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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers snagged another impressive win as they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles on a 28-22 victory in Week 6 action. The defending champions weren't able to play at their best though their overall performance was already enough to extend their ongoing winning streak to three games.
With a 5-1 record, the Bucs are sitting comfortably atop the NFC South and are looking to roll once more in Week 7. They will have to polish their game even more as they aim to grab their sixth win of the season at the expense of the visiting Chicago Bears next weekend.
Here are three takeaways from Tampa Bay's Week 5 win against Philadelphia:
3. The return of O.J. Howard will add another threat on a stacked Bucs offensive unit.
Tight end O.J. Howard had a long layoff as he missed the majority of the 2020 season after he tore his Achilles in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers. With his absence, the other tight ends in Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate had to play larger roles as they filled the hole that he left on the team last season.
In Week 6 against the Eagles, Howard finally came back on the field and made his presence felt right away for the Bucs. He had a big contribution on offense as he notched 49 yards on six catches to go with a touchdown. The 26-year-old has yet to play in full condition but his performance was definitely a positive sight to see for his team.
Much more will be expected from him in the coming weeks once he has already regained his rhythm on the field and developed better chemistry with his teammates. Howard's return will definitely add another dimension to the Bucs' offense as he aims to contribute to blocking defenders as well as being an additional threat on the receiving unit moving forward.
2. Tampa Bay's solid defense dominated Philadelphia's offensive attack.
On Thursday night, the Bucs' defense went to work as they prevented the Eagles from running the ball. Philadelphia's RB1 in Miles Sanders only had a single carry for a yard gained in the first half. He ended with 56 yards on nine attempts which only came in the second half when the Bucs shifted their focus on defending the pass.
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Eagles QB Jalen Hurts also had a bad game as he threw for 115 yards on 12-of-26 attempts to go with a touchdown and an interception. Due to Tampa Bay's sticky defense, the Eagles were also forced to punt four times in the game. Their passing game wasn't effective as well as WR Quez Watkins already led the receivers with a total of 44 yards on three catches.
The stellar performance from the Bucs defense was a huge help for the team as they got in control of the game and were in possession of the ball for the majority of the tilt. Having that much time on offense eventually allowed Tom Brady and company to find their way to the endzone multiple times en route to securing a 28-22 victory in Week 6.
1. Leonard Fournette has solidified himself as the Buccaneers' top running back.
To everyone's surprise, running back Leonard Fournette unexpectedly landed on a stacked Bucs roster to serve as one of Brady's weapons on offense. As a newcomer, he needed more time to get acclimated with his teammates and had to share most snaps with fellow RB Ronald Jones II. Fournette played a sizable role but it was certain that he could've contributed more for the Bucs' championship run last year, given his level of talent.
After having a full offseason with the team, the 26-year-old has been playing more consistently and serving as a constant threat on offense in 2021. His performance against the Eagles proved that he is indeed the Bucs' best rusher as he notched 81 yards on 22 carries to go with two touchdowns. Fournette's higher usage definitely allowed him to perform better than Jones who only generated 20 yards on five attempts in Week 6.
So far, the LSU talent has been on a hot start to begin the 2021 season and he is expected to be a valuable contributor for the remainder of their campaign, barring any injuries. With Leonard Fournette's level of play, the Buccaneers will surely need him to perform at his best if they want to go far and successfully defend their Super Bowl title this season.
