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 Bri gets her pick of the litter. 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.
We didn't make it easy on Judge Casey this week. I had the first pick and thought I was playing it smart by taking the low-hanging fruit of Bucky Irving. He is the player on Tampa Bay's offense most certain to get a good number of touches, and I noticed that Miami's defense was allowing about 130 rushing yards per game. Well, that backfired, as Irving was held to 19 yards on nine carries and 14 yards on five receptions. Bri looked at the Bucs' quartet of top receivers and decided to go with the rookie, Emeka Egbuka. Had she chosen any of the other three, she would have won easily, but 'Mek' finished with just three catches for 20 yards. How was our esteemed judge going to chose between those two sets of numbers? Well, turns out there was another option. Her decision:
"I was going back and forth between Bucky and Emeka. Neither had a stellar game. Then I remembered ties are allowed! Looking at the season standings, that would put Scott and Bri into the same winner-take-all showdown the Bucs are in and how could I pass that up? Especially when there isn't a pesky Atlanta New Orleans factor to this battle. We won't have to wait until Sunday to know if Scott or Bri is taking the crown. Pick wisely guys, it all comes down to this!"
And with that, here's our updated Performance Preview Scoreboard:
Brianna Dix: 7
Scott Smith: 7
Push: 2
As Judge Casey aptly explained, we are now in winner-take-all mode heading into Saturday. Brianna and I have literally never had a more important decision to make in our lives than this one. No pressure, but let's see who prevails in Week 18 and thus in our season-long competition as well. Whatcha got, Bri?
Brianna Dix: Jalen McMillan
This may be recency bias but I think Jalen McMillan is going to have another breakout game, continuing the trend he set against the Dolphins in Week 17. Last week, McMillan posted his first 100-yard game and accumulated seven receptions for 114 yards. He became a go-to target for Baker Mayfield and played with urgency, igniting the offense. Whether finding the soft spot in zone or using subtle maneuvers to generate separation, McMillan moved the chains. He is poised for another performance against the Panthers.
Last time the two clubs met in Week 16, the Buccaneers took a run-heavy approach with only one reception surpassing 13 yards. This time around, I predict the club will take more of a balanced approach and McMillan reaps the benefits. When the Panthers account for Mike Evans and bracket coverage, McMillan will take advantage. He possesses inside-outside versatility and the ability to con leverage with tempo adjustments mid-route. McMillan has release variations in his repertoire and quickness in-and-out of breaks. On Saturday, McMillan helps spearhead the aerial attack.
Scott Smith: Antoine Winfield Jr.
It's a risky move to pick a defensive player in a must-win situation like this, but I'm betting on the biggest stakes bringing out a vintage Winfield performance, where he stands out as the top playmaking defender on the field.
The Buccaneers desperately need to generate some takeaways on Saturday. They haven't had a single one in the last two games combined, and they haven't had an interception since Winfield picked one off against Arizona in Week 13. Think about it: The Bucs' last three games have been losses by one-, three- and three-point margins, and they haven't had an interception in any of them after picking off 12 passes in the season's first 12 games. I firmly believe that just one pick over the last few weeks would probably have the Bucs at 8-8 and in control of their own fate this weekend.
I think Week 18 is when the dam breaks. The Bucs will be locked in and the defense will have its best performance in a month. And leading the way will be Winfield, who built his Pro Bowl reputation on making critical plays in clutch moments. It's time for another one, and for me to walk away as the 2025 Performance Preview champion.
