Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds previews the upcoming Bucs game with six quick-hitting topics. What’s at stake for the Bucs and their opponent, what will lead to a Tampa Bay victory or loss, and a couple of key matchups to watch each week.

Tampa Bay shocked the world by upsetting the Cowboys in Dallas on Thursday Night Football to get its first win of the season. After a mini bye week, the Bucs are now 1-4 and returning home to face the 3-2 Steelers, who are coming off their best win of the season, beating the Colts, 34-22, in Pittsburgh. Both teams are looking for their first back-to-back wins of the season on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

What’s At Stake For The Bucs?

The Bucs finally got a long-awaited win in Dallas – even on Thursday Night Football! – last week and it may have saved their season from certain disaster that an 0-5 record would’ve brought. Now Tampa Bay is hoping to create some momentum by getting back-to-back wins for the first time since the beginning of the 2025 season. Head coach Todd Bowles is still on the hot seat, but the Bucs are only one win back in the NFC South race behind the 2-2 Panthers and the 2-3 Falcons with all of their division games ahead of them on the schedule. Bowles’ defense has been a bright spot and needs to continue to be a top 10 unit.

Tampa Bay has struggled at home this year, losing three straight games to Cleveland, Minnesota and Green Bay – all in one-score games. As was the case against the Packers in Week 4, Raymond James Stadium won’t have a homefield advantage for the Bucs, as more Steelers fans are expected to be in attendance. Embattled offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has underwhelmed this year, yet the offense did manage to put up 24 points in Dallas. The Bucs might need that many points again this Sunday to come out on top.

Bucs ILB Josiah Trotter – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

What’s At Stake For The Steelers?

Tampa Bay’s defense is for real, and will provide a stiff challenge for offensive-minded head coach Mike McCarthy and veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Admist a 3-2 start, the Steelers are still trying to find their identity in McCarthy’s first year, but it might just be leaning on the offensive line and running the ball with Jaylen Warren. Pittsburgh’s offense averaged over just 12 points per game through the first two weeks, but has seemingly found its footing over the last three games, averaging 28.3 points. Rodgers needs to continue to feed tight ends Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth underneath as D.K. Metcalf stretches the field vertically.

Defensively, the secondary has been suspect, and former Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean has been oft-injured and won’t play in his return to Tampa Bay. Instead, it will be Sean Murphy-Bunting, who was just signed off the Bucs practice squad, playing instead. Yet the Steelers defensive line drives this unit and must continue its stellar play in rushing the passer while being more stout against the run. Pittsburgh’s defense still has much to prove as it aspires to be a top 10 unit, and will have a chance to gain some ground in that area against the Bucs’ struggling offensive line and a rookie quarterback.

Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers and RB Jaylen Warren – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

The Bucs Win If…

The Buccaneers need to continue to play complementary football, as that was the key to the team winning in Dallas on Thursday Night Football. Tampa Bay also won the turnover battle for the first time this year, 3-0, and that must continue as the team’s margin for error is small. Pittsburgh enters the game with a plus-2 turnover margin while Tampa Bay’s improved from minus-5 to minus-2 from its efforts in Week 5 alone. The Bucs defense has forced two takeaways in each of the last two games and special teams also forced and recovered a fumble against the Cowboys.

Jalon Daniels has thrown three interceptions in two games plus one drive and nearly threw a pick-six late in the fourth quarter last week. The Bucs have to expect the Steelers to blitz more than the Cowboys did. And while the offensive line, tight ends and running backs haven’t been stellar in pass protection this year, Tampa Bay’s quarterbacks must get rid of the ball faster to avoid taking sacks. T.J. Watt leads the Steelers with 4.5 sacks and 13 pressures, followed by Alex Highsmith’s three sacks and 14 pressures. Running the ball for more than 100 yards is critical for success and Bucky Irving must be fed the football.

Bucs QB Jalon Daniels and Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

The Steelers Win If…

Pittsburgh is 3-2 and is looking for some consistency as its season has gone win-loss-win-loss-win over the first five weeks of the season. Looking for their first back-to-back set of victories of the year, the Steelers need to jump out an early led to make the Bucs play from behind and abandon their running game. Aaron Rodgers has not played well in Tampa historically, but must play mistake-free football on Sunday, especially early on as to not give the home team any early momentum. In all three of its victories this season, Mike McCarthy’s team has either had the lead at halftime or the score has been tied.

Forcing rookie quarterback Jalen Daniels to try to play catch up and beat the Steelers through the air should be the strategy. While Pittsburgh’s current defense shouldn’t be confused with the old Steel Curtain or Blitzburgh days, T.J. Watt and Co. can put pressure on quarterbacks and Pittsburgh has 11 sacks on the year, which is nearly twice as many as Tampa Bay’s defense has (six). Forcing Daniels to either get rid of the ball early under duress or flushing him out of the pocket and then corralling him to prevent him from picking up first downs with his legs is paramount.

Steelers OLB T.J. Watt – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Bucs’ Key Matchup On Offense

Bucs Offensive Line And Tight Ends vs. Steelers Defensive Line

The Bucs offensive line keyed Bucky Irving’s 165-yard rushing day in Dallas as Tampa Bay totaled 241 yards on the ground on Thursday Night Football. The team now has the league’s seventh-best rushing attack, averaging 133 yards per game. With rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels expected to make his third start of his initial NFL season against Pittsburgh, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson finally found the recipe for success in Week 5: run the ball more than you throw it.

Bucs offensive line – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Steelers run defense is not as stout as the Bucs, ranking 13th in the league and allowing an average of 103.4 yards on the ground. Yet with Tampa Bay’s passing game floundering and the Bucs starting a rookie QB, look for Pittsburgh to stack the box and sell out against the run on the way to getting to Daniels. The strength of the Steelers defense is up front with outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith along with venerable legendary defensive tackle Cam Heyward. Bucs tight ends Cade Otton and Payne Durham will have their hands full and haven’t fared well in pass protection this year.

The Bucs interior offensive line has been a weakness due to inconsistency, and penalties have been an issue all across the O-line. Tampa Bay committed a season-high 14 penalties in its win at Dallas with seven of them coming along the offensive line. Whichever unit wins the line of scrimmage on Sunday – the Bucs offensive line or the Steelers defensive line – will likely win the game. Tampa Bay must get its ground game going again and severely cut down on penalties on Sunday in order to win back-to-back games.

Bucs’ Key Matchup On Defense

Bucs Defensive Line vs. Steelers Offensive Line And Tight Ends

The trench warfare continues upfront, as Tampa Bay’s defensive line also has to win the line of scrimmage against Pittsburgh. The strength of the Steelers is their offensive line and the tight end tandem of Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. Of those with 20 or more snaps in Pittsburgh, the top eight graded offensive players are offensive linemen – led by left guard Mason McCormick (82.6) – tight ends, and running back Jaylen Warren (77). At 6-foot-7, 275 pounds, Washington is a matchup nightmare in the passing game and an extra offensive lineman in Pittsburgh’s run blocking scheme.

Steelers TE Darnell Washington – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

The Steelers running game was slow to get going in the first two weeks of the season, averaging just 74.5 yards per game. But over the last three games Pittsburgh has averaged 119 yards on the ground. Jaylen Warren is coming off his best game of the year where he totaled 188 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 5 win versus the Colts, including 101 yards on the ground and 87 through the air. Warren had a 50-yard touchdown run and an 80-yard catch-and-run screen against Indianapolis.

After allowing 106 yards on the ground in a Week 1 loss at Cincinnati, Tampa Bay’s run defense has been incredibly formidable. The Bucs rank second in the NFL, surrendering an average of just 72.8 yards on the ground, including just 64.5 yards per game over the last four games. A’Shawn Robinson leads all Bucs defensive linemen with 16 tackles and rookie middle linebacker Josiah Trotter’s 41 tackles lead the team despite missing a game. Beating blocks up front and not missing tackles will be critical for Tampa Bay’s defensive front against Pittsburgh.