Buccaneers - Bills: 5 players to watch on NFL Thursday Night Football | Baker Mayfield, Dalton Kincaid, Chris Godwin

The Week 8 schedule in the NFL is absolutely packed with only the Chargers and Chiefs on a bye. It all gets started with a showdown between the Bucs and Bills on Thursday night, and that’s why we’re taking a look at who you should be focusing on when it all goes down.

Bucs vs Bills: The lay of the land

With the Bucs on a record of 3-3 and the Bills sitting on one of 4-3, this game could be considered a critical moment in their campaigns. Both teams are still very much in the playoff picture in their respective divisions, and so we can expect this one to be an intense affair. Where the Bills are concerned, there is no way to avoid the fact that their cause could be hindered by injuries. Tre’Davious White, Matt Milano, and DaQuan Jones have all been on the injury list in recent weeks, while Ed Oliver remains questionable for Thursday night’s game with a toe injury. This is all to say, that the Bills are going to need a big game from their offense because the defense is limping

As for the Bucs, it’s quite obvious that the team needs to increase the speed of the offense. At present, quarterback Baker Mayfield ranks fourth in dropback EPA on third and fourth downs with the 10th-highest success rate. Add to that the fact that he also ranks fourth in completion rate and third in CPOE and you’ve got yourself a pretty decent scenario. To be clear, Mayfield has been particularly productive on third downs. What’s the problem? The Bucs are last in the league in early down success and 26th in early down EPA. The team is also last in rushing success rate on early downs, which is to say this is a group that needs to pass the ball more.

So, who are the players to watch?

Buffalo Bills: Dalton Kincaid (Tight End)

While there are those who will argue that Dawson Knox is the better player in the position, the reality is that Knox has gone missing far too often when it really counts and more importantly, he’s going to miss Week 8. If we take Kincaid on the other hand, with 25 passes caught out of 27 targets, he’s been very consistent. Worth noting, is the fact that the large majority of those receptions were in the short area of the field, something that is not actually his strength. With that in mind, one has to believe that if Josh Allen can up his game in the middle, Kincaid could do serious damage. Ultimately, the 24-year-old could well be the piece of the puzzle that the Bills have been missing.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Carlton Davis III

It’s no secret that the Bills’ Stefon Diggs is arguably the best receiver in the game right now. Between his route running and ball tracking, there are few who can compare i.e. the Bucs are going to have a lot to deal with on Thursday night. Luckily, they will be able to count on the services of Carlton Davis III. The cornerback has been a consistent threat when it comes to defending the passing game as evidenced by the 12 passes he has defended. Then, there’s also his capacity when it comes to the run game - he’s had 65 tackles. An aggressive player who crowds at the boundary, he’ll be essential if the Bucs hope to contain Diggs.

Buffalo Bills: Gabe Davis (Wide Receiver)

It would be fair to say that Gabe Davis is a mixed bag. On one side, Bills quarterback Josh Allen has misfired enough times that it should be noted, and when that hasn’t been the case he’s simply failed to connect with the man we know as “Big Game Gabe.” On the other, we can’t deny that Davis has gone missing far too often. Consider for a moment that on Sunday, the 24-year-old pass catcher registered one catch out of five targets for a grand total of five yards. This is not to say the kid can’t play, but unless he’s about to give us a head-turning performance, it may be time for the Bills to consider Trent Sherfield as a replacement.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chris Godwin (Wide Receiver)

On the season so far, he’s registered more than 30 receptions to the tune of 350 yards i.e., he’s been the favorite target of quarterback Baker Mayfield by a whole lot. From his impeccable control to the manner in which he uses his body to box out defenders, Chris Goodwin has been something to watch. That’s before we mention the way in which he deals with contact. On Thursday night, he will face the Bills’ Taron Johnson who has made some big plays this season and will be looking to do so again. Yet, something tells us that Goodwin will be up for the task.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield (Quarterback)

As the NFL’s leader in passer rating on third down plays (121.6) after seven weeks, there’s no way to avoid mentioning the Bucs’ signal caller. On top of that, the former Browns signal-caller ranks second among all quarterbacks this year in overall passer rating and fourth in completion percentage. Quite frankly, Baker Mayfield has answered his critics and it looks like he’s not going to slow down anytime soon. Conversely, the Bucs are coming off of two straight losses to the Lions and Falcons respectively, however, Mayfield has always been at his best when there is a point to prove.