It's time for another round of "Performance Preview," in which Staff Writer/Reporter Brianna Dix and I make our picks to click for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' next game. This is more than just a brief bit of game analysis, it's a competition. That's right: We're keeping score
The rules are simple: Bri and I each pick one Buccaneers player on Friday and explain why we think they are poised for a big game. We can't duplicate picks so order may matter, and this week Brianna has the first choice. Since neither of us would be impartial enough to do the judging after the game, we've asked Team Reporter Casey Phillips to step in as the guest judge each week.
Last week, we both looked to the defensive side of the ball. I picked first and landed on Vita Vea (which is way better than him landing on me). Bri went the captain, Lavonte David. Vea recorded a sack and four quarterback pressures, three of which were "quick pressures" (ones that occur in less than 2.5 seconds after the snap). David recorded six tackles. Sacks are the more gaudy stat, of course, but this still feels like a toss-up.
It doesn't matter what it feels like to me, though. This is how our Nobel Prize-winning judge saw it:
"After a few losses, Scott is roaring back with another victory here. With the sack Vita got in the game, he moved into sole position of ninth place in Bucs' history when it comes to all-time sacks, surpassing Jason Pierre-Paul and Brad Culpepper. Vea has been continuing to impact pockets and help stop the run, even while being double-teamed at an infuriating rate."
Oh boy, that's a four-game heater for me, and for the first time all season I'm in the lead. Heady stuff. Here's our updated Performance Preview Scoreboard:
Brianna Dix: 5
Scott Smith: 6
Push: 1
It's still anybody's game with five Bucs outings to go. Can Bri break my streak and get back to her early-season form? We shall see. Take it away, Bri.
Brianna Dix: Chris Godwin Jr.
I am going to go with my gut on this one and select Chris Godwin Jr. Against the Cardinals, Godwin led Tampa Bay in receiving yards, bringing in three catches for 78 yards. After missing the second half of the 2024 season due to injury, Godwin's 78 receiving yards marked his most in a contest since Week Six of the 2024 season against the New Orleans Saints. He has been productive in his small sample size since returning to injury and has once again become a go-to target for Baker Mayfield.
In Week 13, 44 of his 78 yards were YAC. Godwin quickly worked upfield post-catch and kept drives alive. He beat defenders with physicality at the catch point and utilized his frame to box out corners. Godwin is effective on stalk blocks to spur rushers, creating seams with a selfless demeanor. He is adept on out-breaking routes, crossers, comebacks and jets sweeps. He takes advantage of two-way go opportunities and I am hoping he has another breakout game against the Saints on Sunday. If Mayfield works to get rid of the ball to mitigate the rush of Carl Granderson, Cam Jordan and Chase Young with a short passing attack, Godwin will likely be the beneficiary.
Scott Smith: Kameron Johnson
A couple of weeks ago I made a pick out of left field and took left tackle Tristan Wirfs. That's a risky move in a pick to click competition because offensive linemen generally don't generate any individual stats to impress the judge. And notably, this was not the week that Wirfs caught a touchdown pass. I did manage to get the win that week, though. It was mostly by default but it has emboldened me to think outside the box this week.
Listen, if Kam Johnson puts up any receiving stats on Sunday, that will likely just be icing on the cake. It's certainly not what I'm counting on here. Johnson has four catches this season, they all came in one game and now Godwin is back to siphon off more snaps and targets.
No, what I'm counting on here is some sort of impact in the return game. The Saints' coverage units rank 21st on punts and 26th on kickoffs and they have already given up a punt return touchdown this season. Earlier in the year, Johnson appeared to be on the verge of breaking the big one multiple times, and he even won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week One. I think he's due to break one this week, and if he doesn't go to the house maybe he can provide multiple returns that set the Bucs' offense up with great field position. Oh, and if Johnson keeps downing punts inside the 10 as one of the team's gunners, that will count in my favor, too.
