exactly considered lethal in offense (17th in 2020 based on PPG), that was without Dak Prescott. Expect to see a lot of pressure applied to Dak early on to set the tone. If there is one thing Arians is confident in, it’s the defensive line. However, the big story is that the Cowboys will be without OG Zack Martin due to league Covid-19 protocols. Now, for a Buccaneers fan, this is welcoming news, but if you are a Cowboys fan, you have every right to be genuinely worried, especially knowing the injury proneness of Dak Prescott. Martin is considered one of the (if not the) best guards in the NFL. His absence will create very difficult runs for Elliott and allow Buccaneers big guys in Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh to wreak havoc in front of Dak. And to make matters even sweeter for the defense, if they close in on those two big guys, this will allow Jason Paul-Pierre (JPP) and Shaquil Barrett to make the rush on the outside to get sacks.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Buccaneers have a pretty favorable matchup. The Cowboys have recently gone through a complete defensive overhaul bringing in a new DC to change the scheme. This doesn’t change the fact the Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year, allowing almost 28 PPG. What we do not know is if this will carry over. With the weapons Brady will have at his disposal, even the best defenses in the league would struggle. That being said, Brady is not usually a deep pass thrower, so expect to see a lot of man defense from the cowboys. I do not expect to see a ton of pressure, as leaving even one person open for a split second is enough for Brady to make them pay. Also, I would like to see Gronk play a more blocker role again this year. I think their tactics from last season were almost perfect; why change a broken recipe?
Overall, I think everything is heavily in the Buccaneers favor. If Dak plays a hot game, I estimate a near 50 point spread with Buccaneers winning 31 to 17. If Dak does not play well, that could be an even bigger win. I do not see how they lose this game between the passing threats Tampa has and the stacked defensive line going against their anemic offensive line. Crazier things have happened, though, and let’s celebrate the official start to the 2021 NFL season!
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