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BUCCANEERS at SEAHAWKS

WHEN: Sunday, October 5, 2025 | WHERE: Lumen Field | KICKOFF: 4:05 p.m. ET | TV: FOX

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Kevin Harlan | ANALYST: Trent Green | SIDELINE: Melanie Collins

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Gene Deckerhoff | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: T.J. Rives

Game day is approaching, and it’s time for the Pewter Report staff to make its weekly game predictions and offer up our game preview of this week’s matchup. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.

Scott Reynolds: Bucs Don’t Get Takeaways Like The Seahawks Do

It’s baffling how few takeaways the Bucs have gotten on defense this year despite all of the attention and emphasis Todd Bowles put into creating more interceptions and forcing more fumbles during the offseason and in training camp. Tampa Bay teased us with six interceptions in the preseason, but those were mostly from backup players. The only interception from a starter came in Pittsburgh at the hands of Zyon McCollum. After recording just seven interceptions last year, the Bucs have one interception this season – and only two takeaways with both coming against the Jets.

Bucs P Riley Dixon – Photo by: USA Today

Thankfully the Bucs have an even turnover margin with just two giveaways on offense – both coming in last week’s loss to Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Seattle already has seven interceptions. Baker Mayfield can’t afford to give the Seahawks their eighth on Sunday. I don’t see the Bucs going to Seattle and getting a win without winning the turnover battle, and points will be at a premium in what could be a defensive slugfest.

Keep in mind that the Bucs have also had three blocks – two punts and a field goal – over the last three games and I have zero confidence that has been fixed. I’m not forecasting another blocked kick or punt in this game specifically, but I’m not ruling it out. Seattle has already blocked one field goal and one punt this season already. The Seahawks are a good team and whoever wins the turnover battle and runs the ball the best will win this one. Unfortunately, I’m guessing that’s going to be Seattle.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Seahawks 23, Bucs 20
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 4-0

Matt Matera: Bucs Come Through Despite A Banged Up Group

There’s no question that the Bucs are banged up, but after watching a just-as-injured 49ers team beat the Rams on the road in a short week on Thursday night, Tampa Bay has no excuses. It feels like the Bucs defense has to have its best effort of the season and create some turnovers to get the W, though.

Do the Bucs rely too much on Vita Vea up front? Probably, but that’s why he’s held in such high regard. Maybe he finds even more juice playing in his collegiate stadium and disrupts the middle. Tampa Bay will have no issues stopping the run as they’ve proven this season, but they’re facing the best version of Sam Darnold. Zyon McCollum will be playing and he needs to take away Jaxon Smtih-Njigba. Darnold excels throwing over the middle, so it might be a good idea to keep either Tykee Smith or Antoine Winfield Jr. perched in that area.

Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. and OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Despite not having running back Bucky Irving for this game, I don’t think it will totally derail Tampa Bay’s offense. Rachaad White is as capable as they come and it also means Sean Tucker will get opportunities. The Bucs just need to protect Baker Mayfield and they’ll be okay.

Seattle is dangerous with several interceptions on the year, but I’m predicting that Chris Godwin Jr. has a breakout game after knocking the rust off last week. All the attention will be on Egbuka, but not many teams can stop a vintage Godwin. It’ll be tight, but thanks to a great defensive performance and some key offensive performances, the Bucs pull off a big road win.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 20, Seahawks 17
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 4-0

Adam Slivon: Bucs Injuries Too Much To Overcome In Seattle

The Bucs have gotten off to a 3-1 start this season, a record that look miraculous given all the injuries the team has fought through. On both sides of the ball it has taken its toll, with things only getting worse injury-wise heading into Tampa Bay’s Week 5 game in Seattle against the Seahawks. Bucky Irving, Jamel Dean, and Benjamin Morrison appear to be the latest players down for the count, making it all the more difficult to head into Lumen Field and emerge victorious.

A looming question mark heading into this season is what kind of identity the Seahawks would have under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald. Well, the team has developed a stingy defense with the kind of offense to support them and put points on the board. Defensively, Seattle is allowing just 16.8 points per game, the second-best mark in the league. They have down so with a cast of players that largely are not household names — yet. In particular, the secondary appears to be the Legion of Boom 2.0, and through four games they have seven interceptions in addition to 12 sacks.

Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald – Photo by: USA Today

That makes them a difficult draw, with Josh Grizzard having his hands full when it comes to preparing an offensive gameplan. Baker Mayfield has largely avoided harm’s way turnover-wise to begin the year, but he must be as efficient than ever likely without his best running back behind him. I would expect more reliance on the quick passing game than taking deep shots, making the most of Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr.’s skillsets while involving Rachaad White on screens.

Mayfield is yet again crossing paths with Sam Darnold, as the two top three picks from the 2018 NFL Draft prepare to duel it out. Darnold revived his career last season very much the way Tampa Bay’s gunslinger did in 2023, using that career year to sign a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seahawks this past offseason. Armed with two talented wide receivers in Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, Seattle’s offense has found balance, although the passing game remains a bit top-heavy.

Stopping those two is the main objective for Todd Bowles’ defense, although no Dean and Morrison will lead to some moving pieces in the secondary. The Bucs’ run defense remains stout, locking up anyone it faces. They will be tested facing two physical downfield runners in Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. I predict another relatively close game, one where the Bucs’ resilience is on display battling injuries in a hostile environment. The 3-1 Seahawks are a tough team to face right now, and Seattle’s respective strengths will prove to be too much for Tampa Bay to overcome on Sunday.

SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: Seahawks 27, Bucs 20
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 4-0

Bailey Adams: Bucs Somehow Find A Way To Get It Done In Seattle

The Seahawks are better positioned to win this game, aren’t they? They’re the healthier of the two teams by a significant margin, they’re playing at home, and they’ve simply been more consistent over the first four weeks of the 2025 season. With that being said, I have this sneaky feeling that the Bucs are going to find a way to get the job done in Seattle and come away with a big win that will get them to 4-1 ahead of another home game at Raymond James Stadium next Sunday.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

I think Todd Bowles’ defense matches up well with what Seattle does best on offense. I like this Tampa Bay front to continue stuffing the run and racking up the tackles for loss, holding Kenneth Walker III in check. And I think despite the injuries at cornerback, the Bucs will be able to limit Jaxon Smith-Njigba the way they shut down A.J. Brown last week. The key from there is to make sure Cooper Kupp doesn’t eat them alive the way he has in the past with the Rams. Not having Jamel Dean and/or Benjamin Morrison hurts, as the secondary did a great job last week with both Brown and Devonta Smith. A takeaway or two from the defense would be nice, too.

Offensively, I think Baker Mayfield and Co. will take care of the ball against this ballhawking Seahawks defense. Tampa Bay has only turned the ball over twice this season, with both coming last week. One was a questionable call, as Bucky Irving looked to be down before the ball popped out for a fumble. The other was an unfortunate play, as Mayfield did have Chris Godwin Jr. open in the end zone when he threw that costly red zone interception, but a defender got enough of a finger on it to slow the pass down and turn it into a pick.

Tampa Bay will take care of the ball, find more efficiency in the passing game and get a massive effort from Rachaad White in Irving’s absence. Given the injuries and the fact that the calendar has flipped to October, this feels like a game the 2023 and 2024 Bucs would lose. But I’d like to think this 2025 squad is different and can find a way to get a big road win in a hostile environment.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 24, Seahawks 20
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 4-0

Josh Queipo: Bucs Lose Their Second Game Of The Year – Close – In Seattle

For two teams that want to run the ball, this game sure looks like it will be tough sledding. Both the Bucs and the Seahawks feature stifling run defenses that forebode a lot of third-and-longs and a low-scoring affair in general. Tampa Bay’s run defense ranks fifth in the league, allowing just 85 yards per game, while Seattle’s ranks sixth, surrendering only 89.5 yards per game.

Bucs NCB Jacob Parrish and CB Zyon McCollum – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs offensive line will have its hand full with an impressive defensive front. Derrick Hall is an edge defender tailor-made to kill Charlie Heck. After giving up eight pressures last week, including an instant give-up on what was the game-deciding play where Baker Mayfield threw an interception in the end zone, Heck has to be better if the Bucs have any chance of winning. Tampa Bay could negate some of that pressure by leaning into its screen game. It’s an area that Seattle struggles to defend.

On defense the Bucs couldn’t ask for a better matchup stylistically, as they will be without two of their top three boundary corners. The Seahawks love to play in 12 personnel, which is two tight end sets, so Tampa Bay can kick Jacob Parrish out to the perimeter and weather the injuries to Benjamin Morrison and Jamel Dean. Ultimately, this will keep the score low. Turnovers will end up even in this game and the Seahawks will squeak out a home victory, sending the Bucs to a 3-2 record.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Seahawks 21, Bucs 20
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 4-0