Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs understand what they need to do in order for their offense to continue to have the success it’s experienced over the last month. The objective is a simple, yet comes with a complex strategy – stop Cowboys Pro Bowl edge rusher Micah Parsons.

Tampa Bay has gone up against some very talented pass rushers this season, including Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson, San Francisco’s Nick Bosa, Las Vegas’ Maxx Crosby and Los Angeles’ Khalil Mack. There’s no doubt that Micah Parsons is part of this elite list.

When the calendar turned this week to Bucs vs. Cowboys, it was Parsons who was the first name that was brought up in press conferences. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was asked this week if Parsons reminded of any other pass rusher, maybe someone over the course of football history.

Well, Todd Bowles had an answer in his own comical yet complimentary way.

“No, he’s a pain in the ass [laughs],” Bowles joked. “That’s what he is, and I mean that [as] the most sincere compliment. He gives you a lot of problems and that’s what he reminds me of.”

Despite missing four games this season, Parsons still has 8.5 sacks on the year, leading his team in that category. It’s understandable why he’s the first obstacle to overcome when it comes to Tampa Bay’s offensive game-planning.

Bucs Offensive Tackles vs. Micah Parsons Is A Marquee Matchup

It’s fitting that Bucs at Cowboys game is in primetime, as the whole nation will get to see this battle of gladiators with Tampa Bay left tackle Tristan Wirfs and right tackle Luke Goedeke going up against Parsons, who will move around to each side of the line of scrimmage. Wirfs and Goedeke have been up to the challenge every time they go up against a top pass rusher.

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

“Obviously, Micah Parsons is a game-wrecker,'” Goedeke said. “But they also present a lot of different challenges up front, especially on third downs. They have a bunch of different looks, so it’s about getting ready for all of those.”

Goedeke continued about the Cowboys’ star.

“His relentless pursuit, his speed – he’s one of the most athletic guys in the NFL,” Goedeke said. “He’s always chasing the ball. He’s like an Energizer bunny out there. He’s all over the place, and he’s a great pass rusher. He plays with an endless motor and has a whole toolbox of moves that he uses. He’s a complete total pass rusher in the NFL.”

The friendship between Wirfs and Goedeke has been well documented. Going against a player that they’ll each see in the game allows them to game plan together and rattle off ideas.

“It gives me extreme confidence,” Goedeke said. “Just knowing the left side is going to be taken care of with Tristan over there. We constantly bouncing ideas off each other, whether it be in the run game or the pass game. In the offseason, when we work out together, we train here together in the offseason – constantly working together. We’re just continuing to build that bond. At the end of the day, we know what we can be together for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield Reviews The Cowboys Defense

This is an exciting game for Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield as well. Mayfield, who grew up in the state of Texas, has a couple of ties to the Cowboys. The first ever NFL game he experienced was at the old Cowboys Stadium, and he won a high school state championship where the Cowboys played, too. And Mayfield and Oklahoma won a Big 12 championship in the current AT&T Stadium.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

More importantly, right now it’s all about winning another game for the Bucs, and taking a step closer to clinching the division. Mayfield will need another big game in order to do so. He shared his thoughts about how the Cowboys look on the defensive side of the ball and the challenges they present for this primetime game.

“Obviously, with Mike Zimmer calling plays, they present a lot of different fronts that make you communicate and make you have a plan for whatever they’re going to bring,” Mayfield said. “A lot of it, obviously, is to try and get Micah [Parsons] in some one-on-one situations, so you’ve got to be on the same page with that. [Jourdan] Lewis at nickel, he’s an experienced player – he’s played a lot of good ball.

“They’re a little banged up and have some different guys playing, but in the middle, [Eric] Kendricks is a veteran linebacker that you can tell understands what he’s trying to get done and gets those guys lined up as well.”