NFL Week 8 Buccaneers at Bengals game preview: Just win, matey

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesThe Cincinnati Bengals come into Week 8 at a major crossroads. After two straight crushing losses, the team needs a win before the bye to have their playoff hopes back on the radar.

There’s a huge difference between 4-4 and 5-3 at the midway point. And, to drive this point home, the leaders of the Bengals’ locker room called a rare “players-only meeting,” hoping to provide a catalyst to another postseason run under Marvin Lewis’ watch.

We’ll see if it works, as those types of occurrences can usually be pointed to as a seasonal turning point when hindsight is applied.

Dirk Koetter’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers come into town in a similar situation. They’ve been through…