The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a win over the Texans this weekend. There is no other way to put it.

After dropping three games in a row, this franchise has to start winning matchups soon to turn this season around, and the Texans should present the perfect opportunity.

If the prior games this year have been any accurate indication, the Bucs should have a perfect opportunity to secure a win this weekend.

There have been some obvious similarities between the Bucs and the Texans this year. Neither team can run the ball. Both teams look decent throwing. The defenses have been the more consistent parts of these teams.

However, it would be fair to say the Bucs are better at throwing the ball than the Texans and they have the much better defense.

This should immediately work in Tampa's favor.

The Buccaneer defense, while not perfect, has been able to make life very difficult for opposing quarterbacks and offenses every week. That should only be more so the case against a rookie quarterback in CJ Stroud.

Stroud has arguably been the best rookie quarterback this season, but that probably won't be enough to overcome Tampa's stifling defense (as long as it isn't the one that showed up against the Falcons and let them into the red zone constantly).

Let's just hope the Bucs have finally killed the trend where they get carved up by rookie/backup quarterbacks. 

On the other end of the ball, the offense could be Tampa's biggest question mark heading into this game. Baker Mayfield and the rest of the offense looked great at the start of the season, but it has been a little slow for a few weeks now.

The Texans should give a good chance to turn things around, even if their defense has generally been very good under first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans.

The Buccaneer play-action game mixed with a revitalized screen pass-heavy Rachaad White should prove enough to give the Bucs a lead they can play well with.

This will still need to be a very disciplined, well-planned game for the Bucs if they want to come out with a win, but this should be the perfect time for the losing skid to stop for good.

Buccaneers have more question marks after Week 8 results

There is a lot to take in.