Skip to content
Pro Football Mania Pro Football Mania

Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: PFM Team Comparison

PFM rates the Washington Commanders higher than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers overall, with a slight advantage. The main reasons are the steadier quarterback room and the stronger coaching operation.

Current PFM Team Scores

Slight edgeWSH

Washington Commanders

78.9PFM Team Score#19 NFL
TB

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

78.4PFM Team Score#20 NFL
Swap Teams Clear Comparison
PFM JUDGMENT

Why PFM Rates the Washington Commanders Higher

Jayden Daniels gives the Washington Commanders the steadier quarterback room. That lets the offense stay on schedule without asking the rest of the team to cover constant uncertainty. Tampa Bay's strongest counterargument is Defense. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the more dependable defense. It does not need the offense to answer every possession to keep control of a game.

Washington also brings the stronger coaching operation. Washington adds the clearer long-term football direction. That is enough to keep the Washington Commanders ahead.

TEAM DNA COMPARISON

Washington vs. Tampa Bay Across the Core Pillars

The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.

WSHWashington Commanders
TBTampa Bay Buccaneers
Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Team DNA comparisonPFM category scores on a 0 to 100 scale. QB Stability: Washington Commanders 84.7, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.9, edge WSH +4.8; Offense: Washington Commanders 82.0, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 81.2, edge WSH +0.8; Defense: Washington Commanders 76.1, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 78.9, edge TB +2.8; Coaching Direction: Washington Commanders 79.3, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76.6, edge WSH +2.7; Roster Depth: Washington Commanders 78.6, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.1, edge TB +0.5. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team at a time.
Hover or tap a team to focus that profile. Use Show Both to bring the overlay back.
THE COUNTERARGUMENT

Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Best Argument

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers own the stronger defense. More dependable stops give the offense better field position and keep one bad drive from controlling the day. The defense advantage is a real point in Tampa Bay's favor, but it does not outweigh the rest of the higher-rated team’s advantages. The problem for Tampa Bay is that Washington counters with the steadier quarterback room and the stronger coaching operation.

COMPLETE COMPARISON

Where Each Team Has the Edge

PFM Team Score

WSH78.9
Washington Commanders 78.9
TB78.4
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 78.4
Slight Washington Commanders edge

Overall NFL Rank

WSH#19
Washington Commanders #19
TB#20
Tampa Bay Buccaneers #20
Washington Commanders ranks higher

QB Stability

WSH84.7
Washington Commanders 84.7
TB79.9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.9
Clear Washington Commanders edge

Roster Strength

WSH78.6
Washington Commanders 78.6
TB79.1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.1
Slight Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge

Coaching Direction

WSH79.3
Washington Commanders 79.3
TB76.6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76.6
Clear Washington Commanders edge

Recent Performance

WSH69.3
Washington Commanders 69.3
TB75.7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75.7
Clear Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge

Offense

WSH82.0
Washington Commanders 82.0
TB81.2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 81.2
Slight Washington Commanders edge

Defense

WSH76.1
Washington Commanders 76.1
TB78.9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 78.9
Clear Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge

Franchise Direction

WSH77.6
Washington Commanders 77.6
TB75.1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75.1
Clear Washington Commanders edge

Explosiveness

WSH77.9
Washington Commanders 77.9
TB79.9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 79.9
Clear Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge

Conference Rank

WSH#9
Washington Commanders #9
TB#10
Tampa Bay Buccaneers #10
Washington Commanders ranks higher

Division Rank

WSH#2
Washington Commanders #2
TB#1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers #1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers ranks higher

Outlook

WSHIn the Playoff MixTBIn the Playoff Mix
Same outlook
SCHEDULE CONTEXT

Which Team Has the Tougher Road?

Washington Commanders

Remaining schedule rank: #17

Toughest stretch: San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams

Strongest opponents: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers

Next five difficulty: 82.8

View Washington Commanders Road Ahead

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Remaining schedule rank: #24

Toughest stretch: Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

Strongest opponents: Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears

Next five difficulty: 77.8

View Tampa Bay Buccaneers Road Ahead

Washington has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 17. The strongest opponents include Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers. Tampa Bay gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while Washington still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.

View the complete all-32 Road Ahead

Ratings and Schedule Freshness

PFM ratings updated September 15, 2026. Schedule data updated September 20, 2026.

How to Read This Comparison

PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.

PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.

See the complete PFM NFL Team Rankings and methodology.

PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams