The Buccaneers will vie to stack consecutive wins together, beginning with their clash against the Steelers at Raymond James Stadium in Week Six. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET with CBS as the broadcast crew. At 1-4, Tampa Bay is coming off a thrilling victory against the Cowboys in which the visiting team tallied 241 yards on the ground, while amassing three takeaways. The Bucs' defense held a Dallas team that had been averaging 30.5 points a game to just 16. The 3-2 Steelers will be arriving in Florida fresh off a 34-22 win over the Colts in Week Five, in which Jaylen Warren posted 188 yards from scrimmage, including an 80-yard touchdown catch. Both clubs will try to stay in the hunt in their respective NFC divisions on Sunday. Here are five Buccaneers and key matchups to observe after the coin toss:
Luke Goedeke
The Bucs' offensive line had their best showing in 2026 against the Cowboys, allowing one sack and four hits against Jalon Daniels and the club fielded a robust rushing attack with 241 yards on the ground. This week, right tackle Luke Goedeke will face the Steelers' T.J. Watt, who is tied for the fastest get-off of any edge rusher or defensive linemen in the league at 0.71. Watt has 4.5 sacks through five weeks (team-high) and dips underneath tackles with ease. Football fanatics would be hard-pressed to find an athlete better at their job than Watt. He is relentless off the edge, outworking the opposition. With a lethal rip in his bag of tricks and rare pursuit quickness to crash down the line, Watt sets the tone. The Pittsburgh stalwart strikes quickly to generate leverage with outstanding hand usage and has crazy bend. For Tampa Bay, Goedeke possesses strength and quickness, fortifying the right side of the line. He has smooth footwork for pull responsibilities and plays with contact balance and body control. Goedeke can anchor against power and plays with solid anticipation.
Josiah Trotter
Jaylen Warren is third in the NFL with 640 scrimmage yards entering Week Six, with three consecutive games of 125-plus scrimmage yards, and he leads all running backs with 7.2 yards per touch in 2026. Tampa Bay is allowing just 3.3 yards per carry in 2026, the second-best mark in the NFL, and Josiah Trotter has played an integral role in the efficiency of the Bucs' run defense. Trotter's 37 tackles through four career games are the most in franchise history since at least 2000 and he is one of three rookies in 2026 with 30-plus tackles, a sack and an interception, alongside Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. He accelerates quickly to combat rushers bouncing wide and delivers ferocious hits. Trotter plays with an old-school mentality and personifies the notion of a 'heat-seeking missile.' The downhill thumper will play a critical role in limiting Warren on Sunday.
Bucky Irving
Bucky Irving is one of three running backs in 2026 with 400-plus rushing yards, 15-plus receptions and three or more touchdowns from scrimmage, alongside Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. Irving had a career-long 72-yard rush in Week Five and finished the game with 21 carries for a career-best 165 yards and a touchdown. His 10 missed tackles forced against Dallas and 122 rushing yards following missed tackles each marked a new single-game career high. Irving is patient in letting blocks develop and has effective lateral cuts. He pairs elusive features with stellar vision and upside as a pass-catcher. For the Steelers, Payton Wilson leads the team in tackles with 40 and has accumulated a sack, six tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery. He combines lateral agility and burst for blitz proficiency and is rangy in pursuit with 4.43-second speed. In coverage, he tightens throwing windows and plays with anticipation from zone.
Tristan Wirfs
In 2026, Alex Highsmith has racked up 3.0 sacks, five tackles for loss and five quarterback hits. Highsmith fortifies the line across from Watt, creating a formidable duo. Originally a third-round pick, Highsmith has a diversified inside/outside rush portfolio and wins with finesse. He slips by tackles at the top of the rush with an elongated step and has a lethal spin counter. Highsmith will see a heavy dose of Bucs' Tristan Wirfs on Sunday. Wirfs has smooth athleticism and makes pulls and traps look effortless. Wirfs stays square with rushers and can absorb the opposition's momentum and hands, redirecting their power. He is twitchy for his size and will help strengthen the line on Sunday around Jalon Daniels.
Miles Killebrew
Buccaneers' special teams ace Miles Killebrew will face his former team on Sunday, along with Special Teams Coordinator Danny Smith, who held the same role in Pittsburgh from 2013-2025. In Week Five, Killebrew forced a fumble on a kickoff return that was recovered by Kevin Knowles. It marked the second career forced fumble for Killebrew and built momentum for Tampa Bay at AT&T Stadium. Since entering the league in 2016, his 91 special teams tackles are the second-most in the NFL over that span, and he leads all active players in career blocked punts (four). During his time with the Steelers, Killebrew earned consecutive Pro Bowl trips as a special teamer from 2023-24, and was also a 2023 Associated Press First Team All-Pro as a special teamer. He delivers linebacker-esque rattling hits and is a hammer on the field. The tackling technician is patient but once he develops the proper leverage and angle, he explodes with ferocity. The Steelers will work to prevent a special teams gaffe but Killebrew and Smith enter Week Six with a different agenda.
