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Bucs game day is approaching, and it’s time for the PewterReport.com staff to offer up its weekly game predictions. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.
BUCCANEERS vs. DOLPHINS
WHEN: Sunday, October 10, 2021 | WHERE: Raymond James Stadium | KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m. ET | TV: CBS
PLAY-BY-PLAY: Jim Nantz |ANALYST: Tony Romo | SIDELINE:
RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Gene Deckerhoff | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: T.J. Rives
SPANISH RADIO: 96.1 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Carlos Bohorquez | ANALYST: Martin Gramatica
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live game day chat, starting at noon. on Sunday all the way through to the final whistle.
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– Game Days At Glory Days Grill –
Glory Days Grill is serving up new Game Day Glory menu items for a limited time only! A fan favorite is the Korean BBQ Wings. Made with their JUMBO dry rub wings tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, served with blistered shishitos, topped with scallions and sesame. Absolutely delicious!
Don’t forget to pair these new items with their Game Day Drink Specials featuring the Coppertail Florida Special, Champa Bay Lemonade and MORE! Game Day Drink specials are available every Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Glory Days Grill
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Palm Harbor | Riverview | Sarasota | St. Petersburg | Tallahassee | Tyrone | Wesley Chapel
Scott Reynolds: Another Ugly Win On Deck For Bucs
The Bucs will make it two in a row with a win over the less-talented Dolphins at Raymond James Stadium. Miami coach Brian Flores will steal some of the defensive strategy that Bill Belichick deployed in Sunday’s game. The box or fence bogged down in the red zone and that is the only chance that the Dolphins have a prevailing. Miami does not have the weaponry on offense to get in a shoot out with Tampa Bay and win.

Bucs OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Tampa Bay‘s defense needs to continue to get pressure on the quarterback and record sacks as well as create some takeaways. That starts with big plays from Shaquil Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. just as important, defensive coordinator Todd Bowles must give his new cornerback group safety help over the top. Tampa Bay can’t let Jaylen Waddle and DeVante Parker get deep and make big plays down the field.
The Bucs have the ability to blow out the Dolphins based on sheer talent, but I just don’t think that’s going to happen. Look for another ugly win in a close game, but a win nonetheless. Tampa Bay improves to 4-1, and that’s all that matters.
Reynolds’ Score Prediction: Buccaneers 30, Dolphins 23
Reynolds’ Season Record: 3-1
Jon Ledyard: This One Won’t – And Shouldn’t – Be Close
The Bucs defense may be banged up, but the Dolphins offense should provide the perfect remedy for what ails them. Miami has been hapless on offense through four games, ranking in the bottom five of the NFL in almost every category. Their offensive line is a mess, and Jacoby Brissett has struggled since stepping in for Tua Tagovailoa. Deep threat Will Fuller is on injured reserve, and top receiver DeVante Parker is questionable to play.

Bucs DC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
If the Bucs’ front seven can’t dominate this game, it’ll be time to panic. The Dolphins are dead last in yards per pass attempt and 27th in yards per rush attempt. Miami has a few talented pieces on offense in Parker, Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki, but through four games there is no indication they know how to use them. Right now the Dolphins are a mess on that side of the ball, and the Bucs front should be poised for a massacre.
Defensively, Miami hasn’t played well, but they have far more talent than their stats indicate. There will be some fun wide receiver-cornerback match-ups in this game, especially between Mike Evans and Xavien Howard. The Bucs should be able to run the football adequately, but would be wise to play Antonio Brown and go to the air a lot. Miami wants to match up in man coverage, a dangerous proposition against the Bucs’ pass catchers. Even if this one is close for a little while, it shouldn’t last that way for long.
Ledyard’s Score Prediction: Buccaneers 35, Dolphins 13
Ledyard’s Season Record: 4-0
Matt Matera: Pass Rush, Red Zone Offense Aids Injured Secondary
The Bucs secondary is missing key players with Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting on IR and Antoine Winfield, Jr. out with a concussion. There’s not even 100 percent assurance that Jamel Dean can play this week, which means it’s Richard Sherman and Pierre Desir as the starting corners. Luckily for the Bucs, they’re playing statistically one of the worst offenses in the league in the Dolphins, so that should help them stay afloat for this week.

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
A lot of the emphasis will be on the Bucs’ pass rush in Week 5. They regained form with four sacks last week, and there’s some great match-ups for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Shaq Barrett in this game. The two of them along with Will Gholston are tied for the team lead with two sacks. I think one of them takes over first place after this one. The pass rush will be too much for Jacoby Brissett and the Dolphins don’t get into rhythm.
The other way Tampa Bay can help its secondary is by dominating on offense. After two less than ideal performances in the red zone, the Bucs improve in that area to separate themselves from the game. Tom Brady and the offense has had no issues moving down the field, they just really miss Gronk right about now. What’s a good way to resolve this? How about looking Mike Evans’ way? He led the team with 13 touchdowns last season and his two scores this year both were in the red zone. It’s important to get him involved in that area, which I think the Bucs will do as they win this one with a lot of room for comfort.
Matera’s Score Prediction: Buccaneers 38, Dolphins 17
Matera’s Season Record: 3-1
JC Allen: Bucs Start Slow On Way To Blow Out
Brian Flores will surely have some tricks up his sleeve for his old friend Tom Brady and this Bucs offense. Stemming from the Bill Belichick coaching tree, I expect Flores to take from the Patriots defensive game-plan that held the reigning Super Bowl champs to just 19 points last Sunday. The Dolphins have players like cornerback Jason McCourty, linebacker Elandon Roberts and defensive tackle Adam Butler on the defense that have extensive practice time against Brady. That’s not including one of the top duos at corner in Xavien Howard and Byron Jones. Ball security will be important for the Bucs as well as the Dolphins have six forced fumbles so far this season. Brady could face some of the same challenging looks he did the week prior and this Bucs team could take some time to get going.

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Brady should be able to figure out what the Dolphins defense is doing early into the game and the offensive firepower will take it from there. Even without Rob Gronkowski, the mismatches the offense can present should allow them to move down the field with relative ease against the 24th ranked Dolphins defense. Expect to see a lot of Antonio Brown doing his thing on whoever is covering him, as the Fins like to play a lot of man with their corners. Another key will be getting the running game going where the Dolphins have struggled giving up over 136 yards per game. Giovani Bernard’s return will create even further match-up nightmares for this Dolphins defense.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bucs pass rush is finally getting going and they’re served a struggling Dolphins O-line on a pewter platter. The line has let up 13 sacks and an absurd amount of pressures this season. Backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett will be running for his life against this front seven. Jason Pierre-Paul will be back, and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Shaq Barrett are coming off impressive games. Jamel Dean will also return to the line up. The Dolphins suddenly find themselves thin at receiver with DeVante Parker questionable, speedster Will Fuller on IR and Jakeem Grant traded. With a league worst four yards per play average, their best bet is to try dink and dunk using RB Myles Gaskin and TE Mike Gesicki on favorable match-ups against Devin White. After a slow start Bucs take control and win this one handily.
Allen’s Score Prediction: Buccaneers 34, Dolphins 17
Allen’s Season Record: 3-1
Paul Atwal: The Best Team in Florida Takes Care of Business
This game kind of feels like a redo of last week, at least for the Bucs’ offense. Brian Flores, a Bill Belichick disciple, has his defense play physical, aggressive man coverage with a single-high safety more than anyone – though after last week, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Patriots lead that category. Expect the Dolphins to continue with their usual approach. And honestly, despite only conceding 19 points, I think what the Patriots did last week, and what I expect the Dolphins to do this week, is playing with fire. Miami’s secondary is talented. But no secondary is as talented as the Bucs’ receivers. This Sunday, without a 44-yard catch being taken off the board, a game-sealing touchdown slipping through a Hall of Famer’s fingers, or, perhaps most importantly, an ill-timed monsoon, the Bucs’ pass attack should get back on track.

Bucs CB Richard Sherman – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Dolphins’ strength offensively is their wide receiver group, though that’s the only bright spot in an otherwise dysfunctional unit. However, with as banged-up as Tampa Bay’s secondary is, no offense can be taken lightly. I think the Dolphins will have success through the air – and that’s nobody’s “fault.” What’s Todd Bowles to do after losing his top cornerback, his nickel, and his best safety? This is strength against weakness in Miami’s favor. Fortunately for Bowles, his front seven against the Dolphins’ offensive line could be the equalizing strength against weakness.
I see this being a big-play game. With Chris Godwin likely bracketed in the slot again and Xavien Howard following Mike Evans around, the Bucs should have plenty of one-on-one opportunities for Antonio Brown. A successful deep shot or two could blow this game open. On the other side, while Miami might move the ball well, the success of Tampa Bay’s defense will be defined by splash plays. Can they generate pressure leading to a couple of sacks or a turnover? If so, that should be enough to pull out the win. The Dolphins are the ones with a razor-thin margin for error, not the Buccaneers.
Atwal’s Score Prediction: Buccaneers 31, Dolphins 21
Atwal’s Season Record: 4-0
Kasey Hudson: Bucs Getting Healthier And Win This One
Tom Brady mentioned in his press conference that the Dolphins run a similar defensive scheme as the Patriots and could present some difficulty for the Bucs. The Patriots coverage minimized Chris Godwin’s role the most, while Mike Evans and Antonio Brown still fought hard for yards but could not get into the end zone last week. The Dolphins key cornerbacks, Xavien Howard and Bryon Jones, were both limited in practice on Thursday and will not be at 100 percent against Tampa Bay’s star receivers. Third-down running back Giovani Bernard returns from a knee injury and could give Tampa Bay’s offense a boost.

Bucs DE Will Gholston and OLB Jason Pierre-Paul – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Bucs secondary took another hit this week with Carlton Davis being placed on IR, but Jamal Dean will be back in the secondary. Tampa Bay’s pass rush has some momentum to build off of from last week. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka collected two out of the team’s four sacks against the Patriots, while Will Gholston and Shaq Barrett are credited for the others. Now Jason Pierre Paul returns, which will make life more difficult for Jacoby Brissett, who threw for 199 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Colts last week. Brissett hangs in the pocket more than injured starter Tua Tagovailoa. If Richard Sherman or Dean can contain DeVante Parker, and if Devin White or Lavonte David can manage tight end Mike Gesicki, Tampa Bay can have an all-around solid win on defense.
Head coach Bruce Arians and Tom Brady said that the team had really good week of preparation and a great Thursday practice. Sunday’s odds look to give the Bucs some wind behind their sails vs the Dolphins. Todd Bowles has a chance to serve some different looks on defense this weekend and still be effective. Byron Leftwich and the offense need to polish their red zone opportunities, make some less predicable calls and execute.
Hudson’s Score Prediction: Buccaneers 31, Dolphins 17
Hudson’s Season Record: 3-1