Ndamukong Suh, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense must start strong
By Larry Brake
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a tough six games to open the 2019 season. Ndamukong Suh and the defense must dominate early.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made headlines by releasing Gerald McCoy earlier this spring. They made bigger news by signing free agent Ndamukong Suh to replace McCoy and wear jersey No. 93, much to the chagrin of McCoy. After looking at the upcoming regular season schedule, Suh and the defense must dominate their opponents early.
Suh will be playing for his fourth team since being taken second overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by Detroit. After stops in Miami and Los Angeles, Suh agreed to a one-year deal worth $9.25 million. Hopefully his appearance in February’s Super Bowl will inspire the Tampa Bay defense to play at a higher level this season.
In 2018, the Buccaneers defense gave up an average of 383.4 total yards to rank 27th. They recorded 38 sacks with Jason Pierre-Paul getting 12.5 sacks. Pierre-Paul might miss this season due to a neck injury that he suffered in a car accident.
The Buccaneers have a tough six game stretch to open this season. In fact, they play the Carolina Panthers twice in that stretch. Suh and the defense must dominate early in order to shape their playoff destiny.
Tampa Bay opens at home against the San Francisco 49ers. This will be a good test to see if the defense can put pressure on the 49ers quarterback. The Buccaneers must win this game to set the tempo for the rest of this six game stretch.
They find themselves in Carolina for Week 2. Suh and the defense must contain Cam Newton in order to stop the Carolina offense. They meet again in Week 6 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Eli Manning and the New York Giants are in town for Week 3. The Giants have offensive firepower that will definitely test the Buccaneers defense. They must win this game because they are not in Tampa again until Nov. 10 against Arizona.
Week 4 ushers in the long road trip. They go to Los Angeles to meet the Rams. Then travel to play perennial NFC South Champion, the New Orleans Saints. Then off to London to play the Panthers again — and that’s before playing the Atlanta Falcons once.
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The Buccaneers will get a rest in Week 7 with the bye but will hit the road again for the next two weeks. The NFL schedule makers did not do the Buccaneers any favors with this long stretch away from Raymond James Stadium. Suh and the defense must put the stamp on their season, early and often.