Takeaways from the Bucs Win Over the Seahawks

In a historical outing in Munich, Germany, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers concluded their transatlantic trip with a victory over the Seattle Seahawks at Allianz Arena. The 21-16 win marked another historic milestone for the franchise, who previously became the first team to win a Super Bowl in its own stadium. In front of an electric crowd, the Buccaneers took sole possession of the NFC South and improved to a 5-5 record as they enter the bye week.

Tampa Bay came out swinging, going up 14-0 on back-to-back drives in the second quarter. The first being a Tom Brady connection to Julio Jones to spark an early lead. Vertical go routes cleared out the Seahawks’ secondary, leaving Jones open on a shallow route, culminating in a touchdown. Brady found the player who vacated zone coverage and Brady exploited it. The next score came on a Leonard Fournette one-yard touchdown rush after a long, methodical drive to extend the team’s advantage. Five-straight third down conversions contributed to the Bucs’ success in reaching the end zone. Overall, Tampa Bay converted 10 of their 15 third-down attempts, garnering an output of 419 total yards.

The Bucs took a commanding 21-3 lead in the fourth quarter after a Chris Godwin four-yard touchdown. On a perfectly executed play design, the Bucs faked a tight end screen, but Brady found Godwin in the end zone to put a stamp on the team’s imposition. Rookie running back Rachaad White eclipsed the 100-yard marker for his best performance as a pro, and despite the Bucs’ inability to run the football for the majority of the 2022 season, Tampa Bay outrushed Seattle by a 161-39 margin. The ability to achieve a complementary approach fortified the unit and kept Seattle’s defense reeling.

The Bucs’ defense dominated the first half, allowing just 57 yards – the fewest yards given up by Tampa Bay’s defense in any half this season. The unit forced four punts in a row during the first half and Seattle did not convert any of their third-down attempts (five). A Seattle offense that had been predicated on the run game featuring rookie Kenneth Walker III, was held in check, forcing Geno Smith to throw the football. The Bucs imposed their will with disguises, but Seattle was able to adjust after halftime. In order to try and mitigate pressure and offset the Bucs’ mixed coverages, Seattle went into a hurry-up, quick passing mode and found success. The Seahawks trimmed their deficit to 21-16 after a pair of touchdowns to both Tyler Lockett and (Bucs…