Normally picking the week’s X-Factor boils down to isolating match-ups between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their next opponent; in this case the New York Giants.
This week is a little bit different. For the first time this season there’s really not a spot on the Giants roster I look at and think they’re better equipped than the Bucs. Perhaps the biggest advantage for New York in this one is the potential for Tampa Bay to get caught looking ahead.
We’ve seen teams do it before in these ‘trap games’. With the New Orleans Saints up next in Week 9 this game feels almost like a situational annoyance standing between the Bucs and claiming their stake as the top team in the NFC South.