Niners Nation
The San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had eerily similar seasons.
Both enter the Week 6 matchup at 4-1 with a chance to claim the best record in the NFC with a victory. Both have been in close games that could have gone either way in their first five games. Both enter Sunday with plenty of injury questions that could have an impact on Sunday.
But just how similar are the two teams? Here are the numbers to know for the 49ers’ trip down to Florida:
3.8
The Buccaneers’ offense has turned the ball over on 3.8 percent of drives, the second-lowest rate in the league.
Tampa Bay’s only loss this season just so happens to be their only game with a turnover. Bucky Irving’s third-quarter fumble in Week 4 against the Eagles was the Buccaneers’ first turnover of the season, allowing the Eagles’ offense to extend its lead to 18 points. Tampa would surge back, but Baker Mayfield would throw his first interception of the season with the Buccaneers in the red zone, trailing by eight in the fourth quarter, effectively ending the comeback chance.
Outside of those two miscues, the Buccaneers’ offense has been flawless in terms of holding on to the ball.
That might spell bad news for the 49ers’ defense, which has struggled to force opposing teams to turn the ball over. San Francisco’s defense has only forced five turnovers in its five games, with all five coming by way of the fumble.
While San Francisco has struggled to force turnovers consistently, there can be no complaints about their timing. Three of the 49ers’ five fumble recoveries have come late in the fourth quarter in a one-possession game. Week 1 closed with Nick Bosa’s strip sack of Sam Darnold, with the next week ending the same when Bryce Huff met Spencer Rattler to seal the Week 2 win. Alfred Collins became the latest 49er to force a heroic fumble, stripping Kyren Williams at the goal line last week in the win over the Rams.
An interception would be nice since the 49ers haven’t forced one in 12 games, but against this Buccaneers team, any type of turnover could be a massive momentum swing.
7.7
Tampa Bay’s defense forces a turnover on 7.7 percent of drives, the ninth-lowest rate in the league.
On the other side of the ball, the Buccaneers’ defense has been worse than the 49ers’ defense at forcing turnovers. While the 49ers’ defense has only forced five turnovers through its five games, Tampa Bay has only forced four through its five games.
While San Francisco’s defense wasted no time, forcing two fumbles in Week 1, Tampa Bay wouldn’t force its first turnover until Week 3 against the New York Jets. It would take until the second quarter, but Antoine Winfield would get to Tyrod Taylor to strip-sack the quarterback with the ball bouncing into the hands of Vita Vea. Later that same quarter, Jamel Dean would jump a Taylor pass attempt and...
