The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks are set for a battle of top NFC playoff contenders in Week Five, with the game set for Sunday, October 5 and Lumen Field in Seattle. Both teams are 3-1 and have at least a share of first place in their respective divisions. Both teams are celebrating their 50th season as they were expansion siblings in 1976, but this is the first meeting between them since they made history in 2022 by playing the first-ever regular season game in Germany. The Buccaneers prevailed in that contest held in Munich's Allianz Arena, 21-16.
Both teams feature a run defense ranked in the top six in the NFL and both are middle of the pack in terms of passing offense. The Seahawks' offense is gaining 5.73 yards per play to rank among the top 10 in the NFL but Tampa Bay's defense is third in that category, allowing just 4.48 yards per play. Tampa Bay has thrown just one interception but Seattle's defense has picked off seven passes, tied for the second most in the league. Here's how the Buccaneers and Seahawks stack up against each other for their Week Five showdown in Seattle:
When Tampa Has the Ball:
| Buccaneers Offense | Category | Seahawks Defense |
|---|---|---|
| 15th (335.8) | Net Yards Per Game | 13th (297.0) |
| 22nd (4.48) | Yards Per Play | 3rd (4.48) |
| 15th (24.3) | Points Per Game | 2nd (16.8) |
| t-10th (124.0) | Rushing Yards Per Game | 6th (89.8) |
| 15th (211.8) | Passing Yards Per Game | t-17th (207.3) |
| 22nd (37.0%) | Third Down Percentage | 18th (39.0%) |
| 13th (5.76%) | Sacks Per Pass Play | 16th (7.89%) |
| 3rd (0.72%) | Interception Percentage | 3rd (4.61%) |
| t-29th (36.4%) | Red Zone Touchdown Pct. | t-6th (46.2%) |
When Seattle Has the Ball:
| Seahawks Offense | Category | Buccaneers Defense |
|---|---|---|
| t-16th (332.3) | Net Yards Per Game | 4th (272.8) |
| 8th (5.73) | Yards Per Play | 5th (4.58) |
| 6th (27.8) | Points Per Game | 22nd (24.3) |
| 18th (110.8) | Rushing Yards Per Game | 5th (85.0) |
| 13th (221.5) | Passing Yards Per Game | 11th (187.8) |
| 17th (39.1%) | Third Down Percentage | 3rd (32.7%) |
| 14th (5.83%) | Sacks Per Pass Play | 15th (7.94%) |
| 16th (1.94%) | Interception Percentage | 26th (0.79%) |
| 14th (64.3%) | Red Zone Touchdown Pct. | t-15th (60.0%) |
Advantage Buccaneers: Third Down Defense
Tampa Bay's third-down offense isn't living up to the very lofty standards it set in 2024, but it's third-down defense is doing even better than a year ago, when it ranked 14th with a success rate allowed of 38.1%. Through four games in 2025, that number is down to 32.7%, which ranks third in the NFL. If the Buccaneers can keep the Seahawks in mostly longer third-down situations, needing seven yard or more, they could have a significant advantage, as they have allowed just five conversions in 22 such attempts. Meanwhile, Seattle's offense, while off to a very good start overall, is in the lower half of the league in converting third downs, ranking 17th with a 39.1% success rate.
Advantage Seahawks: Red Zone Defense
After a good start to the season in its first two wins, the Buccaneers' offense has struggled mightily in the red zone over the past two games while going 1-1. In a narrow win over the Jets and a six-point loss to the Eagles, the Buccaneers only took one of their seven red zone possessions all the way to the end zone. One of those seven trips inside the 20 ended without any points at all, as Baker Mayfield was intercepted at the goal line by Jihaad Campbell in last week's defeat. Those struggles have dropped the Bucs all the way to a tie for 29th in the NFL in red zone touchdown percentage, at 36.4%. Meanwhile, the Seattle defense has been stingy in that part of the field, allowing a touchdown rate of just 46.2%, which is tied for sixth-best in the league.
X-Factor: Buccaneers' Cornerback Health
Sam Darnold and the Seahawks' offense has thrown the ball well, especially in terms of yards per play, as their 8.60-yard average on pass plays ranks second in the NFL. Darnold is averaging a robust 9.00 yards per pass attempt, also good for second in the league behind Baltimore's Lamar Jackson, and his favorite target, third-year wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, is averaging 15.5 yards per grab. The Buccaneers' pass defense has shown significant improvement in 2025 after finishing 29th in the NFL last year, and currently ranks 11th in yards allowed per game at 187.8. However, slowing down Smith-Njigba could be tougher if both Jamel Dean (hip) and Benjamin Morrison are sidelined by injuries.
