Five key matchups: Broncos vs. Buccaneers
A look at five of the most-important matchups for Sunday's game between the Broncos and Buccaneers. (Photos by AP)
Though a fast start by the Broncos rushing offense in the first two weeks was momentarily disrupted by the Bengals' defensive front, Anderson and the Broncos' offensive line will look to get back on track against Tampa Bay. However, the Bucs are a top-10 rushing defense on a per-play basis. They've allowed just 14 first downs on run plays, a mark that is tied for seventh-best in the NFL. Per Pro Football Focus, Alexander leads the Bucs in defensive stops with 15, and one of his most important tasks will be to stop Anderson.
The 2015 NFL Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl quarterback Jameis Winston ranks seventh in passing yards through three games with 929 and has the league's most passing touchdowns with eight, but Winston has also thrown the most passes, and the second-most interceptions with six. Marshall will conduct the defense's efforts Sunday to increase those turnover numbers.
Sanders will look to extend his Week 3 111-yard, two-touchdown performance into Sunday's game in Tampa. After a successful day through the air, the Broncos have shown that their passing attack can be just as dangerous as their approach on the ground, and Sanders was a big part of that in Cincinnati. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Grimes was signed by the Bucs after the Dolphins released him in March. However, the Bucs' passing defense has struggled through three games; Tampa Bay ranks 28th in yards allowed per pass play.
If the offensive line returns with the same unit it utilized against Cincinnati as tackle Donald Stephenson recovers from a calf injury, Schofield will line up at right guard and face off against McCoy. McCoy, who has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last four years, plays a three-technique alignment over the right guard and has racked up 32.5 sacks since the start of the 2012 season. How much the Broncos can prevent McCoy from being a disruptive force could determine how successful Denver's rushing game is or how pristine their pass protection is for QB Trevor Siemian.
Talented wide receivers line the Broncos' early schedule: Kelvin Benjamin, T.Y. Hilton, A.J. Green. Now the Broncos' secondary faces another top receiving threat in Mike Evans, who has 301 yards and three touchdowns through the Bucs' first three games. Evans also recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons. In his first game back at Raymond James Stadium since he was traded from the Buccaneers in 2012, Talib will have another challenge going against Evans and quarterback Jameis Winston.
