Sunday’s showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium looks like a potential playoff preview in the NFC.
The Packers and Bucs both look like legitimate contenders to start 2020.
Consider the following:
– The Packers are the third-highest graded team at Pro Football Focus. The Buccaneers are second.
– The Packers rank sixth in DVOA at Football Outsiders. The Buccaneers are second.
– According to FiveThirtyEight, the unbeaten Packers have a 95 percent chance of making the postseason. The Buccaneers, now 3-2, are at 62 percent.
– ESPN’s Football Power Index has the Packers as the fifth-best team. The Buccaneers rank sixth.
– According to The Athletic’s Expected Power Rating, the Packers rank second, while the Buccaneers are ninth.
Starting this season, seven teams from each conference will make the postseason. Barring some kind of major injury or collapse, both the Packers and Buccaneers have a great opportunity to make the playoff field in the NFC.
The battle between the Packers offense and defense will be especially compelling on Sunday.
Once again, consider the following:
– The Packers offense ranks first in the NFL in yards per play (, the Buccaneers defense ranks fourth (4.9)
– The Packers offense ranks first in the NFL in DVOA, the Buccaneers defense ranks second.
– The Packers offense is the second-highest graded offense at PFF, the Buccaneers defense ranks first.
– The Packers offense has the best Pass Block Win Rate in the NFL, per ESPN, the Buccaneers defense has the best Pass Rush Win Rate.
– The Packers offense is first in the NFL in giveaways (zero), the Buccaneers defense ranks sixth in takeaways (9).
– The Packers offense ranks fifth in the NFL in yards per carry (5.1), the Buccaneers defense ranks first in yards allowed per carry (2.7).
– The Packers offense ranks first in the NFL in adjusted net yards per attempt (10.1), the Buccaneers defense ranks fourth (5.5).
With a win, the Packers can get to 5-0 for the first time since 2015 and take another small step towards the top seed in the NFC, a coveted prize in 2020. Under the new playoff format, only one team will get a first-round bye. The Packers and Seattle Seahawks (5-0) are the only undefeated teams in the NFC entering Week 6.
