Game 11

Bucs (4-6) at Colts (5-5) 

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

TV: CBS (WTSP-TV Channel 10 locally) with Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta and Amanda Renner.

Streaming: NFL+ and Buccaneers.com (Geographic restrictions apply).

Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network WXTB-FM 97.9 in the Tampa-St. Petersburg region (Transmisiones de radio en español en WTMP-FM 96.1 y WMGG-AM 1470 en Tampa). Additional stations throughout Florida on the Buccaneers Radio Network can be found here. The game also will be broadcast on SiriusXM Channels 158 or 381 (Buccaneers Radio Network feed).

Weather: If any Bucs fans are traveling to the game in Indianapolis and want to know why folks like this Joe moved to Florida (and continue to do so) from the Midwest, this is it. Late November in Indianapolis and it is expected to be just terrible. Per AccuWeather.com, tailgaters will have to deal with temps in the mid-30s with rain (maybe sleet, maybe snow) and a lot of wind. Absolutely gross and bone-chilling cold. But why tailgate outside in downtown Indianapolis when there are so many bars to go to? Thankfully, Lucas Oil Stadium is a dome. After the game, more rain and a temperature of 39 with wind gusts up to 21 mph. After dealing with near-freezing weather and rain/sleet/snow and 20 mph winds, you won’t ever want to leave Florida again, at least not after Thanksgiving.

Odds: Per BetMGM, as of midnight, Bucs +2.5; over/under 45.5.

Referees: Clete Beckman and his gang will work today’s game. Beckman is a hard referee to get a tell on. Per Joe Gibbs of Sharp Football Analysis, Beckman and his gang have a .500 record for home teams since 2016. That’s pretty consistent. And fair.

Injuries: Bucs — Out: LB Lavonte David (groin), CB Jamel Dean (ankle/foot). Questionable: RB Rachaad White (knee), CB Carlton Davis (hip), DL Mike Green (calf), DL Logan Hall (illness), ILB Devin White (foot). Colts — Out: CB JuJu Brents (quadriceps), C Ryan Kelly (concussion), TE Drew Ogletree (foot). Questionable: LB Grant Stuard (illness).

Outlook: A true crossroads game. A “must win?” Yes. Win this game and playoff hopes are alive. Lose and it’s damn hard to see the Bucs winning a minimum of four games in the final six. As former Bucs guard Ian Beckles said on his podcast, teams that go 1-5 (or 1-6 if the Bucs lose today) don’t suddenly snap off a 4-2 or 5-1 streak. That’s incredibly rare. Joe has resigned himself to the fact that no matter the mounds of evidence and the tons of tape to document and demonstrate otherwise, the Bucs are going to pound the ball between the tackles. It’s almost like this coaching staff cannot help itself. Thus, Joe expects Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to have scant few targets in the first half. The Bucs will score maybe 10 points in the first half, find themselves behind in the second half and maybe as the third period comes to a close, a light bulb will turn on in someone’s head and the Bucs will pass to three of the best passing weapons in the game to make it a very close contest in the final minute. Boy, “keeping it close” sure is entertaining and productive football, isn’t it? Defensively, even though Stevie Wonder can see that rookie outside linebacker YaYa Diaby needs to be on the field on passing downs, the Bucs will keep him in a rotation and the milk carton Joe Tryon-Shoyinka will get at least 10 more snaps than Diaby. What will be interesting is how the Bucs defense plays potentially without its two struggling cornerbacks; Jamel Dean is out and Carlton Davis is questionable. If the Bucs can pull out a win and the pass defense improves without Davis and Dean, might that be a harbinger of changes to come in the defense? Joe thinks the Bucs can beat the Colts — if the Bucs do what they do best (which is not what the coaches want to do) and open the offense up early. Baker Mayfield has been really sharp in road games. If the Bucs play like they’ve been playing the past six weeks, this game will be a dogfight. And the result could have significant long-term effects for the franchise.

Fun facts: Baker Mayfield had a season-high 29 completions last week at San Francisco. He has 10 touchdown passes against two picks in five road starts this season. … WR Mike Evans currently has 780 yards receiving. He needs just 220 in the next seven games to reach 1,000 receiving yards for his 10th straight season. … Bucs rookie OLB YaYah Diaby is looking for his third straight game with at least one sack and two tackles for loss — yet coaches don’t deem him worthy of more playing time. That sort of sums up the State of the Bucs, doesn’t it? … In each of their last four games, the Colts have allowed the most rushing yards each week of any team in the league.

#Free YaYa