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They didn't make it easy, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are back in the playoffs for the third consecutive season. The Bucs finished with an 8-9 record and looked uninspiring throughout large portions of the season, but they had the fortune of playing in and winning the dreadful NFC South. Even with their poor season, NFL fans know better than to count out Tom Brady until the clock hits zero.
Tampa Bay begins its quest for another Lombardi on Monday night at home against the Dallas Cowboys. These two teams met all the way back in Week 1, where the Bucs won 19-3 in Dallas. Although both teams are very different now than they were in September, the Bucs will have to execute the same game plan to come out on top on this rematch.
Of course, Tampa will need everyone on deck to win, especially its best players. Brady is obviously a massive X-factor, but there are bigger ones on the Bucs' roster. For the most part, Brady hasn't cost the Bucs games this season despite not playing at his peak.
Other key factors include Mike Evans and Tristan Wirfs on offense, plus Antoine Winfield Jr. on defense. However, none of these players are Tampa Bay's biggest X-factor. If that's the case, then who is?
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Buccaneers X-Factor vs. Cowboys: Devin White
The Bucs' biggest X-factor in the Wild Card Round is none other than linebacker Devin White. On paper, White had a strong season with 124 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. However, he actually had a more up-and-down season than the stats would suggest.
On one hand, White has some great games, such as his game against the Seattle Seahawks when he had nine tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble. On the other hand, he had some awful performances where he looked completely out of it. The most obvious example is his performance against the Baltimore Ravens, which even earned harsh criticism from Buccaneers' legend Warren Sapp.
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Hall of Famer Warren Sapp, who won a Super Bowl with the #Buccaneers, has criticized Bucs LB Devin White for lack of effort during the team's loss to the #Ravens
"I want you to watch the captain, I'll ask for the C off your chest. Are you kidding me?" pic.twitter.com/gzCyaNCzc7
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 31, 2022
Tampa's linebacker duo of White and Lavonte David is one of the best in the NFL on paper, and when they're on, it is. But they and the defense as a whole struggle when one of them is off their game. To beat Dallas' high-powered offense, both of the star linebackers need to be at their best.
If that's the case, though, then what makes White the bigger X-factor than David. Well, for one, White is the more volatile of the two, having more variance in his performance than the more consistent David. For two, White's play style also makes him a much bigger key to this game.
While David more frequently stays back in coverage, White is more likely to rush the line of scrimmage. That is obviously huge in the passing game, as the Bucs need to pressure Dak Prescott and throw him off his game. More importantly, though, it's also huge in the run game.
One of the main reasons Tampa Bay won in Week 1 is that it completely shut down Dallas' rushing attack. Ezekiel Elliot had just 10 carries for 52 yards, while Tony Pollard was a complete non-factor with six carries for eight yards. The Bucs absolutely cannot allow Elliot and Pollard to get going, they need to force Prescott to beat them.
If White can help shut down the run and put pressure on Prescott, then the Buccaneers have a solid chance. If he can't help against the run or get to Prescott, then it could be a long night in Tampa. With his performance causing such a massive swing in the game, White is Tampa Bay's biggest X-factor on Monday.
