SCB Three-Point Stance: Your Steelers-Buccaneers Gameday Guide
Week Six finds the Pittsburgh Steelers heading South to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Here’s everything you need to know about the inter-conference battle. The three-Point Stance is presented by Gryffin the King!!
What: Pittsburgh Steelers 3-2 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-4
Where: Raymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida
When: Sunday October 18th, 2026 1pmET
Weather: Sunny and 78 degrees with winds to 18mph
Surface: Natural Grass
Wagering Information: Steelers -2.5 O/U 45.5
Last Week: Tampa Bay traveled to Dallas on Thursday night and beat the Cowboys 24-16 while the Steelers defeated the Colts in Pittsburgh 34-22.
TV: CBS Andrew Catalon (play-by-play), Logan Ryan (analysis), AJ Ross (field reporter)
TV Coverage in Your Area (courtesy 506sports.com): in BLUE
Radio: Steelers Audio Network Rob King (play-by-play), Max Starks (analysis), Missi Matthews (field reporter)
Head Official: Land Clark. He’s a Chief Building Official in his real life. Clark is in his seventh season as a head official. His most recent game was in 2025 when the Steelers beat Miami in Pittsburgh. His crew threw 10 flags that day. His crew was heavily criticized last week after Seattle WR Cooper Kupp was ruled out of bounds when replays appeared to show he was not.
Game Status (courtesy steelers.com) PIT: No. 5 CB Jalen Ramsey (Wrist) – Questionable, No. 13 RB Rico Dowdle (Toe) – Questionable
No. 14 WR Roman Wilson (Finger) – Out, No. 15 WR Ben Skowronek (Calf) – Out, *No. 25 S DeShon Elliott (Knee) – Out, No. 35 CB Jamel Dean (Ankle) – Questionable, No. 83 TE Pat Freiermuth (Calf) – Questionable – Updated on 10/17No. 95 DT Keeanu Benton (Ankle) – Questionable TB: No. 6 QB Baker Mayfield (Right Thumb) – Out, No. 8 LB SirVocea Dennis (Ankle/Foot) – Questionable
No. 21 CB Benjamin Morrison (Quad) – Doubtful, No. 24 CB Ayden Garnes (Ankle) – Questionable, No. 31 S Antoine Winfield Jr. (Rib) – Out
No. 44 RB Sean Tucker (Quad) – Questionable, No. 45 LB Josiah Trotter (Knee) – Questionable, *No. 80 WR David Sills V (Hamstring) – Out
Injury Notes: Freiermuth was a surprise added to the list on Saturday… Everyone else with the exception of Wilson is expected to play… Winfield being out for the Bucs is worth noting as the Steelers may need to throw to win.
2026 NFL Ranks:
Total Offense: PIT 18th, TB 22nd
Passing Offense: PIT 15th, TB 27th
Rushing Offense: PIT 19th, TB 7th
Total Defense: PIT 13th, TB 7th
Passing Defense: PIT 16th, TB 20th
Rushing Defense: PIT 13th, TB 2nd
AFC North Standings:
Baltimore 4-1
Cleveland 3-2
Cincinnati 3-2
Pittsburgh 3-2
This Week in the AFC North: Cincinnati BYE, Baltimore at Cleveland 1pmET
What You Need to Know: Steelers’ rookies have registered 906 total snaps in 2026, which is the 11th most in the NFL… Pittsburgh is 3-0 this season when they lead at the end of the third quarter… They are 0-2 when they trail at halftime… The Steelers have forced multiple turnovers in 76 games since the start of the 2017 season, which is the most in the NFL… Aaron Rodgers’ 67 games as a starter with 3+ passing TDs and no interceptions are the second-most in NFL history.
McCarthy Minute: Coach McCarthy has 133 victories vs NFC competition. That’s the third most in the NFL since 1970… He also has 55 road wins vs NFC teams which ranks fourth all-time since 1970… He’s 19-17 all-time against the NFC South… McCarthy is 46-23 all-time in the month of October.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Names to Know: QB Jalon Daniels, RB Bucky Irving, RB Kenny Gainwell, WR Emeka Egbuka, WR Chris Godwin, Jr, S Miles Killabrew, NT Vita Vea, OLB Reuben Bain, Jr, K Chase McGlaughlin
What’s at Stake: The Steelers have yet to win two games in a row this season and are winless on the road. Four of their next five are away games too so winning here is pretty darn important. For the Bucs, 1-5 isn’t a death sentence, especially in their division but they would prefer to avoid it.
All-Time Series: Steelers lead 10-2 and lead in Tampa 6-1
Last Meeting: 2022 in Pittsburgh. Steelers 20 Buccaneers 18
Postseason History: N/A
Steelers Regular Season Game Highs vs TB:
PASSING: 353 yards Ben Roethlisberger 12/08/2013
RUSHING: 143 yards Jerome Bettis 10/21/2001, 143 yards Rashard Mendenhall 9/26/2010
RECEIVING: 137 yards Louis Lipps 12/24/1989
SACKS: 4.0 Joey Porter 10/21/2001
INTERCEPTIONS: 1 by 14 different players
Check out the latest SCB Steelers Podcast presented by DEK Roofing Inc for more on the Steelers.
Three Things We Need to See for a Steelers’ Victory:
–The Classic Formula. Remember when Dick LeBeau was the Defensive Coordinator? The plan was simple; Stop the run and get after the quarterback. Sunday will be similar because the Bucs have the second best rushing attack in football right now. Putting the clamps on Bucky Irving will be step one. Making sure a free agent rookie QB doesn’t beat you is step two. That however is only accomplished if the edge rushers can get home. Something they’ve failed to do in recent weeks.
–Special Teams Victory. The long-time former Steelers’ Special Teams Coordinator Danny Smith is in Tampa now and I have no doubt he senses weakness. Pittsburgh’s kickoff team has been damn close to giving up touchdown returns and now must face life without Ben Skowronek too. Cam Johnston has done a great job punting this season but opposing teams have also been close to blocking his punts on several occasions. Steelers’ ST Coach Danny Crossman better have his poop in a pile on Sunday.
–Find a Way. Offensively, the Steelers are short on the wide receiver end. Were this a normal Mike McCarthy team that would be a bigger problem. Because he’s used 12 personnel more and more the lack of WRs may not be an issue. That said, if the Steelers fall behind then the shortage of these guys could rear its ugly head. Todd Bowles’ teams are notorious for bringing pressure and that won’t be any different Sunday. You can beat that pressure by running the ball, using draws and screens and getting the ball out quickly. If the offense can those things they’ll be in good shape.
The ‘X’ Factor: Each week I will select a player from each team who I believe will need to play above and beyond in order for his team to win.
X-Factor Steelers: Nick Herbig. The opportunities have been there. The effort has been there. The results have not. After signing his more than healthy extension, Herbig has gone five straight games without a sack. I think he’s doing a nice job against the run but let’s be honest; he’s paid to sack the QB. He needs to get untracked and this would be a great time for him to do that.
X-Factor Buccaneers: TE Cade Otten. Up until last week the Steelers had done a nice job on opposing tight ends. Then Tyler Warren showed up. This Sunday Cade Otten will no doubt be looking for similar chances. The Bucs will use play action with their mobile rookie QB and his first target will often be Otten. If he has a big game, then Tampa has a great chance for the win.
Prediction: The Steelers have had great success in Tampa. They have won most of their regular season tilts there and of course they won Super Bowl 43 there too. Nearly all of the games have featured interesting plays. From James Harrison’s 100 yard INT TD, to Jerome Bettis throwing a TD pass, there’s been no shortage of these plays. I get the feeling the defense will author another one of these on Sunday. And they’ll need it because this one will be close.
Steelers 20 Buccaneers 16
Season Prediction Record: 3-2
