The Washington Commanders are lined up to play in Sunday’s Wild Card Final against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday night and are looking to earn their first playoff victory since the 2005 playoffs.
While the Commanders established themselves as a run-first team, the Buccaneers also implemented a ground attack – using quick passes and screen passes as an extension of it, as needed.
In fact, according to Coral Smith of NFL.comThis Tampa Bay rushing attack is something to watch against Washington.
“A surprising strength of the Buccaneers offense this season has been its running game, the league’s fourth-ranked unit led by rookie Bucky Irving,” Smith writes. “After the Bucs finished last in the league in rushing yards in 2022 and 2023, Irving burst onto the scene this fall. He elevated the rushing attack to complement Rachaad White and ultimately outperformed his teammate to finish with 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns, as many rushing scores as the entire Tampa Bay team last year… And he only got stronger over time, accumulating the third Most scrimmage yards (834) in the NFL from Weeks 12-18.
Smith went on to say, “Washington has allowed the third-most rushing yards per game (137.5) this season, and seven times it has allowed at least 150 yards to its opponents. This will be a matchup that The Buccaneers will want to exploit, especially with the comparatively more balanced matchup between Tampa Bay’s passing attack and Washington’s passing defense, which each rank third in yards per game.
With the abilities of Irving and White on the ground and in the passing game, it will be more critical than ever that the Commanders’ defenders successfully run and maintain discipline while pursuing plays to avoid unearned explosives for the Bucs offense.
This would be a welcome site for Washington defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., who has made it his mission to solve the team’s defensive woes and has worked tirelessly to find a solution.
Stay with CommanderGameday and the Locked Commanders podcast for more FREE Washington Commanders coverage throughout the 2024 season.
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