Buccaneers crack the top 10 in ESPN’s 2020 NFL Power Rankings

See why the Buccaneers find themselves in the top 10 in ESPN’s latest 2020 NFL Power Rankings.

The 2020 NFL regular season is still months away, but after the first wave of free agency it’s clear the landscape of the league has changed dramatically.

Philip Rivers bolted the Chargers in favor of the Colts, and six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady rode off into the sunset in New England, only to board the ship in Tampa Bay to join the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay finished just 7-9 last season, but with a solid defense and one of the best receiving corps in the game, Brady’s addition instantly makes them contenders in the NFC.

With Brady now teaming up with Bruce Arians, the alleged quarterback guru, who, unfortunately, wasn’t able to work his wonders in helping Jameis Winston cut back on his turnovers, Tampa Bay finds themselves entering a season with heavy expectations for the first time in over a decade.

Big things are expected of the Bucs in 2020, and ESPN’s panel of experts seem to agree on that, as NFL Nation has Tampa Bay ranked at No. 10 in their latest 2020 NFL Power Rankings.

Per Jenna Laine of ESPN:

“The Bucs are over-the-moon excited right now after landing six-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady. But they still need a starting right tackle to replace Demar Dotson and to possibly groom into a replacement on the left side if Donovan Smith doesn’t work out. They’ll also need to address the ground game, getting a running back who can help Brady in the screen game, which in turn helps slow down an opposing pass rush.”

Remember, Brady will be 43 when the season begins. He’s in great shape both mentally and physically, but, as the saying goes, “Father Time is undefeated.” Hopefully, Brady can hold him at bay for a few more years (at least long enough to get the Bucs back to the playoffs).

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Bucs O-line will have their work cut out for them against Jaguars

The Bucs did a good job protecting Jameis Winston last week, but they’ll need another strong performance against the Jaguars.

One of the biggest stats that stood out from the Buccaneers’ 35-22 win over the Atlanta Falcons last week was the big zero next to sacks given up. The offensive line played arguably their best game of the season, keeping quarterback Jameis Winston upright and allowing him to carve up the Falcons defense following his two first-quarter interceptions.

This week’s game, however, presents a tougher challenge for the Bucs’ line as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense currently ranks tied for seventh in the league with 34 sacks.

And, even though Winston didn’t take a sack against Atlanta, he still entered Week 13 as the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL (36). Fortunately, he now sits in second after Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan upped his season total to 38 following a nine-sack game against the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving night.

Protecting Winston has always been an issue for this line, but if they want to win back-to-back games for the first time all season, they’ll need another top-notch performance to stop guys like Calais Campbell and Josh Allen. It’ll be the key to walking away with another win.

Easier said than done, of course. But, as Winston showed last week, if given time, he can make some big plays.

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