5 Bucs to Watch Against the Colts in Week 12

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face off with the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in Week 12. At 4-6 and just a game behind the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South race, the Bucs are in charge of their own destiny down the final stretch of the 2023 season. Tampa Bay has lost five out of its six previous games and will look for a bounce back against the Colts. Indy is coming off a bye week and built-up momentum from two wins against the Panthers and Patriots. At 5-5, the Colts are vying for a Wild Card berth and a continuation of the club’s recent success. The Bucs believe they can return to peak form, and it begins with Sunday’s critical battle on the road. Tampa Bay’s defense ranks first in the league in goal-to-go touchdown efficiency at 44.4% allowed and in contrast, the Colts have scored touchdowns on 60.0% of their red zone drives. The matchup could very well hinge upon the red zone. Here are five Buccaneers to monitor on Sunday:

Kenny Moore II is one of the NFL’s best slot corners. He possesses a ball-hawking prowess and is lethal on blitzes with an effective dip-and-rip maneuver. In the modern era of the NFL, slot corners have to be able to navigate multiple responsibilities: man-to-man coverage, zone, play down in the box against the run and blitz. Moore does all at an elite level, whether covering plays on an island, mirroring slot receivers or making anticipatory plays off the quarterback’s eyes, Moore solidifies the Colts’ secondary. He has an instinctive feel for keying and diagnosing the opponent’s offensive scheme to quickly get downhill in the B or C-gap like a linebacker. He will likely see a heavy dose of Chris Godwin on Sunday. Godwin is currently one-of-three receivers with 50-or-more targets this season to have not recorded a drop in 2023. The Penn State product has a knack for getting open and is adept at making contested catches. He has elite body control to adjust to balls thrown his way and is lethal over the middle of the field, exploiting zones and taking advantage of a free release off the line.

Calijah Kancey brings an added dimension of speed and explosion to the Bucs’ defensive line with alarming first-step quickness. Despite missing nearly four games with a calf injury, Kancey has amassed 2.0 sacks, six tackles for loss and seven quarterback pressures this season. The forward-charging penetrator has been a nightmare for offenses to contend with. Kancey has created a…