The NFC South winners, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will host the Washington Commanders at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. This is a Week 1 rematch after the Buccaneers beat the Commanders 37-20 to start the season.
Washington’s last loss came back in November, and they entered the playoffs with a five-game winning streak. The Bucs won their Week 18 game to clinch the No.3 seed. They would give their all to put an end to the Commanders’ winning run on their home soil. Let’s examine their home game tradition.
Why Do Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fire Cannons?
Firing cannons is a long-standing tradition at Raymond James Stadium. It is a signature element of their home game experience. The Pirate Ship fires cannons when the Bucs run out of the tunnel.
As per the Bucs website, Pirate Ship cannons will fire a certain amount of times after specific moments in the game:
- Touchdown = 6 fires
- Field Goal = 3 fires
- Extra Point = 1 fire
- Offense Enters Red Zone (opponent 20-yard line) = 1 fire
Attack flags atop the stadium will also be raised.
There was one exception to this tradition when the Bucs played the Super Bowl LV in their own backyard. The NFL had only allowed them to fire the cannons on the Pirate Ship in the north end for introductions.
Also, a recording of the cannons fired during the introduction was used rather than actually firing them. The Bucs were allowed to fire the cannons loud and long upon winning.
Tampa Bay’s pregame traditions are a treat for the fans. The Pirate Ship throws beads to fans while roaming around the stadium. The pregame fun also includes visiting team spoof songs, DJ Ekin, Bucs Beach and much more.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Washington Commanders Game Preview
- Location: Tampa, Raymond James Stadium
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Channel: NBC/Peacock
The Commanders finished the season with the sixth-lowest turnover rate, which puts the offense in position to succeed as often as any. This fuels their fourth-place ranking in points per drive.
After one season, Jayden Daniels is already one of the elite dual-threat quarterbacks. His scrambling has led to a ridiculous 56.0 EPA, while no other quarterback has more than 35.7 EPA on scrambles this year.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had to sweat it out, but they got everything they could have hoped for. The Bucs clinched the NFC South and got Mike Evans his record-tying 11th straight 1,000-yard receiving season in Week 18.
The offense certainly earned the right to play postseason football. Baker Mayfield had a career year, joining Tom Brady as the only two players in franchise history with 40 passing touchdowns in a season. That allowed Tampa to post a top-five ranking in both EPA per rush and pass success rate.
On the season as a whole, the Commanders’ offensive line has done a good job in pass protection, given just how long Daniels holds the ball (3.01 seconds; seventh). Whether it’s in the face of the blitz or not, Daniels is in the top 10 for both in terms of time to throw (or be sacked).
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive line has undeniably been one of the most improved units in the NFL this season. That improvement continued, as they ranked second over the past four weeks, including three games graded as B- or above.
Tampa Bay’s pressure rate (24.4%) is the lowest in the league, and they have impressive numbers whether facing the blitz or not.
The Washington Commanders were a below-average defense for most of the season, which their final ranking (17th overall, Grade: C) reflects. Ultimately, Washington’s performance was largely fairly consistent based on their level of competition.
For the season, the Commanders ranked 24th in defensive EPA per dropback, the third-lowest among the 14 playoff teams.
Quietly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense has improved since returning from their bye in Week 12. A soft schedule helped, but the Bucs rank third in EPA per play, first in third-down defense, and fourth in red-zone defense over that span.
A Wild Card matchup against the likely Offensive Rookie of the Year in Jayden Daniels will be a bigger test. However, the December and January version of the Bucs has a better chance to compete than if this matchup had taken place in the middle of the season.