Matt's Stats: Week 6 at Buccaneers

Series history

These teams have only met on 12 occasions. Pittsburgh leads the series 10-2, including six victories in the past seven matchups. Tampa Bay got a victory against the Steelers in 2014 and 1998, and Pittsburgh won the first four matchups, including a 42-0 whitewash in 1976, the Buccaneers' first year in existence. Tampa Bay went 0-14 in 1976. The most recent meeting between these two teams occurred in Pittsburgh in 2022, with the Steelers getting a 20-18 win.

Matchup overview

• After playing Thursday night, Tampa Bay has a three-day rest advantage in this matchup.

• Tampa Bay has yet to win at home. Pittsburgh has yet to win on the road.

• The Buccaneers have been outscored by 12 points. Pittsburgh has outscored opponents by two points.

• Tampa Bay has played 17 one-possession games since the start of the 2025 season, highest in the league. Every one of the Buccaneers' 2026 games have been one-possession games.

• The Steelers have played 13 one-possession games since the start of the 2025 season, fifth most. Pittsburgh has the third-best record (9-4) in one-possession games during that time.

• The Buccaneers were +3 in turnover differential last week. They are -2 for the season compared to +2 for the Steelers. Pittsburgh's eight takeaways are only behind four teams. The Buccaneers' nine giveaways are only fewer than four teams.

• Tampa Bay's opponents have thrown for 266 more passing yards and average 0.8 more yards per pass attempt than the Bucs.

• Tampa Bay's opponents have rushed for 301 fewer yards and average 1.6 fewer yards per rush attempt than the Bucs.

• Pittsburgh opponents are averaging 0.7 yards per rush less than the Steelers.

• The Buccaneers held the ball for 39:21 last week, bringing their average for the season to 31:52. In Week 5, Pittsburgh possessed the ball for 28:00. For the season, the Steelers are at 30:09.

• Tampa Bay's opponents average 56.6 plays run per game. Pittsburgh's average 59.4. That is the third and eighth fewest, respectively.

• The Buccaneers have a -11 sack differential. The Steelers are at -3.

• The Buccaneers are -2 in explosive play differential. The Steelers are -4.

• The Steelers start their average drive 2.6 yards worse than their opponent. Tampa Bay is at -2.2. This is 10^th and 11^th worst, respectively.

• Tampa Bay was penalized 14 times for 92 yards in Dallas. The Steelers have been penalized 31 times this year, fewer than all but four teams.

• The Steelers are converting third downs at a 32.8% rate.

• Of scoring plays against Pittsburgh, 40.9% have been touchdowns while 42.95% of the scoring plays against Tampa Bay have been touchdowns. That's the third and fourth lowest in the league. But only 47.4% of Tampa Bay's scoring plays have been touchdowns. Only two teams are lower.

• The Buccaneers and Steelers defenses allow a set of downs to turn into a touchdown or new set of downs at a 68% rate. Only four defenses are better.

• Last week was the 101^st win together for Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

When Pittsburgh has the ball

• The Steelers averaged 6.5 yards per play last week. Tampa Bay surrendered 6.7 yards per play to Dallas last week. For the year, Pittsburgh is at 5.3 and the Bucs are allowing 5.3.

• Over the past three games, the Steelers are averaging 29.3 points and 375 yards per game. Over that stretch, Jaylen Warren is averaging 163 yards from scrimmage.

• The Steelers are throwing the ball at the league's third-highest rate (64.9%). Tampa Bay's defense faces a pass play 60.8% of the time. Only six defenses see pass plays at a higher rate.

• The Buccaneers were in their nickel package on 74.5% snaps last week. They have not played one snap of dime this year.

• Pittsburgh is using play-action at a 22% rate. Only four offenses use it less. They are using motion 54.2% of the time. Only two offenses use it less.

• Of Pittsburgh's offensive touchdowns, 91% have come through the air, a league high. No team has finished a season with that high of a share since at least 2016.

• The Steelers' 714 yards after the catch lead the NFL. No other offense has more than 643.

• Pittsburgh's average time to throw of 2.78 seconds is quicker than all but four offenses. Tampa Bay faces an average time to throw of 2.79 seconds. Only one defense faces a quicker time to throw.

• Rodgers has thrown three touchdown passes in three straight games. His 4.1 air yards per attempt last week was his lowest mark of the season. He had a 2.58 time to throw in that game. For the season, Rodgers is averaging 36.8 passing attempts per game.

• The Steelers are one of two teams along with Houston that has at least six players with 10+ receptions.

• DK Metcalf has been held under 40 receiving yards in four of his first five games after finishing with 12 receiving yards last week.

• Germie Bernard had a 92% snap share in Week 5 and was targeted nine times. His 29% target share led the team last week.

• Pat Freiermuth has four of the Steelers' 10 receiving touchdowns and 62.3% of Freiermuth's snaps have come from aligned in the slot. He has 30+ receiving yards in four of his five games. Freiermuth has played 78.2% of the third-down snaps and 96.2% of the snaps in 12 personnel (two tight ends, one running back). Last week, Freiermuth ran a route on a season-high 81.8% of dropbacks.

• Tampa Bay gives up 5.4 receptions per game to running backs, fourth most.

• The Steelers are getting blitzed (25%) at the league's 28^th-highest rate.

• Tampa Bay blitzes at the league's third highest rate, 34%. Tampa Bay blitzed on 42.9% of dropbacks last week but didn't sack Dak Prescott once. David Walker leads the team with just two sacks, and four other defenders have one. The Buccaneers have just six sacks on the season and the 30^th-best sack rate (5%). They don't have a sack in their past two games.

• The Buccaneers limited Dallas to just 50 rushing yards on Thursday night. For the season, they allow the second fewest rushing yards per game (59.0). Tampa Bay has allowed runs of 10+ yards at a 6.7% clip, fourth best.

• Warren has 126 or more yards from scrimmage in three straight games after putting up 188 in his first two games combined. Over these past three games without Rico Dowdle, Warren has a 91% snap share, 82% rush share, and 16% target share. Warren has 70 of the Steelers' 108 rush attempts and 373 more rushing yards than anyone else on the team. His 5.9 yards per rush attempt is only behind Kenneth Walker III. He is averaging 8.8 yards per target, third highest among running backs with 10+ targets, despite averaging -2.4 air yards per target, which is fifth lowest. Warren is averaging 15.4 yards after the catch per reception-league average is 7.9. He averages 1.87 yards per route run, fifth among running backs. Warren has yet to receive a single carry inside the 10-yard line. His last five touchdowns, dating to last season, have all been 38 yards or longer. Among 51 running backs with 30+ touches, Warren's 7.2 yards per touch ranks first and is 0.9 yards more than Walker, who is second. Warren is the only player in the league that leads his team in rushing and receiving.

• Pittsburgh averages 3.2 rushing yards after first contact, third best. Tampa's defense is at 2.78, sixth best.

• Tampa Bay has five takeaways over the last two games.

• The Steelers' 32.8% third-down conversion rate is better than only four offenses. Tampa Bay allows a 38% conversion rate, seventh best.

When Tampa Bay has the ball

• The Buccaneers averaged 6.4 yards per play last week. Pittsburgh allowed 4.8. For the year Tampa Bay averages 5.0 and the Steelers allow 5.5.

• Only 20% of possessions against Pittsburgh have failed to gain at least one first down, the lowest rate in the league.

• The Buccaneers have 624 yards after the catch, fourth most.

• Tampa Bay ran a season-high 65 offensive plays last week.

• The Buccaneers have multiple tight ends on the field 21.9% of the time, more than only three offenses.

• Tampa Bay has an explosive play rate of 11%, better than only one offense.

• Pittsburgh has allowed 19 passing plays of 20+ yards. Only Detroit has allowed more.

• The Buccaneers use motion 80.9% of the time, fourth highest.

• The Steelers defense is facing play-action (30%) at the league's lowest rate.

• Tampa Bay has an average time to throw of 3.08 seconds, third highest. Pittsburgh's defense faces an average time to throw of 2.81 seconds, third quickest.

• QB Baker Mayfield has missed two straight games with a thumb injury.

• QB Jalon Daniels only had six incomplete passes on 25 attempts against Dallas, while 21.8% of his attempts have traveled 20+ yards downfield, the lowest rate among quarterbacks with 50+ pass attempts.

• Tampa Bay is the only team that doesn't have a receiver with at least 200 yards..

• In Daniels' two games as a starter, he has thrown to WR Emeka Egbuka (13 targets) most often. Egbuka has a 10-yard lead over TE Cade Otton as Tampa Bay's receiving yards leader, but this team has five pass-catchers between 128 and 192 yards.

• Egbuka had a 36% target share last week. That was the first time all season a Bucs pass-catcher has been over 30%. Egbuka ranks 74^th among 113 wide receivers in yards per route run (1.25) and 88^th in explosive catch rate (11.1%).

• WR Chris Godwin has three or more catches in five straight games but has topped four targets just once. He ranks 86^th among 113 wide receivers in targets per route run (0.14). Godwin has a career-low 9.4 yards per catch.

• The Steelers allow the sixth most receiving yards per game (39.2) to running backs.

• Tampa Bay allows an 8% sack rate, 28^th in the league.

• The Buccaneers are being blitzed at the league's sixth-highest rate (30%).

• Daniels was only sacked once in Week 5. T.J. Watt (4.5) and Alex Highsmith (3) have 7.5 of the Steelers' 11 sacks.

• Nick Herbig only has 62 snaps rushing the passer compared to 131 for Watt and 128 for Highsmith.

• The Colts averaged just 2.8 yards per rush in Pittsburgh.

• Tampa Bay is averaging 3.35 rushing yards after contact, second best.

• Pittsburgh allows just 0.71 rushing yards before contact. Only one defense is better.

• RB Bucky Irving racked up 165 rushing yards last week and the Buccaneers rushed for 241 yards in total, averaging 6.2 yards per rush. He now has 362 more rushing yards than any other running back, including Kenneth Gainwell, on the roster. Irving has at least 14 touches in every game. Of Irving's 165 rushing yards last week, 120 came after contact. Irving is averaging 5.3 yards per rush attempt. He averages 3.27 yards before contact, third among 44 qualified running backs.

• Daniels has run for 78 yards on 15 attempts. He has a 16.4% scramble rate over both starts, the highest rate in the league.

• Pittsburgh held the Colts to just 4 of 15 on third downs. For the season, the Steelers are sixth best (32.8%).

• The Buccaneers are converting in the red zone 47.1% of the time, better than only five offenses.

• Tampa Bay's starting offensive line has played every snap together this season except for LT Tristan Wirfs and RG Cody Mauch each missing just one play.

• Patrick Queen is the only Steelers defender to not miss one snap. Jaquan Brisker and Jalen Ramsey have missed one each.

Special teams

• There has yet to be a field goal missed in a Buccaneers game this season.

• Only 4% of Tampa Bay's kickoffs have gone for touchbacks.

• When tallying all kickoff and punt return yardage, the Steelers have allowed 114 more yards than they have created, better than only five teams. Tampa Bay is at -57, which is 22^nd in the league.

Memorable moment: Buccaneers 16, Steelers 3 (Dec. 13, 1998 at Raymond James Stadium)

The Steelers and Buccaneers don't have many unforgettable matchups, having played just 12 times in NFL history. However, Tampa Bay, a franchise that began in 1976, got its first ever win against the Steelers, finally, in 1998. Tampa Bay's head coach? Tony Dungy, someone extremely familiar with the Steelers organization. This was a defensive slugfest between a Kordell Stewart-led Pittsburgh team with Trent Dilfer quarterbacking the Buccaneers. Stewart and Dilfer combined for 18 completions, and power backs Jerome Bettis and Mike Alstott combined for 141 tough yards on the ground. There was one touchdown scored and Buccaneers safety John Lynch had two inceptions in this game. Dungy broke Tampa Bay's 15-year playoff drought the year before.

Key matchups

Buccaneers LT Tristan Wirfs vs. Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith

As he is every season, Highsmith has been one of the Steelers' best defensive players. But Wirfs has a strong argument to being the NFL's best left tackle and he is on a Hall of Fame career pace. Tampa Bay probably will not help Wirfs in protection on Sunday. Nick Herbig is sure to factor in this equation, as well.

Steelers OC Zach Frazier vs. Buccaneers DT Vita Vea

This could be a fantastic battle. Frazier is one of the league's top centers, but he will get guard help at times against Vea. Vea has rare size and power. He is a fantastic run-stuffer who makes the life of every Buccaneers defender around him much easier. But Vea also has a great effect in the passing game with his ability to collapse pockets.