Could push Bucs over the top.

A football analyst Joe respects is giving the Bucs respect this week.

NFL analyst/columnist Ben Solak of the four-letter was on Mina Kimes’ podcast this week when the subject of the Bucs-Bills game came up.

Unlike many people (per Action Network, 63 percent of the public money is betting on the Bills this weekend), Solak is not convinced the Bills have this game in the bag. He openly scoffed when Kimes told him the spread (at the time the podcast was recorded) was Bills +5.5.

Solak believes if the Bucs play a strong game on offense and defense, the Bills are beatable, even on their home turf.

“Key to this game for me, if you’re the Buccaneers, is you got to be able to get the Bills into third-and-long,” Solak said. “When the Bills are at their best, they can run the football, and then Josh [Allen] can win in the quick passing game and in the screen game and they can throw to these tight ends.”

Solak then noted that this year, when Allen faces third-and-long, his numbers are way down from previous years. And, he’s been prone to sacks this year in third-and-longs.

Of course, this is a non-factor for Joe. Only Cam Ward ate more sacks this season than Drake Maye of the Patriots entering last week’s game and the Bucs couldn’t buy a sack from their edge rushers. Rookie tackle Elijah Roberts got the lone Bucs sack last week on the league’s second-most sacked quarterback. Just galling!

Solak and Kimes also discussed the Bills’ soft run defense. Solak thinks the perfect running back to exploit Buffalo’s Achilles heel is Bucs running back Bucky Irving, who returned to practice this week.

“If Bucky is back, that’s a very, very, very big deal,” Solak said.

Solak also added that if Irving cannot go, Sean Tucker needs to get more than 50 percent of the carries.

It won’t be an easy game for the Bucs, but both Kines and Solak wouldn’t be shocked if the Bucs pulled off a road upset.