Bucs Must Take Advantage of Opportunities

Missed opportunities has killed this team the past two weeks and is a big reason this team is 1-2 instead of 2-1 or even 3-0. Both on offense and defense there have been opportunities to put the Bucs in better position to win the game, but they have just been missing literally by inches. As Jameis Winston said in his press conference this week, this game is a game of inches and right now we are just off by a little. Jameis is one guy who needs to be better as he can be more accurate with his passes, but the whole team has been missing chances to make impact plays.

Go back to the Cardinals game, that first interception by Jameis where if he puts that ball more inside away from Peterson the Bucs probably have a Td and just like that it's a different game. Making interceptions on defense when they are there to be made, they have to be caught. It's all about making the most of your opportunities and unlike the Falcons game where they did hit on them they have been unable to the past two weeks. Especially last week against the Rams, the Bucs offense had so many opportunities to take that game and just couldn't capitalize for some reason.

#Bucsfilm2016wk3 Perfect play call against Rams zone here. Outside CB bites on Brate, had ... https://t.co/pODldutBlg

— Steven Cheah (@CHEAH_SAY) September 29, 2016

If the Bucs want to win this Sunday against the defending super bowl champs in the Denver Broncos, then the team must take advantage of the opportunities that will be presented throughout the game. Defense has to make the most of their 3rd and long situations because they will occur and they can't allow the Broncos to have long drives. On offense, they have to take what is being given as there will be chances for big plays and the Bucs must hit on them in order to win. So if the Bucs want to get back to winning football, they got to make the play when it is there or they will continue to come up short.

Mike Smith Believes Defense Will be Better

Let's be the real the defense has been pathetic over the first three games of the season. Now granted the offense hasn't helped them out with 8 turnovers so far, but this defense is still allowing way too much in order for this team to win. Lack of pass rush, poor communication, and bad play calling has hurt this defense and is keeping it from being successful. Mike Smith spoke with the press today and pointed the finger at only one person and that is himself via Rick Stroud.

#Bucs defensive coordinator 'Mike Smith: "The only guy who has to get better is Mike Smith."

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) September 29, 2016

Mike Smith is right as he needs to be better by putting his players in better position to succeed on the field. Smith went on to say the pass rush has been "dead average" and he needs to do better in finding ways to get that going. The amount of explosive plays that are being allowed are hurting this defense from being a more consistent unit. The Bucs need to make this defense simple by playing more press man coverage, keep the safeties back, and let the front seven stop the run.

Focus on keeping everything in front, and then attack from all angles to put pressure on the Qb. Mike Smith also said this defense needs to be more resilient as it's time to be accountable and flat out play better. I'm glad that Mike Smith is being accountable as he knows he must be better in order for this defense to be where it needs to be. Bucs defense has their hands full with the Broncos offense as they are very good and put up 28 points a game. It's time for this unit to show some fight and bring it for four quarters.

O-line Has Been The Best Unit

This unit was the biggest weakness two years ago and now the Bucs offensive line is probably their strongest unit on the team. The line has been pretty good so far in 2016 as Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet are becoming better and better with each passing game. The line is really athletic and physical which allows them to open up the screen game very well. The group was better this past week in the run game and should get better as the season goes once the run game finds its rhythm.

The pass protection has been phenomenal though as they have only allowed 5 sacks against 142 pass attempts. This group doesn't get the credit it deserves and really does a great job as an unit. They give a good pocket for Jameis to throw and he usually has enough time. This last week against the Rams front four I thought they did very well and pretty much dominated throughout the game. Donovan Smith, Kevin Pamphile and Ali Marpet are looking to be cornerstones for this line and are just getting better. Bucs Gm Jason Licht has invested into this unit and so far it has paid off as the unit looks to be a strength for the foreseeable future. Coach Koetter needs to ride this line by keeping this offense more balanced and let them be physical by running the ball.

Sims Needs To Be Used!

Charles Sims had his first crack at the starting lineup due to Doug Martin's hamstring and to be honest he did really well. Sims only carried the ball 13 times for a total of 55 yards and one touchdown to go with 6 catches for 69 yards. Totaling 124 yards on 19 touches, thats an average of 6.5 yards every time he touches the ball.

Sims has that make you miss ability that no other Buccaneer possesses and it needs to be utilized more. The Bucs need to continue to run the ball and get the ball in the hands of Sims more so that they can have a more balanced attack. Once the Bucs went down 4 in the 4th quarter running the ball didn't seem to be an option for Coach Koetter and that needs to change.

To look at last year as an example, the bucs won 5 of the 6 times they gave their lead back 20 carries or more. Sims isn't Doug Martin but he has talents of his own and he looks like he can do just fine filling in for now, you just have to give him the ball more. Obviously they have trust in him as they gave him the ball in a high pressure situation late in the 4th against the Rams and he shined bright.

Those who think Sims is a bad RB. 4&1 and the #bucs have trust in him to get it. Get off his back. He did very well, needs to b used more. pic.twitter.com/OwIQyYVMbd

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) September 27, 2016

 Sims will have to be a big contributor next week against the Broncos dominant defense whose only weakness seems to be against the run as they allowed the Bengals Jeremy Hill to rush for 97 yards on only 17 carries. Koetter needs to stay balanced and use the rush just as much as the pass. Winston shouldn't have to throw for 50 times every game.

Adam Humphries is Stepping up to The Plate

Going into this season most thought the slot receiver spot was going to be a weakness for the Bucs offense, but so far we have all been wrong. Kudos to Adam Humphries who has worked really hard and has improve his game in every aspect this offseason. Humphries took over the slot early this pre-season, and has not look back. He has done a great job on special teams by providing consistency in the return game averaging 10 yards per return.

Most importantly, he has been a reliable target for Jameis, coming up with big catches on third down and making big plays in the screen game. Humphries has 18 receptions for 201 yards so far and is coming off a big game with 9 catches for 100 yards. Humphries does a lot for this offense as he is an excellent blocker and is great at working the flats and over the middle for Jameis to find him. Hopefully he can keep this going and Koetter and his staff can keep finding ways for him to grow in this offense. This offense is on the verge of being special and it needs players like Adam Humphries.

Adam Humphries is the new Julian Edelman.
Runs great routes for the Bucs, and all those white WR narratives#deceptivespeed

— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) September 25, 2016

Bucs Must Improve The Details of Their Game

Little things have been hurting the Bucs so far as they have lost the last two games against the Cardinals and Rams. Turnovers, defensive communication, clock management, and unbalanced play calling are things the Bucs need to tighten up in a hurry or the Bucs are going to continue to lose games. The offense has been pretty good as an unit despite the turnovers which has hurt them the last two weeks, if the unit can eliminate the bad timing turnovers they can be a force offensively. The play calling needs to get back to being more balance and have Jameis under 30 pass attempts a game. Bucs need to run the ball at least 25 times per game to keep the defense guessing and also keep their defense more fresh during the game.

Clock management needs to be better as well as Dirk Koetter was a little too aggressive during the end of the first half against the Rams. Bucs had a critical interception and instead going into halftime with a 20 to 10 lead, it was 20-17 at half. Then at the end of the game, Koetter admitted to being dumb by not calling timeout with 36 seconds left after Sims had just got a first down which cost the Bucs valuable seconds off the clock. Its the little things like this that the team must clean up if they want to win consistently.

Then on the other side of the ball, communication and better play calling needs to occur as the Bucs defense is allowing too many big plays. The safeties and corners need to be on the same page as this team shouldn't be allowing guys get past them downfield. Our run defense is superb and if we are going to blitz then either send the linebackers or safeties not our corners. The gameplan needs to be simple on the defensive side until the players get comfortable with the scheme. Too many breakdowns are occurring causing big plays to happen against them. Bucs have tough road ahead and better work on the details or it could get ugly.

Pass Rush is Just Not There

A good pass rush is essential to playing good defense in this league unless you have an outstanding secondary which the Bucs do not. The Bucs pass rush has struggled as the front four has lost several key defenders to injury. Hopefully Robert Ayers can return for the next game because the Bucs really miss his presence. Gerald McCoy has been dominating but is getting no help from his other line mates which is allowing teams to triple team McCoy. Rookie Noah Spence is just not there yet as his speed rush is just getting pushed past the Qb. William Gholston is a monster vs the run, but struggles to beat his man when it's a pass play. Have not seen anything from Clinton Mcdonald which is not like him as he is usually a good pass rusher.

One positive from yesterday was the rush from Howard Jones who effected some plays and even got a hit on the quaterback. Something has to change though as there has to be a pass rush for this defense to succeed or it's going to struggle to keep teams from scoring 30 points a game. The secondary is just too inconsistent right now to be counted on to just shut down opposing pass offenses without a pass rush. The Bucs need to get creative whether that is through rush games, stunts, or even more blitzing it needs to be better.

Bucs Mistakes Cost Them Again

Another loss for the Bucs as they lose at home vs the mighty Rams 37-32 in which the Bucs had an ten point lead at one time. Again it was penalties, turnovers, missed kicks, and defensive breakdowns that gave this game to the Rams. The Bucs needed to have this game as the road ahead will be very tough. Watching the offense I was impressed as they showed a lot of great things and from a gameplan perspective it was near perfection. The offense did have two costly turnovers as both led to touchdowns which is something that must be fixed going forward if the Bucs want to win more than they lose.

Charles Sims, Adam Humphries, and Cameron Brate really stood out in this game as they made explosive plays and had three touchdowns between Sims and Brate. The Bucs spread out the Rams defense and took advantage as they mixed up their route tree very well with comeback, out, and slants. The offensive line was pretty solid and to only allow two sacks against that front four is quite accomplishment. Along with the turnovers, the other thing that was a negative was our two point conversion plays which I thought could have been better like throwing a fade jump ball to Evans.

Now on to what cost the Bucs this game, as defense and special teams were just not good enough and the Rams benefited. On the positive note, the defense did force two turnovers and scored on a pick 6. However, there were too many negatives as the defense was just too inconsistent throughout the game. Defensive breakdowns has killed this team so far as they have been allowing too many explosive plays. Two passing touchdowns of 30 yards plus by Case Keenum to Brian Quick and Tavon Austin just shouldn't happen. The defensive coaching staff and players need to do a better job of finding what works and sticking with it. If this defense is going to improve, the pass rush has to show up and right now it is just not there.

Lastly, Roberto Aguayo has to make kicks, it's his only job and for some reason he didn't have the confidence that he usually displays. Winning in the NFL is tough and is even tougher when your kicker misses an extra point and a chip shot field goal. Overall, this team is showing positives but still has a long way to go to become a playoff contender any time soon.

Get Jameis Going Early

For some reason, Bucs Qb Jameis Winston has struggled to get in rythem early during his short football career. It was an issue at Florida State and so far it has followed him as a Buc. Today against the Rams, Jameis needs to find a way to get off to a quicker start and get comfortable early. I suspect coach Koetter will try to get Jameis on the move with some rollouts to set up some one read throws. Jameis just needs to stay under control to begin the game and play his game by making good decisions.

With Doug Martin out today, I hope Koetter goes with a more spread type offense and go with more quick timing routes like screens, slants, comebacks, and dig routes. Koetter and Jameis need to find success early and keep it rolling today against the Rams. Stay committed to the run game and hit the short passes that will be there, and then take shots down the field later in the game. It's important the Bucs spread the ball around today, but also keep going with what is working. Move Evans and Jackson around to create mismatches and attack it. Get Jameis off to a good start and the Bucs should take control of this game right away.

Pass Rush Has to Show up

4 sacks in two games is just not going to cut it for this Buccaneers defense as their pass rush must show up for tomorrow's game against the Rams. The Bucs need to get more creative with their rush whether it be more blitzes or using more twists and stunts with the front four. Clinton Mcdonald needs to step up and start getting some penetration to help Gerald McCoy get free. The Bucs will be without Robert Ayers which doesn't help, but guys like Howard Jones, William Gholston, and Noah Spence need to step up and bring some fire off the edge. If it takes McCoy to take out three guys for us to get a sack then they need to do it like they did here in which Spence got his first career sack.

Rookie Noah Spence gets his first NFL sack. pic.twitter.com/i3ktGJfUmG

— Trevor Sikkema (@TrevorSikkema) September 18, 2016

Against the Rams, the Bucs have to get pressure up front on their Qb Case Keenum because if they do he will make mistakes. I would expect to see the Bucs mix up their blitzes with their linebackers and safeties along with moving their D-line around to create mismatches. It's time for this defensive line to take the next step and be a tone setter for this defense tomorrow. They have the ability to dominate and they need to tomorrow if the Bucs want to win this game against the Rams.  Put McCoy and Gholston in the middle with Jones and Spence on the outside and just let them go beat their guy. Keep mixing it up and attack all day and make the Rams offense pay for it.

Make Keenum Beat You

This week should be a great game for the Bucs defense to get back on track and build some confidence in this new defensive scheme. The Rams offense is not good as they have scored 9 points total through their first two games, and struggle to move the ball consistently. The Bucs defense has struggled so far as they have allowed 28 points per game and have given up 12 explosive plays for over 400 yards. The defense has to be better and defensive coordinator Mike Smith says it's on them to get it fix starting this week against the Rams per pewterreport.com

#Bucs DC Mike Smith at the podium. Said they're "giving up way too many explosive plays and its on us, not them"

— PewterReport.com (@PewterReport) September 22, 2016

The gameplan should be real simple this week against the Rams offense and that is make Qb Case Keenum beat you. The best player on their offense is running back Todd Gurley who is a special back and can make big plays if he gets room to operate. Bucs need to load the box and be discipline with their gap control and force the Rams to throw the ball. Last week, the Bucs linebackers didn't have a good week as Lavonte David didn't record a tackle and Kwon Alexander missed too many tackles. I expect both to rebound in a big way and do their job in shutting down Gurley. Mike Smith should dial up the run blitzes and have his corners play up and look for the quick passes. Bucs defense needs to come out early and set the tone by letting the Rams know it's going to be a long day. It's time for the Bucs defense step up and play fast and physical, this Sunday is a good game to get it on track.

Winston Knows He Must Improve Accuracy

Jameis spoke to the media yesterday and was straight forward about his play and how it was not good enough.

Those interceptions were strictly about accuracy you know and thats just part of me again improving my game, just having to get better. Especially when your playing against man teams, you have to be pin point accurate because the margin for error is not much, so you have to be on point

Jameis has always been a player to own up to his mistakes as well as stick up for other players and blame himself but this time you could honestly see he knew what he needed to fix. Winston just didn't have it against the Cardinals and now coming into the Rams game, you can expect his accuracy to be a point of emphasis. The Rams have a great front 7 similar to the Cardinals which allows them to play man defense with the corners. Winston will yet again have to try and thread the needle against man coverage and the Rams will test him based on his showing last week. Lets see how fast Winston can make corrections and make those improvements.

Vjax Is Still Playing Well

Vincent Jackson has been getting a bad rap as of late and the hate needs to stop. People are talking as if he's washed up and done. Yes, Jackson is in his 12th year and 33 years old but watching the tape he still is doing his job. He has been targeted 16 times and only has 6 catches for 62 yards. As I stated earlier in the week, a bunch of those targets were way off target by Winston and thats something he needs to fix, but Jackson has shown his worth on many other occasions. He may not be getting all the catches and yards Evans is getting but he is getting open as you can see below.

Great pocket, plenty of time and Winston air mails it. Don't blame Vjax when he's open 15 yards down the field. Winston needs to do better pic.twitter.com/ccL2ggVfTd

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) September 21, 2016

Again smart to pick on Brandon Williams the rookie but way off target. Vjax is open just need to deliver. pic.twitter.com/Y1eJJW8wOV

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) September 21, 2016

He also shows his ability to block and be used in different ways here as he springs open a big play for Adam Humphries.

1st and 20 on this play. The organization of everyone blocking is beautiful. Vjax with the first initial block. Get to these basics! pic.twitter.com/Jas491985V

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) September 22, 2016

Ever since Jackson joined the bucs in 2012 he has been known to drop a ball or two a game so that is no big story. He still has the ability to get open and make big plays down the field. Any way you look at it VJax is still a mismatch in our favor as he's 6'5 230 and can easily box out any corner in front of him. He knows he's still good and he showed it here, per Rick Stroud Tampa Bay Times.

I feel great. I still feel like I’m playing at a very high level. Our coaches have all the confidence in me, obviously, my teammates do as well. So for me, it’s just continue to do my job. I don’t have to try and do too much or press or anything extraordinary. I trust my training, I know I can make plays and when those opportunities come – I hope more come my way – but I’m just going to continue to do my job.''

Jackson has alway been a true professional and he will show up. Given that he is fully healthy, Jackson should be targeted much more and he will produce and make Winston's job so much easier. I'm not concerned at all about his ability and expect him to produce in the coming weeks. Oh and guess what, he has another 5'11 corner covering him this week.

Winning Teams Win at Home

In the past, I have compared Dirk Koetter to former Bucs coach Jon Gruden in terms of their aggressive nature, talking about juice,  and their overall passion for football. One thing that Koetter needs to do if he wants to win like Gruden did is win games at Raymond James Stadium. During his winning seasons, Gruden averaged 6 wins during those seasons and always made sure his teams knew the importance of playing well at home. Coach Koetter needs to do the same as this team needs to make Ray-Jay a winning stadium once again.

Over the last seven years, the Bucs have been putrid at home as they only have 17 wins combined, and is one of the reasons they have had only one winning season(2010) out of those seven years. Even during that 2010 season, the Bucs only won 4 games at home and if they could have won one more at home they probably make the playoffs that year. Dirk Koetter needs to start a winning streak at home beginning this Sunday vs the Rams. Koetter said today it needs to be a tough place to play for opposing teams like it used to be via Scott Smith.

HC Dirk Koetter says it's very important that the Bucs make Raymond James Stadium a tough place to play. Streak has to start with one win.

— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) September 22, 2016

As a Bucs fan who has been to tons of Bucs home games and has seen the stadium rocking before, it would be nice to see the team get that home dominance back. So why not this season, winning teams win at home, Bucs have to do it if they want to be an winning team.

Bucs Must Get Back to Basics

Sometimes players and coaches over think things and forget how simple the game of football is. It's a game of doing the little things well and the team that does it better usually wins. The Bucs need to get back to that this week against the Rams. That means blocking, tackling, and taking care of the football, and also means a simple gameplan on offense and defense as well. Through two weeks the Bucs have done this at times but not enough and need to emphasize it more this Sunday vs the Rams.

The Bucs need to get back to the basics and just play smart football on both sides of the ball. On offense, coach koetter needs to stay balance and do a good job of mixing it up with the run and the pass. Focus on getting Jameis in a rhythm early with short route concepts like curls, comebacks, and slants and perhaps a screen or two to start the game. However, the Bucs have to get back to their identity which is being balanced on offense and they need to run it this week 25 times or more. Jameis shouldn't being throwing it more than 35 times every week as the Bucs need to run the ball at least 20 attempts every week as it just means the Bucs are staying balance and it keeps the defense on their toes. I expect we see a simple approach this week on offense while still being aggressive at the same time, but being smart when to take their shots.

On defense, it's simple the Bucs have to be better with their tackling and can't allowed big plays due to mistackles. The Bucs also need to attack the Qb more, bring more blitzes and defend the short pass which should cause turnovers if executed properly. Expect that to be the gameplan this week as they are going to load the box and get after Rams Qb Case Keenum. The pass rush needs to come alive and be more simple in their approach by just focusing on beating the guy in front of them.

Don't over think it, just keep it simple and play to the strengths of the team. Attack their weaknesses and keep doing it until they stop it. Football is a simple game, the Bucs need to focus on the basics and keep it simple every week. Find the mismatch that will be presented every week and take advantage of it.

Brate and ASJ Should Be Main Targets vs Rams

One part of the Bucs offense that has been disappointing is the lack of targets and use of the tight ends. The Bucs have a more than capable tight end group with guys that can create mismatches and win with their size and ability. This week against the Rams the Bucs need to get back to involving their tight ends more in the passing game and use it to their advantage. With Cameron Brate and Austin Seferian Jenkins, the Bucs should use them down the seam and over the middle against the Rams Lb's and smaller Db's as their should be openings. Just look at this look that the Seahawks had against the Rams D, Luke Wilson was wide open but Russell Wilson missed him via Chris F. of Bucsbrief.com.

Then you're left with an uncovered Luke Wilson, probably wishing his name was Owen. pic.twitter.com/x0c5yK9vBs

— Chris F. (@BBPChris) September 21, 2016

Have to expect the Bucs to attack this if they get these kind of coverages as the Bucs have the speed and size with their tight ends to make the Rams pay if executed properly. Get the ball to ASJ and Brate early and often and get Jameis off to a fast start. Be smart and attack the Rams weakness and just keep attacking it. Run two tight end sets with Brate and ASJ and just have them run crossing routes and seam routes until the Rams can stop it because it should be open.

O-Line Has Tough Challenge This Week

One of the bright spots in last week's debacle was the Bucs offensive line who I thought did a pretty good job overall. The Bucs offensive line will need to continue to raise it's play if this team wants to win games this season. This Sunday they will have their hands full with the Rams defense which features an powerful front seven in Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, William Hayes, Mark Barron, and Alec Ogletree. The Bucs are going to have to be creative in their running game and use some max protection with their passing game.

The Bucs front 5 will need to be physical and move their front off the ball so the Bucs can get their play action game going to create big plays. Ali Marpet and Kevin Pamphile will have to be outstanding going against Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers who both can be forces of nature at times. So it's important for our guards and center to be aware of where they are and double them when you can. Our O-line is more than capable and need to be the tone setters this week as the Bucs have to get back to winning ways on Sunday. O-line better bring their A game or this will happen often.

Bucs Will Have to Adapt With Martin Out

The Bucs running game took a hit today as the team learned it is going to be without starting running back Doug Martin for at least 3 weeks via Ian Rapport.

Following the results of his MRI, #Bucs RB Doug Martin is expected to be out about three weeks with a hamstring injury, source said.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 21, 2016

This sucks but the Bucs are just going to have to adapt their offense to fit their running backs in Charles Sims and Jacquizz Rodgers. If I was Dirk Koetter, I would try running out of more spread formation looks which should allow Sims and Rodgers to operate in space which is their strengths. Mix it up with zone runs out of singleback three wide formations which forces the defense to take defenders out of the box. Shotgun runs will help as well like inside zone runs and draws to keep the defense off balance.

Expect to see more usage of Sims and Rodgers in the passing game with designed screens and them split out wide to create mismatches. Koetter should put them both on the field at the same time to run some misdirection runs as well and get them out in the passing game to take advantage of the Rams linebacking unit. Bucs will need to be creative with Martin out at least till the bye week, and remember to stay balance on offense but play to your strengths of your team. This formation below is something we should see often with Sims in there and hopefully he can make plays like this.

Cardinals Game Rant *Uncensored

Ok Buc fans its been a couple days since the bucs 40-7 ass whooping by the Cardinals and there needs to be a rant to let out some true feelings.

First and foremost everything will always begin and end with our leader Jameis Winston. I above all may be his biggest fan and supporter but what I saw from him on Sunday was piss poor. So many passes were off target and he is too attached to Mike Evans. Yes, I still loved his passion for the game as he was still competitive and even made a big block on one running play but he's got to show much more than this.

People will say hey, the defense gets paid to stop him too, but to me that straight bullshit. The game is Xs and Os. You find weaknesses and you attack the weakness. What did Winston do the first drive? He attacked their strength, which is Patrick Peterson, possibly the best corner in the NFL and what happened? That's right a beautiful interception that was off target but the Winston faithful said Evans could have fought for the ball. Hell, if the ball is thrown inside Evans can easily box Peterson out for the touchdown. I harped last week to not test Peterson at all costs and to attack any and everyone else but I guess I was wrong. After that play Winston and the bucs looked to just tail spin down and let the crowd get the best of them.

Winston even made 4th year pro Marcus Copper (the other CB) look like a pro bowler by giving him 2 interceptions in one game when he has only had 3 in his career. He threw one right in his chest but again everyone claimed it was Vincent Jackson's fault. Winston is our QB, he's our unquestioned leader, he's the answer to every question of whom will bring us out of this bottom dweller we have been in for so many years. With that said he has to perform better. We should never see a QB rating of 39.2 again, this is not your rookie season Jamies and you need to step up from the shambles you created that day.

Now the Defense.... Chris Conte has forever scared the crap out of me and still does. The man keeps getting lost and getting beat time after time. This defense did so well against the Falcons preventing the deep ball and somehow forgot how to do it a week after. I don't know if they got some sort of entitlement after one damn win but it was pathetic. ABSOLUTELY no pass rush whatsoever and that against an Oline that allowed 3 sacks the week prior against a slower Dline than ours. Credit to Noah Spence for recording his first sack of the year which was the only bright spot of this game. The entire game was nothing but time for Palmer to deliver strikes to whichever receiver he wanted. The Dline needs to step up without question and if they can't those added blitzers better rush the process or you will get burnt deep, espcially when you send a safety.

Enough Bashing of my beloved Bucs. I will forever be a bucs fan but they need to show up and perform. I expect corrections to be made and problems fixed across the board here in Tampa when we play the Rams. Players and coaches alike need to clean up a lot. Start attacking the weaknesses that every team has and stop giving the game away by attacking their strengths. Show up for your home crowd and give us bucs fans something to finally be proud about. In other words, COMPETE. 40-7 is an embarrassment and that should not happen again. I am washing that from my memory and zoning in on the LA Rams, as should every other buccaneer fan.

A Game to Forget!

It just wasn't the Bucs day yesterday as they got embarrassed by the Cardinals with a final score of 40 to 7. The Bucs shot themselves in the foot with turnovers and could get nothing going offensively as it was a struggle to move the ball throughout the game. Defensively, lack of big plays made and unable to get off the field on third down hurt them as Arizona capitalized in the redzone with touchdowns. Here are some observations that I thought were the reason the Bucs got dominated like they did.

1- It's good to be aggressive, but can't force it

The Bucs hit the big plays in week 1 against the Falcons but they didn't force them. Against the Cardinals I thought they did it too early and it cost them. Coach Koetter likes to be aggressive and so is Qb Jameis Winston, but both must be better in knowing when to take the deep shots. Sometimes you just have to take what is there and keep the drive moving. This team has to be smart with the football.

2- Stay balanced on offense and defense

The Bucs many times last year were a little too quick in abandoning the run game and ended up being too pass happy. Now yesterday Bucs lost Doug Martin and Luke Stocker to injury, but still you got to stay balance on offense especially in the first half when the game was not out of reach. The defense needs to stay balance as well in mixing it up more with their looks. Bring the blitzes more and get after the Qb.

3-Tight ends and Backs need to be more involved

Bucs have a solid group of tight ends and running backs and so far in the first two games they haven't been utilized enough in both the running game and the passing game. Bucs need to get more creative and be diverse with their offense which will open up Mike Evans even more. More screens, more draws and counter runs are needed.

4- Pass rush needs to come alive

4 sacks through two games is just not good enough and overall pressure has been non-existent. This whole group needs to play better or the defense will continue to struggle. The pass rush has to be there in this league or your defense will get torch week in and week out.

5- Vincent Jackson needs to do something

I'm not sure if he is playing hurt, but Jackson just doesn't look like himself. He is 33 and maybe he just doesn't have it anymore. Jackson needs to step it up fast or he is going to find himself behind Cecil Shorts soon, who has burst and can stretch the field.

Overall, this is a game the Bucs need to forget, but learn from and use as motivation to make sure it never happens again. Next two games at home for the Bucs, they need to take care of business.

Pressure is on Arizona

The Bucs are going to try to become 2-0 for the first time since 2010 and would be the 5th team to do it on the road to start the season. The Cardinals are desperate to get their first victory as they lost a winnable game against the Patriots last week. The Pressure is on Arizona as they can't go 0-2 to start the season as they are coming off a NFC championship game appearance. If the Cardinals lose their first two at home, panic and frustration could set in for their fan base.

I think this is an advantage for the Bucs this weekend, as I suspect the team will be loose and go have fun. In contrast, the Cardinals could be a little tight as they really need this game so that pressure could be overwhelming. I think the Bucs should just play aggressive and just focus on executing the game plan. I think this team has a chip on their shoulder and will play with some juice, trying to get to 2-0. Dirk Koetter and Jameis Winston has this team buying in and is ready to start winning games. Big opportunity against Arizona to show the nation that this team is ready to get back to being relevant again.

Third Down Offense Must Be Better For Week 2

Head coach Dirk Koetter is big on winning third down whether it is on offense or the defensive side of the ball, he expects his team to be good on third down. If your team is good on third down then usually you will win a lot of football games. The Bucs defense was good last week by holding the Falcons offense to 23% conversion rate which is excellent. However, the Bucs offense needs to be much improved this week on third down as they were only 30% last week against the Falcons. Koetter was not please and said it must improve or it will be tough to win every week.

"Our offense was terrible, our number on that is 45% and we were 30% which is not close to our number. We got to do better on third down."

This week against the Cardinals, third down will be critical on both sides of the ball but especially on offense. The Bucs want to keep the Cardinals offense off the field and the Bucs can do that by moving the chains and using the clock but have to score touchdowns as well. So hopefully the Bucs can hit their goal of 45% on third down this week which will definitely put them in position to win this game. So I would expect the offense to be sharper in this area come Sunday and is something to look for while watching the game.

Will The Bucs Be Able To Run?

Many Buc fans feel as if the bucs won't be able to run the ball against this very formidable Cardinals defense but is that really the case? The Cards were ranked 6th against the rush last year and the biggest reason behind that is the 6'8 300 pound monster Calais Campbell. Its no surprise that he eats up space and does extremely well clogging holes, making it hard for running backs to run his way. So what can you do to counter act that? Run away from him.

Every defense has their strengths and weaknesses and obviously Campbell stopping the run is one of them. Looking at the Patriots game you can see former Buc and now starting running back for the Patriots LeGarrette Blount gained the most yards when running away from Campbell and at Chandler Jones. Jones although an extremely gifted pass rusher and athlete, isn't strong against the run. Its a lot easier to push 265 out of the way than 300, just a simple observation.

This is why the bucs must start fast and establish the run game by targeting Jones early. Make Campbell work to chase the play down from behind. The game of football is all about finding mismatches and using your strengths to beat the other teams weaknesses. The bucs Oline is a strength even though they did get Winston a little banged up last week yet they didn't allow a sack. The Oline will need to show up big time this Sunday so that the Bucs can dictate the pace of this game.

Attack The Rookie

The bucs will be playing a tough Cardinals defense Sunday but every defense has a weakness. By that I mean on one side of the field the Cardinals have Patrick Peterson who may be the best corner in football and on the other side they have Brandon Williams a 3rd round rookie out of Texas A&M. The rookie was targeted early and often against the Patriots on Sunday night football last week and he didn't look all that great.

Williams has only played corner one full year as he began his football career as a running back and is still learning the position not to mention learning the Cardinals aggressive defensive scheme. When there is a player thinking and not reacting you have to take advantage of it. Just as the Bucs took advantage of the smaller Robert Alford last weak in Atlanta I feel they will target Williams as much as they can.

Vjax will most likely be the beneficiary of this as Peterson will most likely be shadowing Evans the entire game. So, the bucs find themselves in a very similar situation as last week, avoid Peterson and attack the other side of the field.

Bounce Back Week Expected For Vincent Jackson

The Bucs offense had a pretty good game last Sunday against the Falcons as the unit put up 31 points and over 350 total yards. The best news is the unit can be even better as one of their top players had an off day. That would be all-pro receiver Vincent Jackson who was targeted seven times and ended up with two catches for 18 yards. Now this could be because of Desmond Trufant who was matched up against Jackson most of the game and is a great corner. The Bucs were smart by going towards the weaker corner in Alford and Mike Evans took advantage for 99 yards and a TD. Now heading into week 2 against the Cardinals, look for Vincent to have a bounce back week as he knows he needs to pick it up and OC Todd Monken believes he will as well.

"He's got to play better, and I got to coach him better. He knows that, and I got to find a way for him to play better, and he is capable, he is a darn good football player. We are counting on him to have a big game this week, and I expect him to bounce back."

This is called being accountable and the coaching staff and the players are doing a great job of that so far. Monken is right as Jackson should bounce back this week as he has a favorable matchup going against the Cardinals secondary which features a rookie corner in Brandon Williams who will likely be targeted again this week by the Bucs offense. Jackson needs to be a big part of this offense because he is still a very good player and can make big plays. Look for the Bucs to move their wideouts around this week to find the favorable matchups and stay away from Patrick Peterson.

Formidable Foe

The Bucs did their job in week 1 by beating a team in which they should beat in the Atlanta Falcons. However, week 2 presents a more formidable foe in the Arizona Cardinals who will be hungry for their first win after losing to a short handed Patriots team last Sunday. The Cardinals have many big named players across their roster and have quality depth throughout their team. They have a great coaching staff led by Bruce Arians and an very good GM in Steve Keim who has done a great job in the draft. Here is a quick breakdown of their offense, defense, and special teams units.

Offense

The offense is led by their skill guys in Rb David Johnson and Wr Larry Fitzgerald who both are dangerous in open space. In addition to those two, they have Mike Floyd, John Brown, and Jermaine Gresham who present size and speed making the Cardinals offense tough to stop. Leading the offense is veteran Qb Carson Palmer who is very accurate and loves to take shots down the field. His weakness though is his mobility as he won't scramble but will stand in the pocket and deliver the ball with timing. The weakness on the offense is the O-line especially on the right side with DJ Humphries who is suspect. The left side is decent with Veldheer and Iupati who are better run blockers then they are pass protectors. Overall, the offense is capable of putting up points quickly.

Defense

The defense is very skilled and athletic starting with their all pro corner in Patrick Peterson who just makes plays every Sunday. Their defensive line is big and physical starting with DE Calias Campbell, DT Corey Peters, and star pass rusher in Chandler Jones. The Cardinals play a mix of 3-4 and 4-3 fronts in which they do a great job of mixing their personnel and love to bring pressures off the edge. Their linebackers are quick and athletic led by Deone Bucannon who is an hybrid as he is a former safety so is an excellent open field tackler already. In addition to Bucannon, they have Kevin Minter and Markus Golden who are both athletic and physical, Golden is one of their better pass rushers of the edge. Their secondary is led by Patrick Peterson who is a lock down corner as well as Tyrann Mathieu who flys around the field. Safeties Tony Jefferson, Tyvon Branch, and DJ Swearinger all rotate in and play their share of snaps. Jefferson is really good against the run, suspect vs the pass though.

Special Teams

Their special teams is solid with Chandler Catanzaro who is an above average kicker. Their punter Drew Butler is very good at directional punting and does a good job of pinning teams back inside the 20. Their return teams is dangerous with Rb Andre Ellington back there as he can make defenders miss and he is someone the Bucs have to account for.

Overall, this is a much stronger team than the team the Bucs just beat so it's going to be a great challenge come this Sunday.

Kwon Alexander Was Dominant In Week One

The Bucs defense looked much improved in their week 1 win against the Falcons in which they held them to only 52 yards rushing and an 25% redzone conversion rate. The Bucs were aggressive throughout the game in which they mixed in multiple coverages and blitzes and for the most past did a great job of keeping everything in front of them. However, one player on the Bucs defense stood out above the rest and that is middle linebacker Kwon Alexander. Just take a look at his numbers against the Falcons per Daniel Jeremiah.

TB LB Kwon Alexander
17 tkls, 1 sack, 2 tfl's, 2 QB hits.

The Bucs have a very fast, athletic LB group.

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) September 12, 2016

This defense allows it's linebackers to go make plays and be aggressive in their pursuit towards the football. Kwon and Lavonte David made play after play at the line of scrimmage or in the backfield. Alexander was flying all over the field making tackles left and right, but what was impressive was how he was playing under control and not getting out of position with his speed. Alexander said last night on his radio show that new linebacker Daryl Smith has taught him how to play with more control and know when to use his speed. This is great to hear and also how he is becoming a student of the game by knowing his opponent better with film study. Kwon is on his way to being something special and I believe these kind of performances will be the norm for him, especially in this defense which lets him play to his strengths. This defense is going to be fun to watch with Kwon Alexander leading the way.

#Bucs have something special in @Showtime17Kwon ...comes out of nowhere on this play! pic.twitter.com/G0bFQ4WZNM

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) September 13, 2016

Bucs Sign RB Jacquizz Rodgers

The Bucs signed an familiar face today in running back Jacquizz Rodgers who played with Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter in Atlanta from 2012-2014. Rodgers is still young at age 26 and knows the offense in which he can provide more speed and a player that can make defenders miss. The Bucs are signing Rodgers to a one year deal per Jenna Laine of Espn.

I'm told that it's a one-year deal for Jacquizz Rodgers and the Bucs. Because he signed this week instead of... https://t.co/E4d0mYxWNF

— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) September 13, 2016

Rodgers can also return kicks as he has an 24 yard per return average with an 77 yard long in his career. With Rodgers being 5'6, he is low to the ground and can make defenders miss with his quickness and agility which makes him a threat as a returner. Rodgers can also be an weapon out of the backfield as a receiver where he had over 50 receptions in 2012 and 2013 under coach Koetter. Rodgers provides the team with more depth at the running back position and upgrades the special teams unit as well. This is another solid move by the Bucs as it gives this team another proven veteran who can make an impact right away.

Explosive Plays

The Bucs offense played pretty good in their win yesterday against the Falcons putting up 31 points and over 350 yards. The Bucs were balanced in their play calls with a good mix of run and pass and took advantage of what the defense was presenting to them. However, all great offenses in this league make explosive plays and the Bucs made three that won them the game yesterday. Let's take a look at each one.

Charles Sims made the play of the game

The Bucs got a big stop on defense right before the half in which coach Koetter quickly called timeout to give the Bucs offense enough time to score some points before the half. Bucs went no-huddle and Jameis found rhythm as he went 7-10 on the drive. Two key plays were the passes to V.Jackson on third and 10 and then on first down to get 7 yards. That set up the Bucs with 2nd and 3 on the 24 yd line with 24 seconds left in which the Bucs at the very least will get three points. Charles Sims took over with a short pass over the middle and made 6 defenders miss on his way to the endzone putting the Bucs up 17-13.

HOLY S*** CHARLES SIMS https://t.co/4d4kb22MJN

— Trevor Sikkema (@TrevorSikkema) September 11, 2016

Jameis to an diving ASJ 

The Bucs have been harping all week about starting fast, well the team did that to start the second half. The Bucs went down the field in 4 plays covering 75 yards ending with a fantastic play from Jameis to tight end Austin Seferian Jenkins who made a great catch on the ball for the score. This play was just Jenkins beating his man to the endzone and Jameis put the football where only he could catch it.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins got those hands though 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3dUT3c3rzR

— Football Posts (@FballPosts) September 12, 2016

Mike Evans is Elite

In the first half the Bucs only targeted Evans once, and if they wanted to win that would have to change in the second half. It did as Evans made play after play setting up a beautiful 45 yard touchdown pass from Jameis to Evans which showed the potential of this offense. Again pretty simple play as Evans just got over the top of the defense and Jameis delivered an perfect ball right into the hands of Evans.

In my 25 years on this Earth, I have never seen a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team play offense like this. This is fun https://t.co/Kr8HrupAYa

— Trevor Sikkema (@TrevorSikkema) September 11, 2016

Koetter has been talking about making explosive plays all off-season because of how hard it is to drive the whole field. It was the difference in this game and the Bucs are 1-0 going into week 2.

Good Start for Third Down Defense

Last year the Bucs defense was one of the worst defenses in the league and struggled to get stops consistently each week. One of the biggest issues was third down defense in which the Bucs allowed their opponents to convert 46% of the time. That is just awful and it usually means the defense is on the field too much which leads to wearing out as an unit as the season goes on. Probably one of the reasons why the Bucs crumbled at the end of last season losing four straight to end the year.

The good news is that was last year and the Bucs have a new defensive coordinator in Mike Smith who preaches third down defense and getting off the field. When Smith was hired he listed 3 goals for his defense this season per buccaneers.com.

“What you have to have to be successful on the defensive side of the football is you’ve got to have the ability to stop the run when people are trying to run the football because, if not, it’s a slow death,” Smith said. “The other thing that you have to do is you have to be able to take the ball away and you have to be able to win on third down. 

Well the Bucs did two of those things in their season opener against the Falcons in which they held their offense to a 23% third down conversion rate and only 52 yards rushing. The Falcons were 3 of 13 on third downs which is outstanding by the Bucs defense and that is what we call winning football. It starts with better first and second down defense which the Bucs forced Atlanta into more 3rd and longs which allowed the defense to force checkdowns. If the Bucs can hold teams under 30% conversion rate on third down, they are going to be successful more often than not.

3 Negatives From Week 1 Win

The Bucs got a huge win today on the road against the Falcons and as of right now are in first place in the division. However, not everything was great today as their were some negatives in today's ballgame.

O-Line Lacked Punch

The O-line had it's moments when it was good but it was average for the most part today. Too many hits allowed on Jameis today as pass protection was too inconsistent. Same with the run blocking as it was on and off throughout the game. There wasn't many holes for Doug Martin or Charles Sims as they did a good job of making defenders miss to gain extra yards. This unit must be better if this team wants to win consistently.

Coverage Breakdowns/Lack of Pass Rush

Since the Bucs are playing in a new defensive scheme there are going to be mistakes made at times during the game. The Bucs had multiple breakdowns in pass coverage today, mostly coming from the linebackers and safeties who failed to switch to their guys coming into their zones or were late getting over. The good news is this can be fixed with communication and watching the film. Another negative was the lack of pass rush which did get 3 sacks today, but needs to produce more consistent pressure throughout the game. The loss of Jacquies Smith didn't help today but the Bucs need more from Ayers, Spence, and the rest of the D-line going forward.

Keep Attacking on Offense

The Bucs really found their rhythm in the 2nd and 3rd quarters as they scored 21 consecutive points to go up 31-13. The Bucs were attacking the mismatches in the Falcons rookie linebackers and young corner Robert Alford whom both couldn't stop Mike Evans or the Bucs tight ends. Then for some reason the Bucs stopped attacking those weaknesses and went away from what was working. Sometimes offenses can try to get too cute and over think things when all they have to do is just keep going with what is working. The Bucs need to simplify things on offense and just attack at all times.

3 Positives From Week 1 Win

The Bucs prevailed over the Falcons today 31-24 and there were a lot of bright spots but here a few that really caught our eye.

Winston Deep Ball

Jameis did miss his first deep throws early in the first to Humphries and a wide open Evans in the end zone but he made up for it as the game went on. Winston connected with ASJ for a 30 yard TD on the first possession after halftime and a 45 yarder to Evans the drive after. Both were perfect timing passes that dropped right in the receivers hands. With the size of all our bucs receivers and tight ends the deep ball will be used heavily and its a great sign that Winston has the timing down.

Redzone defense

A major weakness of the bucs for the past 5 or more years has been defense, but primarily red-zone defense and today they showed improvement. Of the 4 times the falcons got into the red-zone the bucs stopped them 3 times. The bend but don't break defense could be coming back but improvements still need to be made.

Punter/Special Teams

Overall the special teams had a picture perfect day. Roberto Aguayo made his first and only regular season kick for 43 yards as well as all 4 of his extra points. The coverage teams all did their part as there were no big returns to flip the field. The biggest highlight to me was punter Bryan Anger as he was booming kicks left and right. Anger had 5 punts averaging 45 yards per punt, with a long of 57 yards. Field position is huge in this game of inches and Anger can be seen as a weapon as he can determine where the other team will begin their drives.

Bucs Win!

Coach Dirk Koetter comes away with his first victory ever as a head coach in the NFL beating the Falcons 31-24. Jameis Winston put on a passing display going 23-33 281 yds and 4 tds versus only one interception. The offense took the game over right before the first half after Jameis found Charles Sims who made an amazing play to put the Bucs up 17-13. Then in the second half, especially in the third quarter the offense made two big plays that put the team up 31 to 13.

Jameis stayed hot starting the opening drive in the third, going deep to ASJ who beat his man for a great touchdown catch which put Tampa ahead 24-13. Then after a defensive stop, the Bucs went right back on the attack, and Jameis hit Mike Evans for a beautiful 45 yard touchdown pass giving the Bucs an 31-13 lead. After that though not much happen, as the offense seemed to lose their tempo and would only gain 41 yards after that Evans touchdown. 

On the defensive side, there were positives as they held the Falcons to less than 60 yards rushing and only allowed one Td out of 4 redzone attempts. The Bucs had three sacks which is solid but was still lacking consistent pressure throughout the game. Gerald McCoy and Kwon Alexander were outstanding today as they made huge plays especially at the end of the game to help the Bucs close out the win. Overall, a great win to start the season as winning division games on the road are never easy so with that being said it's great to be an Bucs fan today!

Start Fast

The Bucs have been known for getting off to slow starts during games as well as during the season, especially the last few seasons. It's time to change that and get off to a fast start today against the Falcons and kick this season off right with a victory. The Bucs need to come out today aggressive and set the tone right away. Look for the Bucs offense to show some no-huddle to pick up the tempo and play fast as an unit.

The Bucs will try to establish the ground game with Doug Martin and Charles Sims who were the best running back duo in the league last year. If the Bucs can do that, expect to see play action with multiple shots downfield to get big plays. The Bucs have mismatches they can take advantage of against the Falcons defense. Look for them to attack their linebackers and cornerback Robert Alford who will be going against 6'5 receivers as he is only 5'10. Look for the offense to attack these mismatches especially in the redzone.

As for the defense, they just need to do one thing and that is bring the heat on Falcons Qb Matt Ryan. It starts with Gerald McCoy, Robert Ayers, Noah Spence, and Jacquies Smith as they need to put consistent pressure throughout the game. The defense will be more aggressive and that means bringing blitzes which should be often today as they want Ryan to be rushing his throws. Again this team needs to start fast and a good way to do that is play aggressive and stay aggressive.

Tight Ends Could Have a Big Day

The Falcons are starting two rookie linebackers tomorrow in Deion Jones and Devondre Campbell who are talented but are still rookies. The Bucs have two good tight ends in Cameron Brate and Austin Seferian Jenkins who should be a big part of the gameplan tomorrow afternoon. The Bucs can use them off play action with seam routes and stick routes which can be very effective against the middle of the opposing defense. Expect the Bucs to go right at the Falcons linebackers and make them have to play the run and the pass.

The Bucs will probably use their two tight end sets often to set up different things whether it's via the run or pass. Balance will be the key for the offense, but I can see the tight ends being targeted early and often. Jameis and Cam Brate have good chemistry and I expect those two to make some big plays together. When ASJ is on his game, he can be a force on the field and I expect we see him and Brate on the field together often. So keep an eye on this for tomorrow and expect the tight ends to get multiple looks in the passing game.

Don't Test Trufant

Looking at the Atlanta Falcons defense you can see that their front 7 is really young and unproven so that would most likely be the bucs primary target come Sunday. What they most definitely should not do is test cornerback Desmond Trufant. You have to respect Trufant and understand that he is with out a doubt the best player on this Falcons defense.

Trufant, only a 4th year veteran made the Pro Bowl for the first time last year and that was with only 1 interception which happened to come against your buccaneers. He comes from a family of NFL players as he is the youngest of 3 brothers currently on NFL rosters. He brings a combination of great coverage skills with elite athletic ability evident by his 4.3 forty, 3.85 20 yd shuttle and 37.5 inch vert.

Most likely he will be following Evans the whole game and unless Evans beats him on a first move or its an end zone jump ball I wouldn't test his abilities. Look for Koetter to exploit the front 7 and the other corner Robert Alford as he's only 5'10 and matched up with 6'5 Vincent Jackson.

Don't Let Freeman Beat You

The Bucs defense will have a goal that every defense has every week and that is making the opposing offense one dimensional. This is key against a team like Atlanta who has a dangerous offense and is scary good if the running game is working. The Bucs defense must shut down Falcons Rb Devonta Freeman which is no easy task. The Falcons love to run the stretch run and get the opposing d-line moving east and west which opens up the cutback lanes.

Key for the Bucs front seven will be gap control and quick penetration to force Freeman to change direction back into the Bucs defenders. Freeman is dangerous in the open field so tackling will be key to make sure he doesn't break long runs. I would expect the Bucs to throw some run blitzes on first and second down to mix up their front seven looks against the Falcons. If the Bucs can make the Falcons one dimensional and get them in more third and longs, it could be a good day for the defense on Sunday.

Freeman is very talented so this won't be easy as the Bucs D will have to be discipline in their run fits and make sure they tackle well. I think with the Bucs linebacking core in David, Alexander, and Smith they should be able to make plays in the backfield and hopefully keeping Freeman from making a big impact come Sunday.