We have a potential Super Bowl preview on Sunday, when the 6-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off against the 6-3 Buffalo Bills. Both of these teams have been trending downward recently. Buffalo is 2-3 in its last five matchups, while the Bucs are 1-2 in their previous three games. A victory could do wonders for both squads this weekend.

The last time they took the field, the Bills were smacked around by the hapless Miami Dolphins in a 30-13 road loss. That was Miami's first win over Buffalo in four years. Prior to that game, the Bills had beaten the Dolphins seven consecutive times.

"They came ready to play. They wanted it, obviously, a little more than us,” Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen said after the game. “I’ve got to be better. I gotta be better in the protection game, in the pass game, in the run game, all of it. Anytime you turn it over three times, two in the red zone… that's a recipe for disaster.”

In the National Football League, you have to have a short memory. The Bills aren't dwelling on the loss to the 'Phins. They're focused on learning from that game and coming out better on Sunday.

“You look at it with a grain of salt. You understand that we play good, but instead of 58 minutes, it has to be 60,” explained defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi during a Wednesday interview. “The effort is always going to be there. I think this is a very resilient team and group just from what I've seen from the guys, about how they go about their business [and] how they work. I just think you take it on the chin, you understand what you’ve got to do better, and you just keep swinging. So, I'm excited for the next opportunity.”

To beat the Buccaneers, the Bills are going to have to do their best to limit Tampa offensively. That starts with containing quarterback Baker Mayfield and limiting the production of their skill position players.

“He's a heck of a competitor, and he knows how to play the position,” said Bills head coach Sean McDermott of Mayfield. “He's got moxy [and] instincts. I'm sure his teammates around him love playing with him and for him. So again, [it’s a] big challenge anytime you face a great quarterback like B… Give credit where credit's due. They're off to a good start with a couple young players there, and they're playing at a high level. The combination of their running game with the pass game - and explosiveness in particular - will be tough for us.”

The Buccaneers are coming off a tough loss of their own after falling to the New England Patriots, 28-23. When asked what his message was to the team, head coach Todd Bowles told his players, "We didn't play well."

“We've got to take it on the chin. Give (Mike) Vrabel and the Patriots a lot of credit. They did a heck of a job doing the things they needed to do,” Bowles said during the postgame press conference. “Their players made plays. Our players did not. We’ve got to coach it better. We’ve got to play it better. And that starts with me.”

The Bucs know that they have to do a better job of establishing the run, especially in a place like Buffalo, where rain and strong winds are expected this weekend. The 113 rushing yards they had last week probably won't cut it in Orchard Park, New York.

“Gotta find a way to run the football, especially down in the red zone when it's when it's tough [and] there's not a whole lot of room to spread them out in the pass concepts,” Baker Mayfield told reporters on Wednesday. “Good teams always run the ball well, and we have to continue to improve in that. Obviously, it's been different with the o-line shuffling around, but I thought guys were on the same page, even when Ben (Bredeson) went out after the first drive. So, to be able to execute like that, [we’re] looking to just stack on that and improve continually.”

Similarly to when playing the Baltimore Ravens, teams that face the Buffalo Bills have to worry about Josh Allen as a passer and a runner, considering he's the Bills' second-leading rusher with 311 yards this season. Todd Bowles emphasized the importance of being able to tackle Josh Allen.

“They’ve got a great quarterback… He's a big guy. You’ve got to wrap him up, and then you’ve got to try to get him to the ground. Even with you hanging on him, he can still throw the football,” Todd Bowles said during a November 12th press conference. “It’s going to be important that we try to rally, get as many people to the ball as possible, not let him out of the pocket, and try to make it hard for him."

Todd Bowles knows that the NFL is a week-to-week league. He said that he didn't make much of the Bills' loss to the Dolphins.

“We expect to see the best version of Buffalo,” Bowles explained. “They’ve won the division so many times in a row. They’ve got a great quarterback. They’ve got a great team. Sean (McDermott) does a great job with those guys. We're trying to bounce back, and they're trying to bounce back. So, it should be a hard-fought game.”

Prediction for Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Buffalo Bills (-5.5)

Even though Bucky Irving has been ruled out of the game, I am not sold on the Bills' defense, which ranks 30th in rushing yards allowed per game (147.8). Despite Irving's absence, the Bucs should have success establishing the run against that porous run defense. Also, it's easier to stop the Bills' offense than it is to stop the Buccaneers' offense because Buffalo relies so heavily on Josh Allen as both a passer and a runner. If the Bucs can force a turnover or two, which is likely with inclement weather expected on Sunday, then they'll pull off the upset.

Prediction: Buccaneers 25 - 24 Bills

How to watch Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Buffalo Bills (-5.5)

Buccaneers @ Bills starts at 1:00 p.m. EDT at Highmark Stadium. You can watch it on CBS or stream it via the Paramount+ app or YouTube TV.

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