Redskins at Buccaneers: A Defensive Duel

To get you ready for week 12, FanHouse is previewing all 16 NFL games. Here is your Washington Redskins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers preview.

2007 Records:

Washington Redskins: 5-5 (3rd in NFC East)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-4 (1st in NFC South)

Last Game(s):

Cowboys 28, Redskins 23
Bucs 31, Falcons 7

Last Meeting:

November 19, 2006. Bucs 20, Redskins 17.

Why We Care: Perhaps it's not a stretch to say that these two teams could meet again in the playoffs. The Bucs have a two-game lead in the NFC South, and the competition below them is quite dreadful. The Skins, meanwhile, are in the thick of the Wild Card race, and Detroit's loss to Green Bay has opened the door for Joe Gibbs team to jump into #6 seed.

When the Redskins have the ball: With so many banged-up receivers, Jason Campbell is short on targets out there, which could mean we'll see a lot of Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts running the ball. You can run on these Buccaneers, but not many have lately; this defense hasn't given up a 100-yard rusher since Kenton Keith in Week 5. That won't mean much, though, if they allow two 80-yard rushers.

When the Buccaneers have the ball: As Tony Romo and Terrell Owens proved last week, the pass defense is the Redskins' biggest weak spot -- especially with Sean Taylor out with a knee injury. That means Jeff Garcia could find some guys open out there. Earnest Graham and Michael Bennett won't frighten the Skins' rushing defense, but they may get some carries early to open up passing opportunities for Garcia.

The Edge: The Redskins have a lot more to play for here. With a two-game lead, the Bucs might be tempted to coast a little -- which would be a bad idea, because they would do well to avoid the Giants in the first round of the playoffs. On the other hand, the Bucs' defense has been on a tear as of late, and Garcia has been known to win close games. This looks like a very even, very low-scoring battle.

Keep an eye on:

1.) Donald Penn. It will be up to him to keep Andre Carter away from Jeff Garcia. Carter has 7 sacks on the season, and the Skins' defensive end is looking for more, though Garcia's mobility may prevent that.

2.) Reed Doughty. With Sean Taylor still out, the Redskins backup safety has to perform better than he did last week. Garcia could decide to test this weakened secondary early.

Notes: If the Bucs win this game, they will maintain a two-game lead over the winner of the Saints-Panthers game. If the Saints win -- which seems likely, since Carolina can't buy a victory at home -- and the Bucs lose, next week's Saints-Bucs matchup could prove quite important in the NFC South race. Then again, how much will winning that division matter in the long run?