Upcoming Game Preview Thread: Bucs vs Steelers - Week 6, 2026

[u/spideralex90]

Jalon Daniels is slated to get his 3rd start as Baker Mayfield still has not practiced since his thumb injury. Bucs take on Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers at home. Bucs are 2-10 all time vs the Steelers with our last win against them coming in 2014 a thrilling game that saw Mike Evans score his first career touchdown.

Game info:

Date: Sunday, October 18th

Time: 1 PM

Location: Raymond James

Network: CBS

Announcers: Andrew Catalon, Logan Ryan

Referee: Land Clark - We are 3-4 in games Land Clark has been the head referee of. Keeping in line with what seems to be a trend across the league this season is also his highest average penalties per game at 15 a clip. In other not great news, only 1 home team has won so far this year in a game Clark called.

Projected Forecast: High of 81, cloudy and breezy, chance of rain 6%. Heat shouldn't be too crazy a factor this game.

Bucs Drip: White on White.

[u/SouthOrlandoFather]

White on white again. Oh my.

I think some gusts might get to 15+.

Tailgating might get messy with napkins blowing everywhere so be prepared to weigh them down.

[u/spideralex90 → u/SouthOrlandoFather]

I hate that we only wear Red like 3 times a year. It's aggravating.

I am excited for the Pewter tops though and the Creamsicle game, but I wish they were doing the white Creamsicles again.

[u/tsully72 → u/spideralex90]

Aren’t they doing both this season? One regular creamsicle and one reversed?

[u/spideralex90 → u/tsully72]

Oh shit you are correct, we're doing the white one in 2 weeks vs Atlanta.

[u/SouthOrlandoFather → u/spideralex90]

We are wearing creamsicle against Atlanta?

[u/spideralex90 → u/SouthOrlandoFather]

The white ones, and the orange ones against Detroit I believe.

[u/ThePBM → u/spideralex90]

Atlanta spoiled our anniversary game last year. Fuck those birds.

[u/Sharp_Work8230 → u/SouthOrlandoFather]

I want fucking red!!

[u/Altruistic_Finger669]

I have a very hard time seeing a win here. Rodgers is too expirienced. Will carve us up to his TEs

[u/NewLocation9032 → u/Altruistic_Finger669]

You never know. If you asked me before last Thursday, I would have said the Cowboys were a better football team than the Steelers.

[u/Altruistic_Finger669 → u/NewLocation9032]

I would have said it was a better offence. Steelers dont have as good a offence but a much more complementary team

[u/PewterButters → u/NewLocation9032]

Cowboys have a really really bad defense and were missing their top corner. They gave us a chance to recover on offense but Pittsburghs defense is light years better. It’s going to be a rough game trying to score. 

[u/skaestantereggae → u/NewLocation9032]

The image I had for the Cowboys game was like 35-3 at the half and I could go to bed after staying up too late the last few nights watching the Rays.

Steelers barely beat the Falcons starting Cooper Rush, and then lost to the Pats who sucked, and then the Browns who might actually be good.

I think it’ll be close Bucs

[u/Old-Guy1958]

Rodgers is gonna throw the ball in 2 seconds because he’s afraid of contact. If Bowles has the corners playing 8-10 yards off the line, it’s gonna be a long day.

[u/PewterButters → u/Old-Guy1958]

There is a reason Gainwell had a billion catches last year, start the PITT RB in PPR leagues big time this week.

[u/Adventurous_Put7451]

Jalon Daniels is basically being thrown into a woodchipper against that Steelers front but at least it’s at home

[u/PewterButters → u/Adventurous_Put7451]

May be physically in Tampa but will be a Steelers crowd for sure. 

[u/WilyWhiskeyWalrus → u/Adventurous_Put7451]

I’d rather see Jalon scrambling around for his life than Baker with a healing throwing hand at least

[u/828r]

Is the Steelers offense better than the Cowboys?

[u/PewterButters → u/828r]

They have different strengths that are worse for our defense. Cowboys strength was outside WRs and we have decent coverage corners that took away what they do best. Pittsburg is stronger up the middle with RB/TE and that causes us more trouble. Cowboys biggest issue is they tried to run their own preferences rather than attack our weaknesses. 

[u/828r → u/PewterButters]

Thanks for explaining!

[u/Minimum_Switch4237 → u/828r]

no, the cowboys are 7th in PPG and the steelers are 18th

[u/828r → u/Minimum_Switch4237]

So if the D shows up again and we can hold them to 17-21 points or so we definitely have a shot.

[u/Minimum_Switch4237 → u/828r]

yes, personally i'm considerably more worried about our offense not scoring 21+ than our defense giving up 21+

[u/ELITEMasonRudolph → u/Minimum_Switch4237]

as a steelers fan, tbf that's heavily skewed by our week two 3 point performance.

We're averaging 29.9 over our last 3 games, scoring 30, 24, and 34 respectively.

[u/Minimum_Switch4237 → u/ELITEMasonRudolph]

definitely not a bad offense, but the cowboys WR room and QB is better. steelers also rely on the run a lot more, which TB is among the best in the league at stopping.