ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Like any team that faces the Denver Broncos' defense, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have a choice to make.

An offense can muscle up to try to pound the ball in the run game and then keep additional players in pass protection to slow down the Broncos’ pass rush -- teams have often used an extra offensive lineman as a tight end to try and impede Broncos linebacker Von Miller -- but that limits how offenses can attack their secondary because there are fewer receivers downfield.

Or, an offense can simply play it straight, put more receivers in the pattern, be more pass-first in the playcalling and expose its quarterback to what the Broncos may do best -- rush the passer.

The Buccaneers are coming off a throw-first effort in their loss to the Los Angeles Rams, when quarterback Jameis Winston threw 58 passes in a 405-yard day. Winston leads the league in pass attempts after three games: 142.

The Buccaneers' offense has leaned heavily on Jameis Winston, who is averaging 309.7 passing yards per game. AP Photo/Scott Audette

Given all of that, here are six Buccaneers players to watch, courtesy of ESPN.com's Jenna Laine:

OFFENSE

QB Jameis Winston: Winston threw for over 400 yards last week and three touchdowns, but two turnovers -- particularly a fumble forced by Robert Quinn that was scooped up by Ethan Westbrooks and returned 77 yards for a touchdown -- doomed Winston and the Bucs in what was a particularly painful loss to the Rams on Sunday. On a positive note, his touchdown throw to Mike Evans off his back foot, with three Rams defenders right in his face, was a real gem.

WR Mike Evans: He had a career-high 10 catches for 132 receiving yards Sunday against the Rams and will face a huge test against Aqib Talib. Winston and Evans have improved their chemistry significantly and they’ve worked particularly hard on the deep ball. This offense does rely on Evans to leap and make contested catches -- and normally his 6-foot-5 frame is a mismatch for plenty of cornerbacks. Not for Talib, though, and he’s probably salivating watching tape from the Bucs' game against the Arizona Cardinals. One thing to key in on -- Evans’ composure when Talib tries to rattle him.

TE Cameron Brate: Austin Seferian-Jenkins may have gotten more of the attention, but for the majority of the offseason and training camp, Brate was the most consistent target for Winston. That, and the extra red zone work they’ve been putting in after every practice came to fruition Sunday, with his two-touchdown performance against the Rams.

DEFENSE

DT Gerald McCoy: The Bucs’ defensive line revolves around No. 93, and with former Broncos defensive end Robert Ayers likely to miss this week with an ankle injury, more rides on McCoy’s production. Aside from Clinton McDonald, he’s surrounded by youth. He’s got a scary get-off that defensive coordinator Mike Smith says gave him “many sleepless nights” when he was head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. While they got close a couple of times last week, the Bucs’ defensive line just couldn’t pressure Rams QB Case Keenum.

LB Kwon Alexander: Alexander kicked off his season with 17 tackles and a sack against the Falcons. Then last week, he recorded the first pick-six of his career on a pass that was intended for Tavon Austin. He sometimes plays a little too “amped up,” takes risks and gets out of position, but he’s one of the hardest hitters on the team, he’s a lot more active toward the line of scrimmage in this system and he’s mastering the more cerebral elements of the game thanks to daily one-on-one sessions with Smith. The defense has given up way too many explosive plays though, and as the Mike linebacker, it’s something he has to take ownership of.

LB Lavonte David: After a rare, rare week where he was essentially eliminated from the stat sheet against the Cardinals, David rebounded with a strong performance against the Rams, sacking Keenum and forcing a fumble that safety Chris Conte recovered. For a defense that was one of just three teams in the league that had yet to force a turnover, this was much-needed. He had eight combined tackles and two tackles for a loss. Like Alexander, he’s a lot more downhill and active this year. The Bucs will blitz him, too.