Buccaneers X-Factor: Player to watch in the Week 16 matchup against the Cardinals

Which player will step up on Christmas Day?

The Buccaneers fell to the Cincinnati Bengals in week 15 in what was possibly the worst second half of football we have seen in the Tom Brady era with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and possibly even the entirety of Brady’s career.

While the Bucs still hold first place in the NFC South, they fall to a 6-8 record and have to play the Arizona Cardinals on Christmas Day, a very critical matchup that could give the Bucs some cushion in the NFC South race if they are able to win Sunday.

With that being said, let’s talk about which player may have the most impact in the Bucs Week 16 matchup.

Buccaneers OLB Anthony Nelson

I’ve talked about Joe Tryon-Shoyinka throughout this season and how he has really been able to put together a very impressive second year in the NFL. JTS has showcased all of the natural ability that you would like to see in a young pass rusher and figures to be a decent player for the Buccaneers for the next couple of seasons.

However, in this article today I want to talk about what his fellow pass rusher is going to do. Anthony Nelson has always been a player who I feel does more than people realize. Nelson always has a nose to be around the football and fights hard on every snap making the most of pass-rushing opportunities when they do arise. With the Bucs so thin at pass rusher due to injury, Nelson has been a leading man in the rotation and has done a pretty decent job throughout the process. With JTS and Nelson appearing to be the only two EDGE players dressing on Christmas day, how Nelson does could very well determine how effective the Bucs pass rush can be on this holiday matchup.

Conclusion

Share your thoughts and opinions, Bucs fans! Do you think Nelson is X-Factor for the Bucs in week 16?