There has been much to make of the heat in the state of Florida, but it doesn’t just come down to the actual temperature in the air.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are used to what the Florida weather brings daily, whether it’s a Florida rain shower in the afternoon or the humidity that never seems to go away. Many franchises around the league view this as an advantage for those teams that reside in Florida, and rightfully so.

The Bucs are used to the heat that resides in Tampa Bay, but fortunately for them, the majority of teams they play aren’t. That’s why, specifically early in the season, the Bucs seemingly have an advantage over their opponents.

Tampa Bay has owned the Philadelphia Eagles over the past few seasons, and many have pointed to the conditions as a reason why. It doesn’t speak the whole truth as to why, but it seems to have an impact, as the worry about the temperature still permeates throughout the Eagles’ franchise.

This training camp, the Eagles’ well-renowned and respected defensive coordinator Vic Fangio spoke on the impacts that the heat, particularly in Tampa, has and what the team must do in order to avoid letting it get to them.

Sep 22, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

“Well, it is too late to do anything right now for it, as far as prepping for it. You don’t practice in heat one day and say you’re acclimated or take a pill and say you’re acclimated,” said Fangio. “The key will be, I mean, it’s a mindset, number one. Number two, we need to not let them have 8, 10, 12 play drives on us.”

The Eagles have already decided that they are coming down a day early to try to acclimate themselves to the heat in Tampa, but it doesn’t seem as if Fangio agrees that doing so is the best move.

One extra day in the heat on top of any precautions taken might not get the job done. Moreso, it’s hard to disagree with his sentiment that staying out of long drives and the mindset of his players will be of the utmost importance to fight off the effects that the temperature will bring.

The Bucs built Raymond James Stadium in a way that puts the opposing team in the sun, greatly exaggerating how hot it actually is. On top of that, the temperature on the field will also rise another 10-20 degrees from what it actually is outside.

Nobody wants to blame the weather for why they haven’t been successful, but if the Eagles somehow collapse in the second half of this matchup, one could easily make the case that they aren’t prepared to handle what the Buccaneers do on the daily.