Thursday Night Football Underscored the Buccaneers' Trade Deadline Decision

On paper, Thursday Night Football's Buccaneers-Bills game seemed a bit one-sided. Tampa Bay no longer has Tom Brady running the show, and the club has consequently slipped down the pecking order. The Bills, on the other hand, have been one of the AFC's top dogs in recent years. Josh Allen may be a bit inconsistent, but he possesses a massive arm and plenty of raw talent.

But while the final result did finish in Buffalo's favor, it wasn't a completely one-sided contest. The Bucs fought back from an early deficit and hung tough into the fourth quarter; ultimately, they only lost by 6 points.

It was certainly the sort of night that could be held up as a moral victory. If the team can come within a touchdown of beating the Bills in Buffalo, then there's no reason to think the NFC South title is out of reach, right? Well, maybe not.

If anything, Thursday night helps to underline the decision that Tampa Bay's brass is facing ahead of the National Football League's (NFL) trade deadline. Should they stick or twist?

Tampa's Toughness Supports Making Some Moves

In order to be a buyer at the trade deadline, a team has to believe they have a legitimate shot of making the postseason. Even if Thursday's contest ended in a loss, the Buccaneers can collectively see some positives.

Baker Mayfield posted a solid stat line, finishing the night with 237 yards and two touchdowns. His work in the fourth quarter wasn't perfect—Tampa Bay burned a lot of clock and was bailed out by penalties—but the signal-caller did lead his offense down the field to pull within a score.

Elsewhere, Rachaad White made an impact. The rushing attack was still limited (White carried the ball nine times for 39 yards), but he did pull in seven catches for 70 yards. Chris Godwin and Mike Evans didn't dominate the box score, but the Bucs' two top receivers each accounted for a touchdown.

And, ultimately, the NFC South squad traveled to Buffalo and lost by less than a touchdown. Moral victories are few and far between in the NFL, but that result suggests that the Buccaneers aren't adrift at sea.

Head coach Todd Bowles' squad has now fallen to 3-4, which isn't awful. Their division isn't the strongest, either, with the Falcons sitting atop the standings at 4-3. Even if Atlanta wins this weekend, a 5-3 team isn't completely out of reach.

In that context, it's easy to imagine how a big-time trade acquisition would change things. Tampa Bay has struggled rushing the ball this season, with White averaging less than 44 yards per contest. If someone like Derrick Henry was in the backfield, though, that tenor could change.

Consider Week 7 (a three-point loss to the Falcons) and Week 8 (a six-point loss to Buffalo). Would a big, bruising running back have helped the Buccaneers score an additional touchdown?

It's easy to feel like he would have made a difference. And, with those two hypothetical wins, the standings would look rather rosy. So why not push the metaphorical chips to the middle of the table?

At the Same Time, Though, TB Is Facing Red Flags

Now that we've laid all of that out, it probably seems like Tampa Bay should be buyers at the trade deadline. There is, however, another side to that coin.

Let's revisit some of the potential positives; things aren't automatically as rosy as they seem.

Remember how we looked at the NFC South and said that the Buccaneers aren't out of the hunt? While that's true, the other teams in the division also benefit from an easy schedule.

According to Tankathon's rankings, TB has the fifth-easiest remaining schedule in the entire league. That seems like an advantage, until you look at the rest of the rankings. Atlanta, who sits atop the NFC South, actually has the easiest remaining schedule. The Saints, who also remain in the mix, are only one spot worse off than the Bucs.

Similarly, let's consider the idea of trading for a big-time running back. Someone like King Henry would probably be an improvement, but one key metric suggests that his upside would be limited.

According to an October 24 ESPN Analytics post, Tampa Bay has the worst run-blocking win rate in the entire NFL. The Titans, where Henry is currently playing, sit in 13th place.

Does the running back possess incredible talent? Of course, but he can only do so much if his offensive line can't open running lanes. And maybe paying the Titans' asking price isn't worth a slight improvement in the ground game.

Tampa Bay Has to Make a Trade Deadline Choice

If those arguments and counterarguments seem to be somewhat contradictory, that's kind of the point. For teams like the Buccaneers, the trade deadline is a gamble.

Standing still probably isn't the answer. Tampa Bay hasn't been terrible, but the club doesn't exactly look like a world-beater. If the roster remains as is, the Bucs will probably finish around .500; they could sneak into the postseason if things break right, but there's no expectation of a deep run.

And if that's the case, it makes sense to either buy or sell. Buying (theoretically) gives the Buccaneers a better chance of making noise in the NFC; selling would help accelerate a rebuild and turn potentially lost assets (like Mike Evans, who could leave in free agency) into draft picks.

But which route will Tampa Bay take? That's the decision that general manager Jason Licht and company will have to make.

It's not easy, but that's why NFL executives make the big bucks.