The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be facing a revamped Tennessee Titans offense in Week 8 but they'll be getting a boost to their defense. Ahead of Sunday's game, Tampa Bay has activated Jason Pierre-Paul for Week 8, per Pewter Report.
During the offseason, Pierre-Paul was placed on the Non-Football Injury List following a scary car accident that saw the veteran edge rusher fracture his neck. Tremendously, just six months later, Pierre-Paul has received medical clearance to play in Week 8.
The Buccaneers could absolutely use Pierre-Paul to aid in getting their pass rush back on track. Tampa Bay currently has just 13 sacks as a defense despite Shaquil Barrett having nine sacks himself.
However, all nine of his sacks came in the Buccaneers' first four games of the season. Over the past two weeks, teams have begun to orchestrate gameplans that double-team Barrett off of the edge.
Now, with Pierre-Paul returning to the lineup, teams can no longer focus on one individual player. The Titans boast a talented offensive line but that won't stop the 30-year-old sack artist from making a difference.
Last season, Pierre-Paul led the team with 12.5 sacks in his first year in Tampa Bay. In addition, he also tacked on 16 tackles for loss and 20 hits on the quarterback in 2018.
It remains to be seen if he starts on Sunday or if he is given a rotational role to get him acclimated in Todd Bowles' defense. Regardless, his presence alone can provide a much-needed boost to Bruce Arians' squad that is desperate for a win in Week 8.
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