The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting ready for another week of football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are coming off an upset win over the Dallas Cowboys. Baker Mayfield will not return from his injury this week, and the Buccaneers will be with Jalon Daniels yet again. While this could be good for the Steelers, they will still have plenty of work to do if they want to get the job done. Now, let’s take a look at some keys to a Steelers win over the Buccaneers.
Steelers Keys to Victory
Offense Needs to Prevent Turnovers and Do Their Job
Despite Daniels playing well against the Cowboys, the offense still looks better overall with Mayfield in there, and him being out is absolutely a benefit to the Steelers. This means Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense must do their job. The Buccaneers’ defense has been very solid, and Rodgers has to limit, or even better, prevent turnovers while also driving the offense down the field.
The Steelers are down Ben Skowronek, Michael Pittman Jr, and Roman Wilson. With DK Metcalf also questionable, the offense is limited to just Germie Bernard unless they trade for a wide receiver. This brings the importance to the running game, and it must dominate. Again, the Buccaneers’ defense is very good, and the Steelers will have to be able to move the ball. It might just come down to the running game.
Plug the Holes and Stop the Run
If there is anything we have learned, it is that the Buccaneers’ offense does not have to rely on Daniels. Bucky Irving rushed for 165 yards against the Cowboys, and there is no doubt that the Buccaneers will feed him the ball. The Steelers have a much better defense than the Cowboys, but they will still have to plug the holes, collect tackles for loss, and create chaos at the line of scrimmage. If the Steelers do that, it forces Daniels to air the ball out against a good defense, which could force turnovers.
Run the Ball and Run it Often
As mentioned before, the Steelers could be down four wide receivers, and that puts a ton of pressure on the running game. The good news for the Steelers is just how dominant Jaylen Warren has been in the backfield for the Steelers. Warren rushed for over 90 yards in each of the Steelers’ last three games, and since then, the offense has looked explosive. Warren has put the team on his back, and now it is his time to show his leadership and resilience with the Steelers’ offense limited.
By running the ball, you also limit the Buccaneers’ possessions, and that is another big thing. This brings another factor: the offensive line. The line is going to have to block more than ever as long as the Steelers run the ball often because the Buccaneers know it is coming. Warren may get over 20 carries, and he can not create explosive plays if the offensive line does not do their job.
The Last Word
The Steelers are coming off of a dominant win over the Indianapolis Colts and now look to continue that success against the Buccaneers. They look to extend their winning streak to two games and improve to a 4-2 record in the 2026 season. The challenge will not come easy, though, as the Buccaneers, who were 0-4, just picked up their first win over the Cowboys and will also look to extend their winning streak to two while also building momentum after a rough start to the 2026 season.
As far as the fight in the AFC North standings go, we’re not quite at a point where Pittsburgh NEEDS the win, but they should take advantage of this situation with Mayfield being out for the 1-4 team from the NFC South. Do you think the Steelers can get the job done or will the Buccaneers get the win?
Main Image: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
