The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks will make history with the NFL's first-ever game played in Munich, Germany. The Transatlantic venture will feature two teams that currently lead their respective divisions, as the Buccaneers are back on top of the NFC South (4-5), albeit with a sub-.500 record, following a thrilling late-game win over the Rams. The Seahawks are riding a four-game win-streak, holding a 6-3 record and a substantial lead over their NFC West counterparts. The marquee matchup will headline a prime NFC contender (Seahawks) and one striving to re-emerge as a powerhouse (Bucs). Tampa Bay came into the 2022 slate as a touted heavyweight with Tom Brady's subsequent return to football after a brief sabbatical, but the Bucs are hoping to pull out of a mid-season rut and capitalize off Sunday's sensational finish. 

Meanwhile, the Seahawks were branded a rebuild team after the franchise traded Russell Wilson to Denver and parted ways with the last vestige of the formidable 'Legion of Boom' era in Bobby Wagner – both signaled a transition. However, former NFL journeyman Geno Smith has revitalized the team with precision. Smith is a current frontrunner in the MVP-race and has guided a talent-filled roster to becoming the league's fourth-best scoring offense (26.8 points per game). With a mobile threat at quarterback, remaining standouts in Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, a rookie phenom pounding the rock in Kenneth Walker III, and a re-focused defense led by edge menace Uchenna Nwosu, rookie ball-hawk Tariq Woolen, the Bucs will face a true litmus test on Sunday in their quest for transformation. After a week of preparation, here is what Sunday's international meeting comes down to: 

4 Stats that Matter

• 73.1. Geno Smith leads the NFL with a 73.1 completion percentage and ranks third with a 107.2 passer rating this season, guiding the Seahawks to the fourth-most points per game in the NFL (26.8). Smith has taken command of the offense with precision, sparking a turnaround in Seattle. 
• 7. Tom Brady has seven straight games with 40-plus pass attempts and 0 interactions (longest streak since at least 1950). Due to the Buccaneers' inability to kickstart an effective run game, the team has been forced to become one-dimensional with Brady slinging the ball week-after-week to try and build momentum. Tampa Bay has averaged 60.7 rush yards per game in 2022 (last in the NFL). 
• 50. Kenneth Walker has had 50-plus rush yards and one rush touchdown in each of his last five games, the longest streak by a Seahawks' player since Shaun Alexander in 2006-2007. Seattle is 4-0 since Walker became the starter in Week Six, averaging 28.5 points per game in that span (fourth in the NFL). With burst and decisiveness in the open field, Walker has transformed the Seahawks' offensive assault. 
• 15. The Seahawks have 15 takeaways in 2022 (tied for fourth in the league), including seven games with two-or-more takeaways. A large contributor to that metric is Uchenna Nwosu, who leads the NFL with 39 quarterback pressures in 2022 and a league-best 17.9 pressure rate. His production up front has forced quarterbacks into making rushed, errant throws, allowing the Seahawks' defense to feast. 

3 Lineup Notes 

• Three players were ruled out of Sunday's matchup with the Seattle Seahawks: wide receiver Russell Gage Jr. (hamstring), guard Luke Goedeke (foot) and J.J. Russell (hamstring). All three remained in Tampa and did not make the international trip to Germany on Thursday afternoon. 
• Buccaneers' safety Antoine Winfield Jr. will return to game action, per Todd Bowles. He cleared concussion protocol and took part in practice throughout the week in preparation for the Seahawks. The Pro Bowler missed the last two games after suffering a concussion in the second half of the team's Week Seven loss at Carolina. 
• For Seattle, linebacker Cullen Gillaspia has been ruled out with a knee ailment. In addition, receiver Marquise Goodwin was listed as questionable for Sunday's matchup with a groin injury. After being limited on Thursday, safety Ryan Neal (ankle) upgraded to a full participant on Friday. 

2 Challenges Presented by the Seahawks 

The Seahawks stress defenses in a variety of ways in Shane Waldron's system with multiple personnel groupings, trick plays, a dash of no-huddle sprinkled in and a mobile quarterback threat in Geno Smith. Those multiple/bunch formations provide extra blocking on running plays and restrict the opponent's coverage schemes. Seattle's efficiency on the ground has allowed them to dial up bootlegs and design plays for Smith, who possesses great instincts to identify man coverage in order to take off using his legs. They spread defenses out, forcing them to pick a poison. If teams allocate resources to stopping Kenneth Walker, that creates opportunities downfield for Lockett and Metcalf. If defenses key in on shutting down the pass-catchers, that creates seams underneath for Smith and Walker to exploit. Seattle's trio of tight ends adds protection up front to assist in run support and helps to open up play-action. The Buccaneers defense will have to be disciplined in run fits and stout in finish tackles to prevent yards-after-catch gained.

On defense, the remnants of the Seahawks domineering 'Legion of Boom' defense are gone; however, the group has been revitalized as of late. After giving up 45 points to the Lions and 39 to the Saints in the beginning of the season (allowing 30.8 points per game through the first five weeks), the defense has narrowed their focus. Against the Cardinals, the unit sacked Kyler Murray five times, consistently collapsing the pocket. In a win over the Giants, the only touchdown allowed to New York was when the Giants took over on the five-yard line after a fumble. Uchenna Nwosu, who has a career-high seven sacks this season, has spearheaded the squad along with rookie Coby Bryant, who leads the league with five forced fumbles, and rookie Tariq Woolen who has accumulated four interceptions. The Seattle defense has hit their stride in recent weeks, contributing to the team's demolition. During the club's four-game win streak, the defense has allowed just 16.5 points per game, utilizing a aggressive penetrating style to get upfield. Winning the battle at the line of scrimmage will be crucial for the Buccaneers on Sunday at Allianz Arena.

1 Key Thought from Head Coach Todd Bowles

On his impression of the Seahawks' run game:

"They're blocking up front very well. They have two great runners – well, [Rashaad] Penny got hurt, but with [Kenneth] Walker they have a heck of a runner. He's got great vision; he was great in college [and] he's good now. The receivers can run the ball doing jet sweeps and everything. Then you've got the quarterback runs, so they spread it around pretty much. They always threaten you outside with speed, so you've got to play them honest."