Key Matchups For Sunday

Tomorrow's game is an big opportunity for the Bucs as they can get above 500 and get one step closer to first place in the division. Their opponent the Oakland Raiders are coming to Tampa with an record of 5-2 and have probably one of the better offenses in the league. With that being said, lets take a look at the critical matchups in this game that we feel the Bucs must win if they want to win the game at Ray Jay tomorrow.

1. Bucs D-Line vs Raiders O-line

The Bucs defensive line has a big task ahead of them tomorrow against the big Raiders offensive line whom have done a great job protecting Qb Derek Carr. Carr has been sacked only seven times and hit 15 times this season. The good news for the Bucs is that DE Robert Ayers is coming back giving the Bucs more depth up front. Look for the Bucs to move Ayers and Spence around a lot to give the Raiders different looks. Gerald McCoy has been a beast all season along with Will Gholston and that must continue tomorrow for the Bucs defense to be successful. Bucs D-line has to get pressure on Carr which should create opportunities for interceptions.

2. Mike Evans vs Raiders Secondary

Evans has been sensational this season and that must continue for the Bucs offense to be successful. Evans has a great opportunity to have a big game this week going against a secondary that has been giving up over 300 yards in the air per game. Evans will be going against Sean Smith and David Amerson whom both are bigger corners but at the same time lack speed which is something the Bucs must take advantage of. Expect the Bucs to move Evans around like they did against the 49ers and hopefully can create some big plays down the field.

3. Vernon Hargreaves vs Amari Cooper

This is the matchup everyone is talking about and it should be a great one to watch. Cooper is an excellent route runner and is very creative. Hargreaves and Cooper have gone against each other in college so familiarity is there between the two. The Bucs need Hargreaves to contain Cooper and not let him make the big play downfield. Hopefully if the d-line is doing their part, then Hargreaves will have an easier time containing Cooper.

Bucs Have Two Pro Bowl Guards

The Bucs offensive line still comes up as an hot topic of discussion and how good they really are. Here at Real Bucs Talk, we believe they are one of the strongest units on this team and will continue to get better. Specifically the two guards whom both are under the age of 26, and both have been outstanding this season. Let's start with the right guard out of Hobart college who was taken in the 2nd round of the 2015 draft. Ali Marpet has taken big steps this year with his overall game as he is excellent in the run game and has been above average in his pass protection. Marpet, 23 is very athletic but has power as well making him an ideal guard. There has been legit conversation about Marpet making the pro bowl this year especially if the Bucs can continue their winning ways.

#Bucsfilm2016wk7 Ali Marpet got it started early w/ a great pull sealing the DE #PlayByPlayByCheah https://t.co/1orXd1gKWo

— Steven Cheah (@CHEAH_SAY) October 28, 2016

However, Ali Marpet has not been the Bucs best offensive lineman that title goes to the team's 5th round selection in 2014. That is third year guard Kevin Pamphile whom has been outstanding and probably the biggest surprise of the season. Pamphile, 25 wasn't even suppose to start this season as the Bucs had free agent JR Sweezy slotted in at the left guard position. Sweezy got hurt and hasn't taken the field all year and as they say someones misfortune is another man's opportunity. Pamphile finally got his shot heading into this season and so far he is cementing his spot along this offensive line group. Pamphile has size and speed standing at 6'5 310lbs and uses his strength to just manhandle his opponents.

#Bucsfilm2016wk7 Nice seals by Hawley, Marpet. @Pb25Peyton shows good agility & accelerati... https://t.co/2RtwEU0PsS

— Steven Cheah (@CHEAH_SAY) October 28, 2016

The Bucs have had some good tandems at guard before but this current one might be the best they have had. Both have pro bowl ability and are not even in their prime yet which is kinda scary. Bucs should be able to continue to run the ball well behind these two as they are both playing at an very high level.

Lavonte David Is Still Very Good!

While listening to the vibe of bucs fans I've come across a disturbing point about how Lavonte David isn't that good and not worth the 10 million he currently is being paid. I'm here to totally disagree. While watching tape on David he is still always involved in the ball and around the ball. He had one bad game against the Cardinals where he didn't register a tackle and all of a sudden people think he isn't that good. Other than that game he's had at least 5 tackles in every game totaling 34 tackles, 1 sack and 2 forced fumbles. The guy is a man as you can see below.

Watch as David takes on a lineman and still almost makes the play. He is still one of our best players. Sma... https://t.co/s9mdDEImuV

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 24, 2016

David is still alive people! https://t.co/EG3mJ3EYRw

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 24, 2016

The first vine shows it all, David is 6'1 233, the pulling Guard is rookie Josh Garnett who is 6'4 312 lbs. David is an animal and doesn't hesitate for a second and lays him out, then attacks the runningback. He doesn't make the play but he sets up the rest of his teammates and the play ends up going for a loss. David plays the game from the neck up and I believe he is still that dominant linebacker but now he finally has help in Kwon Alexander. There should be no criticism to David and more of a realization of how good Kwon is actually becoming.

Noah Spence Getting Better

The Bucs 2nd round pick and hopefully soon to be pass rush specialist is slowly getting better with every game. Spence has really impressed me already as he played against the Panthers with practically one arm as he dislocated his shoulder the week before. Looking at his 49er game tape he continues to show that he is growing as a player and getting more confident. Below you can see his QB pressures and finally his sack that ended the game.

Bucs send Kwon and David to blitz but it's the edge speed of Spence and Jones that pushes Kaepernick inside... https://t.co/QzWPfiBRrn

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 24, 2016

Noah Spence with a good pressure and Hughes can't disengage to make the sack, instead Kap throws for the TD. https://t.co/msBuPyxkCx

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 24, 2016

Noah Spence continues to flash. Getting pressure and hands on Kap that almost causes Hargreaves first NFL p... https://t.co/jY5HJbJyOT

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 25, 2016

Nice inside move here by Noah Spence to get his 2nd career sack. He tried different techniques later in thi... https://t.co/agFgZ67XRA

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 25, 2016

Spence is developing nicely. He began to show more confidence and reached into his tool box and tried different pass rush moves late in the game. He tried a spin move and his inside rush which ended in his sack. Whenever we get a lead he will be at his best which is flying around the corner getting after the QB. His motor is non stop and he may still need work against the run but he is improving with every game and finally getting more playing time. Keep it up Spence we need you!

Safeties Finally Getting It

Sunday against the 49ers may have been the best game by both of the bucs safeties. Bradley McDougald came away with his first pick and Conte didn't allow the big play and also came away with a couple key stop as you can see below.

McCoy splits 2 defenders and causes enough pressure to cause Kap to throw an interception to Bradley McDoug... https://t.co/CBtlnwQRrJ

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 24, 2016

I give him such a hard time always but Conte coming up with a big tackle to force 3rd down. We force punt n... https://t.co/4UyfT4ilg5

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 24, 2016

Great blitz scheme. Everyone at the line and Kwon and David stay back as Conte and Jude fly in and meet at ... https://t.co/qre68yjAYW

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 24, 2016

Both McDougald and Conte have gotten a lashing here from us at Real bucs talk but it looks as if they are finally figuring it out. They may have done well against a below average team in the 49ers but they still were in the right places at the right time. Conte, whom I bash the most seemed to always be in the right assignment and played fast. McDougald obviously flashed with the interception but also totaled 5 tackles and one pass deflected. Its good if you don't hear the safety's name called as they are the last line of defense and usually are making the tackle after everyone else has missed.

Hopefully McDougald and Conte take this game as a confidence booster and go into this Raiders game ready to play knowing the level at which they can play. It's the best I've seen them play this season and that can only be a good sign.

Defense is Coming Around

The last two games the Bucs have won have been mainly due to the offense taking better care of the football, but more importantly the improved play of the defense. The defense had it's growing pains early on during the first few games but it looks like the switch has been turn on as players look more comfortable in the new scheme. It started with the Broncos game in which the defense had probably their best first half of the season as they were making plays and getting pressure up front.

One key move the coaching staff made was put rookie CB Vernon Hargreaves on the outside and let him go against the opposing top receiver. Hargreaves has been outstanding since being move to the starting role as he has been excellent in coverage and stout against the run. Him and Grimes have been a steady combo along with Jude Adjei-Barimah holding the nickel position down as well. The Safties are playing much better as well especially Bradley Mcdougald who has been a force in run support.

The defensive line is starting to get healthy with McCoy back along with Ayers and Mcdonald on the way back. In addition, the Bucs are getting great play out of their 2013 picks in Will Gholston and Akeem Spence whom both have been very consistent throughout the season so far. Most could make a case that Gholston has been the Bucs best d-lineman this year as he had a big sack yesterday against the 49ers. Plus rookie Noah Spence is coming around as he probably had his best game yesterday in which he applied consistent pressure and showed his edge rush potential.

Nice inside move here by Noah Spence to get his 2nd career sack. He tried different techniques later in thi... https://t.co/agFgZ67XRA

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 25, 2016

Overall, the defense is coming around and are heading in the right direction. The unit is holding opposing Quarterbacks under 60% completion percentage with an 58.3% which is major improvement from last year's percentage of 70%. Third down defense has been really good as opposing offenses are converting only 32.9% of the time which is very good and only the Dolphins are better at 31%. This defense is getting healthy at the right time and continues to get better each week. They are going to have to be at their best against an good offense in the Oakland Raiders this Sunday.

Bucs Have Found Their Winning Formula

The Bucs have found success during the last two games and are back to 500 at 3-3. It seems like the Bucs have found the winning formula which is the formula for all good teams. The formula is simple which is be balance on offense (run the ball), protect the football, and on defense don't give up the big play. The Bucs have done just that over the last two games in which they ran for 362 yards and only one turnover on offense and their defense has been more consistent in not allowing the big play. This team is playing smart and playing to their strengths which is running the football on offense and stopping the run on defense.

As long as Jameis is making smart decisions with the football and avoiding the bad turnovers, this team is dangerous. The Bucs offensive line is becoming an strength for this team and is getting push in the ground game. With the Bucs being balance on offense, it is opening up more opportunities for Mike Evans who had two more touchdowns yesterday and is now tied for most receiving touchdowns with 6 on the year. The Bucs have the Raiders next and their defense isn't the greatest so the opportunity to be balanced on offense is there again. The winning formula is in place for the Bucs, now the next step is finding ways to win at home.

Back to 500

A few weeks back the Bucs were 1-3 as it look like nothing was going in the right direction for this team. The offense was a turnover machine while the defense was allowing big plays and couldn't get any turnovers to help the offense out. In addition the Bucs had multiple injuries to key players which didn't make matters any better, and things seem to be going the wrong way again for this team. However, the Bucs did not put their head down instead they fought back by getting back to playing smart football and most importantly doing what they do best and that is running the football. The Bucs got a big win against division rival in the Panthers, then yesterday took care of business against the 49ers which put the team back at 500 with an record of 3-3.

Now granted the last two wins for the Bucs were against teams that have two wins combined but for a team who has struggled to win consistently it was huge. The offense played with balance allowing Jameis to be more comfortable throughout the game and not putting it all on him. The defense got turnovers with 7 over the last two games while the offense has had only one turnover giving the Bucs a plus 6 in turnover ratio. This team is starting to get healthy as they are going to get more key guys back over the next month and hopefully they can keep this winning thing going. The Bucs have a big three game span coming up in which all three are at Ray-Jay and it's time this team starts winning games at home. It starts this Sunday against a very good team in the Oakland Raiders.

Dirk Koetter during his post game press conference. "We gotta learn how to win games at home"

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 23, 2016

Bucs Need to Set The Tone vs 49ers

Last game vs the Panthers, the Bucs started the game with 6 straight runs which sent a message that they were going to enforce their will all night. What it did was set the tone for the game and the Bucs were going to out physical their opponent which is what they did against Carolina. This week against the 49ers, they need to come out with the same mindset and pound the rock throughout the game. No Doug Martin again this week, but Jacquizz Rodgers and new addition Antone Smith should be able to get the job done.

49ers defense is coming off a game in which they gave up over 300 yards rushing, so stopping the run is their main issue and expect the Bucs to attack it. The 49ers are missing their leader in Navarro Bowman who is one of the best linebackers in the game as they have allowed 78 points over the last two games. The Bucs have a good run blocking offensive line and are getting their best blocking tight end in Luke Stocker back which is huge for their run offense. Hopefully with Stocker and the combo of Rodgers and Smith, the Bucs offense can set the tone by running the football down the throats of an wounded 49ers defense.

Bucs v Eagles Film Doesn't Help Much

by Douglas O'Connor

follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     The Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced of against Chip Kelly's Philadelphia Eagles on November 22, of last year and walked out of Lincoln Financial Field with a 45-17 win. Jameis Winston threw for 5 touchdowns tying a rookie record and Doug Martin ran for a whopping 235 yards. Initially you'd think that the Bucs could dust off that game tape and use it as a blueprint against the now Kelly led San Francisco 49ers. Sure the offense schemes are the same but just about everything else has changed.

Offense
     Chip Kelly's offensive scheme is the same, but obviously the players have changed. The biggest change is at quarterback. Gone is the turnover machine Mark Sanchez replaced by a more mobile and more dangerous Colin Kaepernick. Sanchez threw 3 interceptions and put his team in a hole almost from the start. Now that Kaepernick is at the helm the read option will be a much bigger part of Kelly's game plan. 

     Dirk Koetter's offense put up 45 points and over 520 yards of offense against the Eagles last year. Giving Chip Kelly an up close and personal look at all of the Bucs offensive weapons. What makes the tape near worthless is that 2 of the 5 offensive touchdowns and 365 of the 520 total yards won't be on the field Sunday. Mostly in the form of Doug Martin, Charles Sims, and Vincent Jackson.

Defense
     Granted the Eagles offense didn't do a lot to help out their defense. 4 turnovers and only 7 points, but the offensive game plan the Bucs conceived for Philly is pointless now. Not only are the players different, but so is the coordinator and scheme. When Chip Kelly "moved" from the Eagles to the 49ers he didn't bring then defensive coordinator Billy Davis instead he hired Jim O'Neil away from the Cleveland Browns. The only thing that is a consistent factor between the 2 defenses is that they both lineup in a 3-4.

     The Buccaneers defensive film against the Eagles will be the most helpful, but with the hiring of new defensive coordinator Mike Smith his plan won't be identical. The addition of 4 new Bucs that will see significant playing time and Kaepernick's mobility changes the defensive approach enough to use the the tape more as a guideline not a blueprint.

     You can follow fellow staffers @realbucstalk
     As always thanks for reading and Go Bucs!

         
     

Hamstrings:What, Why, When, & Where.

by Douglas O'Connor
follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     The recent "setback" of Buccaneers running back Doug Martin had a lot of fans throwing their hands in the air in frustration. Fully expecting to see their pro bowl running back lining up behind Jameis Winston in San Francisco.

    Hamstring injuries are commonplace in the NFL and are notorious for taking so much time to heal. The Buccaneers over the last 2 years have put two draft picks on IR due to hamstring injuries, Kenny Bell and Devante Bond. So it's not something that is easily overcome.

     I decided to do some research about the injury in hopes to understand why it's so common and information on the best treatments. I found a pages an pages of medical journal papers, but since I'm no doctor a lot of it information was lost on me. Then I came across an ESPN Training Room post that broke it down for us workaday types. Would you like to know MORE.

     You can follow fellow staffers @realbucstalk. Thanks for reading and Go Bucs!

These Guys Are Going To Try To Fill The Jackson Void

by Douglas O'Connor
follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     The Buccaneers announced that 12 year veteran, Vincent Jackson, has been moved to injured reserve with an ACL injury. Tampa has very little experienced depth at wide receiver but someone has to step up and try to fill Jackson's shoes. Below is a little background on the top 3 candidates that are going to give it a try.

The Vet
     Cecil Shorts III played in Jacksonville during his first 4 years in the league. After spending a year in Houston, Tampa signed Shorts to the 53 man roster on September 6th. Cecil was active for 2 games and had 1 catch before he pulled his hamstring and was inactive for the next 3 weeks. Shorts returned to practice couldn't come at a better time. He returned to practice the same day Jackson was placed on IR. Cecil has 219 rec for 2,839 yds and 14 tds for his career and has the most experience by far of any of the other receivers. See what he said about his progress HERE.

The Specialist
     Russell Shepard has been with the Bucs since 2013. A jack of all trades while at LSU, Shepard lined up at QB, RB, and WR. Unable to find a role thus far in the Buccaneers offense, 10 catches in 4 years. Shepard has made his mark as being a standout special teams player. Wide Receivers Coach Todd Monken told the media that filling Jackson role will be done by committee. Suggesting that Russell will get to see the field more. Watch Monken's press conference HERE.

The Speedster 
     Donteea Dye has bounced between the Buccaneers practice squad and the 53 man roster since the start of last season. Dye did manage to be active for 10 games last year and see enough of the field to record 11 catches. Dye's big contribution may come on kickoff returns. Where he can use his 4.3 speed most effectively.

    Give the staffers a follow @realbucstalk and as always thanks for reading. Go Bucs!

Vernon Hargreaves Taking His Spot

Vernon Hargreaves seems to have officially been slotted as one of the two starting corners next to Brent Grimes and what's most exciting is it seems like he is going to be matched up with the best receiver every game. Last week VH3 seemed to shadow Panthers monster WR Kelvin Benjamin who stands 6'5 245 and the 5'10 200 lb Hargreaves faired well. Early in the game it seemed like Benjamin's size was going to be too much but VH3 stepped up and got in his face more and actually caused the interception in the 2nd quarter. After that interception, Benjamin only caught the ball 2 more times out of 5 targets and caught 5 of a possible 9 in the entire game for 70 yards. Thats pretty good for a guy that is 7 inches shorter and 45 pounds lighter.

Below is one of my favorite plays of the night from VH3. First he notices that the play is a WR screen, then has the athletic ability to dodge the pulling tackle and ultimately shows his toughness to dive in there and make the play himself instead of waiting for his teammates.

VH3 may b small but he is smart and tough. Has the awareness to allude the pulling lineman and still makes ... https://t.co/b8IQvbKRqu

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 16, 2016

That is why Hargreaves was our first pick this year and he continues to show more and more as his comfort level continues to rise. I expect to see his first interception soon if not against this offensively deprived 49ers team whose best receiver is Jeremy Kerley.

Akeem Spence Coming Into His Own

Since joining the bucs in the 2013 draft Spence hasn't done much to make much noise or to have people notice him but so far this year he has my attention. Spence stepped up to the occasion last week against Carolina with starters Gerald McCoy and Clinton McDonald out with injuries. The Dline was severely depleted and didn't show much push at all but there was one guy that seemed to always have a push and that guy was Spence.

It was easy to see the difference between he and the undrafted free agents Channing Ward and Davonte Lambert. He was the main reason behind the big 3rd and 2 stop that got the ball back for the bucs late in the 4th quarter, which you can see here.

3&2 late in the 4th and A.Spence comes up huge blowing up the play against pro bowler Trai Turner and leave... https://t.co/51PAGlb8gM

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 16, 2016

Spence will never be known as a sack artist but he does his job well, which is stopping the run and clogging holes so others can capitalize. Seems like Spence is really taking well to new Dline coach Jay Hayes and assistant coach Paul Spicer as he hasn't had this much push in the past. Hopefully he continues to grow off of this and shows us more moving forward. Lets see if he can top his career high of 3 sacks this year.

First Semester Is Over For Buccaneers Draft Picks. How Did They Grade?

by Douglas O'Connor
follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     There was plenty of opinions on how the Buccaneers 2016 draft went. Claims that the Bucs had found 4 new starters, if you count a kicker as a starter. To cries calling for Jason Licht's head for drafting a Kicker in the 2nd round. I'm going to recap each pick and assign it a letter grade based on where the player was taken and how they have impacted the the team.

Vernon Hargreaves: Touted as the best cover corner in the draft, fell to the Bucs when they moved down 2 spots from 9 the the 11th pick. Hargreaves was inserted as the starting nickle back during training camp while playing the outside on the 2nd team. During the preseason Vernon was grading out as the best corner in the league, due mostly to a 2 interception game against the Jaguars. Only a few games into the season and VH3 has moved to a starting outside corner spot. Essentially benching Alterraun Verner and his $6.7 million contract. He's 4th on the team with 23 TOT and caused an interception on Monday night, deflecting a ball into the air that LB Daryl Smith circled under to complete the turnover.
My Grade: I'm giving Hargreaves an A. Besides all the reasons mentioned above there is no other position in the NFL that is a harder transition from college to the pro's, besides quarterback, than corner. Recently Head Coach gave Vernon high praise, when he mentioned that Hargreaves was low maintenance. Translation, you can treat  him like a veteran. He knows his assignment, he's where he's supposed to be in the defense, you don't have to hold his hand.

Noah Spence: Considered the best pure pass rushing defensive end in the draft and was linked to the Bucs with their 1st pick, early in mock drafts. Taken in the 2nd round as an answer to the Buccaneers decade drought of not having a 10+ sack man. Noah was praised for having great hands and an array of rush moves during training camp. His edge speed is undeniable, but fans quickly learned that he is to small to stand up against the run. Even with all the injuries along the defensive line Spence is still being used as a situational pass rusher.
My Grade: Noah earns a B. You may think this is a little generous but he does have one sack, one off the team lead. If that's still isn't enough to convince you checkout this clip. Spence is at the top of the screen.
  

Noah Spence here with a nice swim move getting pressure. If he holds it 1/2 a second longer he's on the gro... https://t.co/gZinztOiWO

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 16, 2016

He's going to be special.

Roberto Aguayo: Regarded as the best kicker, well ever. The Bucs gave up their 3rd round pick and the 4th rounder that the acquired in the Giants trade to move up and take this once in a generation kicker. The Bucs let loose of all his competition before training camp. Aguayo couldn't lose his job unless his leg fell off. That didn't keep him from trying though.
My Grade: D. The game winner against Carolina on Monday night saved Roberto from a failing grade. Actually I like the pick of Aguayo, but he has to kick for the Bucs for the next 10 years to ever grade out as an A draft pick.

Ryan Smith: Picked in the 4th round from North Carolina Central University. Brought into play safety even though he played corner back in college. A broken hand in the preseason has slowed Smith's progress. Mike Smith is bringing him along slowly in hopes that he's ready to go if the injury bug bites.
My Grade: C. Hard to give him a grade due to the lack of playing time. It is a bit concerning that he isn't getting any snaps at the position that is easily to worst on the team. On the plus side Ryan does return kickoffs for the Bucs and not a skill everyone possesses.

Caleb Benenoch: 5th round pick Benenoch came out his junior year when most draft experts thought he would improve his stock with another year at UCLA. There is some obscure NCAA rule about being in school and practicing with an NFL team. It's only a problem if your university grade on a trimester system. Guess which system UCLA uses? Due to this Caleb missed OTA's and fell behind.
My Grade: B. Caleb got a slow start but did make the team at the deepest position on the team. He also can play all 3 line positions and has been active for every game.

Devante Bond: Was all primed to have a breakout senior year at the University of Oklahoma. An ankle injury derailed most of his senior season but the Bucs found him and drafted Devante in the 6th round. Bond was drafted to take over for bridge free agent signee Daryl Smith once he learns the SAM LB position. Bond was put on IR with a hamstring injury and might return later this year.
My Grade: Incomplete. Bond could be the starting strong side linebacker next year or he could be on the street. Time will tell.
    I found this highlight reel of Devante back in his JuCo days, he was a man amongst boys.



Dan Vitale: Best fullback in the draft was the buzz. Jason Licht has used late round picks to try to find his team a lead blocker. Buc fans thought they had their man in the 6th round draft pick from Northwestern. Even though Vitale was an instant fan favorite his lack of blocking ability doomed him in the end.
My Grade: I'm giving Danny a C. Now hear me out. Late round draft picks aren't supposed to make good teams. Also, others must like his skill set because he's been picked from the Bucs practice squad twice. If Vitale was drafted in any earlier rounder his grade would be lower.

     You can follow us at our official Twitter feed @realbucstalk. As always thanks for reading and Go Bucs!

Big Hitting Safety Added To Bucs Practice Squad

by Douglas O'Connor
follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added big hitting safety Trae Elston to their practice squad on Monday. A 4 year starter from the University of Mississippi whose college resume includes a Sports Illustrated cover and consecutive wins against SEC bully Alabama.

     His measurables won't jump off the page at you 5'11" 195lbs. with a pro day time of 4.46 in the 40, but is adept at attacking the ball at it's high point and has soft hands, according to NFL.com. Find his full predraft bio HERE. 

     Starting Buccaneers safeties Chris Conte and Bradley McDougald have had some communication problems thus far and have let some receivers run free in the back end of the defense for big gains this year. 3rd safety Keith Tandy hasn't fared much better. While rookie Ryan Smith only sees the field as the Bucs kickoff return man.

    Given that the Bucs starting safeties aren't under contract after this year is telling that they are looking to upgrade. Trae could finish the year out on the practice going to meeting and learning Mike Smith's defense. That would put him in a good position to compete for a roster spot next training camp. No matter what happens with Elston, chances are that the Bucs shake up their safety position sooner than later and Jason Licht thinks this kid has a chance to contribute.

     I did find this highlight reel of Elston on the New England Patriots website. If you'd like to check it out you can find it HERE. 

     You can follow other Real Bucs Talk staffers on Twitter @realbucstalk. As always thanks for reading and Go Bucs!

    

Who Is RB Antone Smith? Pro Stats And Draft Analysis

by Douglas O'Connor

follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     The Buccaneers made a change to their 53 man roster Monday when they signed free agent running back Antone Smith. His name might sound familiar to local fans having spent his college days at Florida State before spending his 1st 5 years in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. Where he spent 3 years in Head Coach Dirk Koetter's offense.

     Antone hasn't had much of an opportunity to play during his 7 year NFL career, but when he does gets his chances he finds the end zone. With only 35 touches Smith has found pay dirt 7 times. That's an impressive percentage. Antone is averaging a touchdown every 6.4 times he touches the ball. 

     I've provided some links so you can learn more about the newest Buccaneer. First here is the predraft breakdown of Antone Smith on NFL.com. Next is his NFL stats per Pro Football Reference. 

     Finally I'm supplying a link of Head Coaches Dirk Koetter's press conference, held Monday October 17th. Koetter talks about reasons why Jason Licht signed Smith and the return of Louis Murphy.  

     Going into the meat of our schedule Jason Licht has completely overhauled the running back roster. Replacing UDFA with experienced veterans that are familiar with Koetters offense. If Doug Martin can't go this Sunday look for Antone Smith to get between 3-7 touches.

     You can also follow Real Bucs Talk staffers on Twitter @realbucstalk. As always thank you for reading and Go Bucs!

Fun fact: The picture at the top of the article with Antone Smith, Dirk Koetter, and Mike Smith is against the Buccaneers.

Murphy Return is Close

The Bucs could use more speed on offense especially in the receiving core and they might get it very soon. Today, Bucs WR Louis Murphy returned to practice after recovering from ACL surgery and is looking to get back on the field on Sundays. Here is some video of Murphy working out on the field today per Greg Auman.

Video: Former Lakewood and Gators WR Louis Murphy practicing today with Bucs for first time since ACL surgery in November. pic.twitter.com/WxGC8vGUBx

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) October 17, 2016

Murphy returning would be huge for this offense as it would give them another reliable option in the passing game. Him and Jameis have good chemistry on and off the field and were showing a good connection on the field before Murphy got hurt. Murphy brings good speed and big play ability which is what this offense could use and take pressure off Mike Evans. Murphy can push Vincent Jackson to be better as well and will definitely challenge Adam Humphries for playing time in the slot. The Bucs have Cecil Shorts returning as well so the competition is there which is always a good thing.

The Bucs have 21 days to decide if they want to put Murphy on the active roster. I would expect they will make that decision sooner rather than later. Like I have said before with both Shorts and Murphy able to play on the outside, it would allow Vjacks to play the slot position more where he can be more effective in the middle of the field. Let's hope Murphy's return can provide a spark to the passing game.

Reinforcements on The Way!

The Bucs have struggled with injuries so far this season as every team does, but it's all about getting healthy at the right time. Heading into week 7, it looks like the Bucs are getting closer to being at full strength as they head into the second half of the season. Today the Bucs held an bonus practice this morning at one buc and three key players on offense returned to practice via Greg Auman.

Bucs returning to practice from injury today: WR Louis Murphy, WR Cecil Shorts, TE Luke Stocker. Murphy's first practice since ACL surgery.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) October 17, 2016

Still no practice for key players in Martin, McCoy, Ayers, Mcdonald, and JR Sweezy but we should know more Wednesday as that is the key practice day for game week. However, getting Stocker back in the run game will be huge especially this week against the 49ers defense who just allowed over 300 yards rushing. Plus getting an potential boost to the receiving core with Cecil Shorts and possibly Louis Murphy returning as well would be terrific for Jameis and company. Much needed reinforcements for the offense in which they have only scored 14 points in the last two games. Hopefully more players return as it gets closer to the 49ers game in which is an great opportunity for the Bucs to get back to 500.

Week 6 Best Buc Fans Could Ask For

by Douglas O'Connor
follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     The Buccaneers are playing couch potato's this Sunday but their time off couldn't of gone better. Atlanta lived on the west for a week to play the Seahawks while the Saints and Panthers faced off to see who could stay out of the cellar in the division.

     Here is what happened in both games and what it means for the Bucs going into week 7.

Atlanta Falcons fell just short of their comeback bid on the west coast. Dropping them to 4-2 but still in control of the division. Atlanta feels like they were robbed of a chance to win the game with a late field goal due to a 4th down pass interference no call. They need to shake off the loss quickly with the San Diego Chargers coming into town. Whom have been one of the best teams in football through 1st   3 1/2 quarters of every game.


New Orleans Saints won with a last second field goal and have climbed out of the cellar. You can sum up the Saints by reading the back of a shampoo bottle. Score a lot of points, give up a lot of points, repeat. Tough road game vs Kansas City will be a great gauge to see if New Orleans can compete against good teams.


Carolina Panthers are looking around in the locker room and wondering what in the hell happened. Gone are the on field team selfies, and the 10 second long handshakes that took all week to learn. Replacing them with a rancid secondary and a leaky offensive line. A 1-5 start and 0-3 in the division has the Panthers season an eyelash from being essentially over. The bye week couldn't come at a better time. The Panthers need to circle the wagons and start over. Unfortunately for them they don't have the players to run the defensive scheme they want to. It's bad, real bad.

     So lets recap. The division leading Atlanta Falcons were robbed out of chance to win a game. The 3 time reigning division champs Carolina Panthers have lost 3 straight division games and appear to have no answers. The Saints won but without a defensive turnaround they aren't a threat to win the division.

      All in all not a bad week.

Hot Takes! Ali, Vincent And More...

by Douglas O'Connor

follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     Back before I came aboard here at Real Bucs Talk, I came across a tweet that was asking for Buc fans Hot Takes. If you are not familiar with the term, it's a controversial or even outlandish view on a topic based on no facts what so ever. Hot takes are more of a gut feeling or something that you want to get of your chest and put out into social media for all to see.

     I had 3 such takes right after the Bucs game 1 win against the Falcons. I'm going to take a look back to see if I hit a home run or struck out with the bases loaded.

Ali Marpet will make the Pro Bowl:  Marpet's small town boy to big city success story isn't news for Buc fans, but his high level of play might be. Coming out of Hobart he was mostly seen as a run blocker, but he was a day one starter and his pass blocking has blossomed. It's hard to break into the Pro Bowl as a lineman. Mostly due to the fact that their stats aren't easily tracked. Recently enormously popular Joe Bucs Fan as taken up the torch and started a campaign to get Ali to Orlando (Pro Bowl gamed has moved from Hawaii to O-Town). With Joe's push this Hot Take might come to fruition.

How'd I Do? It's an easy double into the gap, heading to 2nd thinking about trying for 3rd.

Buc fans will want to replace left tackle Donovan Smith at seasons end: Obviously I don't want this to happen but it's getting dicey. Smith is continually being criticized by national "experts". Most think that his best position in the NFL would be guard. A report just came out yesterday, at time of this post, how Donovan is leading the NFL in quarterback pressures. As these opinions are heard more and more, fans will begin to listen and start to pile on.

How'd I Do? It's hit high enough and the right fielder is on the warning track. (Please catch it, please catch it).

Vincent Jackson will lose his starting job? Another one that I hope never materializes. I can't put my finger on it but something is just off between Jameis Winston and Jackson and I think most Buc fans feel it too. The local media has picked up on it also and flat out asked Head Coach Dirk Koetter about it. His response, roughly, was that he agreed and if the results don't change the personnel will. Wow! Mike Glennon isn't going to take over for Winston so Jackson can catch more balls. Soooo ...

How'd I Do? I have 2 strikes but have taken some good cuts and I own this pitcher ...

Update: The Buccaneers announce that Vincent Jackson has been moved to IR with an ACL injury. Essentially ending his season and possibly his career. This is unfortunate news for arguably the best FA signing in Tampa's history. Technically this Hot Take came true but I'm pulling it off the table do to the nature of the outcome.  

   
     You can find all our posts at realbucstalk.blogspot.com Feel free comment below. We respond to everyone. As always thanks for reading and Go Bucs!

Mike Evans is Becoming an Elite WR

This time last year, Bucs fans were labeling receiver Mike Evans a bust as he was struggling with drops, penalties, and keeping emotions in check. Some Bucs fans went as far as possibly trading the young receiver and getting someone else to pair with Jameis Winston. Most forgot that Evans still put up over 1200 yards receiving and had 74 receptions which was better than his rookie season. Evans is still learning the game as he has only been playing football for 5 years now. Not many have the size and speed combo that Evans has and it really just comes down to him learning the mental aspects of the game.

Well this off-season, Evans really matured as a player on and off the field and put in tons of work on his body and his game as receiver. Evans cut his weight down to 225lbs making him faster and quicker off the line. Him and Jameis workout together often to build chemistry on the field and so far this season it has showed. In other words, Evans had an great offseason and is starting to become an elite receiver in this game. He has been uncoverable so far as he has 32 receptions for 449 yards and 4 touchdowns in just 5 games. Jameis calls him a superstar and so far he is showing it every week and if healthy this is just the beginning for Mike Evans. I think every Bucs fan would agree now that Mike Evans is a beast and will continue to rise as one of the best receivers in the game.

Mike Evans' 4th TD of the season!
50 yards tonight and counting...#TBvsCAR #SiegetheDay https://t.co/UTkKHd9TgU

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) October 11, 2016

Bucs Wins Have Common Recipe

The Bucs have two wins on the season and there is two common things in both wins. Those two things being the offense protecting the ball and the defense making timely stops. In other words, the Bucs playing team ball and not putting their defense in bad situations has helped them win against the Falcons and Panthers. Winning the turnover battle is critical in today's NFL as it usually decides who wins the game. When the offense is committed to protecting the football like they were in their two wins they are hard to beat due to the talent on this team.

Quarterback Jameis Winston just needs to play smart in the second half of this season and stay committed to the run game, creating balance on offense. Avoid the careless turnovers and this offense has shown it can be dangerous, just need to build that consistency. Then on defense, the unit has been coming up with critical stops at the end of games. For instance, getting an 4 and out against the Falcons to seal that win, or Brent Grimes making an game changing interception in the 4th quarter of the Panthers game. If this team wants to continue to win, these two things need to keep occurring especially taking care of the football. There are still a lot to clean up with this team but if they can focus on just keeping it simple on both sides of the ball, this team can easily get on an winning streak.

Interesting Buc Stats For Consumption During The Bye Week

 
by Douglas O'Connor
follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

    No Buccaneers football this weekend, no problem. We here a Real Bucs Talk gotcha covered. Most of you that read our blog more than likely follow @TBBuccaneers on Twitter. I'd like to introduce you to another organizational Twitter feed that all Bucs fans should be following, @BuccaneersPR. They are continuously putting out great content, just like us. Tweets about Buccaneer stats and records that our kind of Buc fan gobble up like a handful of jellybeans.

    Recently they tweeted out a 57 page PDF file that had some interesting tidbits. I've sifted through the abundance of material and picked out some of the more interesting facts and placed them here for your enjoyment.

Jameis Winston started the season outside of the top 10 for passing yards in Buccaneers franchise history. After 5 games he has moved into 8th spot. Knocking out local legend Shaun King and pushing down Brian Griese and Jeff Garcia one spot. Winston should pass Craig Erickson by mid season and be right on the heels of  6th place holder Steve DeBerg after 16 games.

Brent Grimes interception Monday night bumped him up to 4th in most picks since 2013, Only 2 behind stat leader Richard Sherman. It's not to far out of the question to see Grimes leading this category by years end.

Tampa Bays Defense is impressive in a few categories. They rank 3rd in 3rd down conversion rate at 31.1% only .7% behind the leading Seahawks. Not surprising the Bucs defense also has 3rd best single game 3rd down rate. It was on Monday night against the Panthers 12.5% where they only went 1 for 8. The Bucs defense is also ranked in the top 10 in yards per rush, coming in at 9 giving up only 3.65 per carry.

Kwon Alexander is 3rd in the NFL for solo tackles with 37. Less than a handful behind 2 of the best linebackers in the league. Carolina's Luke Kuechly and Buffalo's Zach Brown. Kwon has also only one of 6 NFL linebackers that have recorded 100+ tackles, 5+ sacks and 3 interceptions in his first 16 games.

Bryan Anger is among league leaders in net yards and punts downed inside the 20, but he's the punter so who really cares. #KiddingNotKidding

Mike Evans has taken a lot of flack from Buccaneers fans during his short career and rightfully so. Leading the NFL in dropped passes, consistently drawing undisciplined penalties and complaining to the refs every time a defensive back breathed on him. Won't exactly endear you to your fan base. Given all of Evan's short comings he has always put up impressive numbers, some of the best since he entered the league. Mike is 9th in receiving yards with a total of 2,706 to start his career and ranks 8th in total receiving touchdowns with 19 during that same amount of time. This year he ranks 7th in receptions, 5th in receiving TD's and 7th in yards. Evans has turned a 180 in relation to his drops, penalties, and attitude. If he keeps this up he'll be a shoe in for his 1st Pro Bowl.

     Please feel free to comment below. Check out other articles in the archives to the right and give the blog a follow if you'd like.

    As always, thank you for reading and Go Bucs!    

Buccaneers Right Where Most Fans Thought They Would Be

 
by Douglas O'Connor
follow @Ren_Daxt

  When the Buccaneers NFL season schedule was released to the public some fans initial reactions was one of dread. The divisional rotation had the Bucs playing NFC West this year. No small hill to climb with the Seahawks and Cardinals being recent annual playoff contenders and the newly moved LA Rams owning a 4 year 4 game winning streak against us. Toss in back to back games against the 2 teams that played in the most recent Super Bowl and Buc fans were left scratching their heads wondering where the 9th easiest schedule was.

    When you breakdown an NFL schedule most of us look at in quarters, 4 mini seasons. Since the Bucs bye week is scheduled for week 6 it was natural to include the 5th game when predicting how the home team would come out of the gate. Below is a look at what the majority of  fans thought would happen and what actually did happen.

Atlanta Falcons Neither fan base could feel confident that their team would get a W in this week one match up. The Buccaneers finished last season losing their last 4 games. Totally overhauled their coaching staff and brought in 4 free agents and drafted 3 rookies that were inserted as starters. Atlanta also finished last year in a tailspin, after starting 6-1, the Falcons ended with a 8-8 record, including 2 losses to the Bucs.
Fan Expectations: Fingers crossed
Fans Reaction: We've turned the corner. Playoffs here we come.
Record: 1-0

Arizona Cardinals The Cardinals are a popular pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, but had a bad week 1 loss. The Buccaneers are riding high off of their big road win.
Fan Expectations: We'll probably lose but we could sneak out with a victory.
Fans Reaction: That was ugly! No offense! No Defense! Koetter's an Idiot!
Record: 1-1

LA Rams Home opener for the Bucs. Rams haven't scored a touchdown yet but somehow they have a win.
Fan Expectations: This one's in the bag. We need this one with Denver then Carolina on the horizon.
Fans Reaction: Same ole Bucs. Lovie's defense wasn't this bad! Call an ef'en TIMEOUT!!!!
Record: 1-2

Denver Broncos Time to circle the wagons for the Bucs. Leagues best defense coming to town. Denver hasn't missed a beat undefeated and flying high.
Fan Expectations: This could get ugly. We need to run and protect the ball. C'mon D get some pressure.
Fans Reaction: Once again we made a inexperienced QB look like a Hall of Famer. Jameis is regressing! Why don't you go eat some crab legs!
Record: 1-3

Carolina Panthers Head Coach Dirk Koetter tells the media that he is very worried about Jameis turnover problems. Injuries have decimated the Bucs defensive line and running back positions. Carolina is shelled shocked about how the season has went. Just gave up 300 receiving yards to Julio Jones, also league MVP Cam Newton is on the bench in with a concussion.
Fan Expectations: I'd love to beat the Panthers at home on Monday night, but we always let no name quarterbacks beat us. Defense is in shambles. Season my already be over.
Fans Reaction: He made the kick! He made the KICK! He make the FRICKING KICK!
Record: 2-3

     So we swap out the Rams loss with the Panthers win and here the Bucs are at 2-3 just as you thought it would be and that's okay with me.

     The Buccaneers have a very winnable 4 game stretch coming up after this weeks bye. What do you think the Bucs record will be? Biggest surprise in the next 4 weeks? Please feel free to put your thoughts and comments in the space provided below. Also if  you like what you read give the blog a follow, makes it easier to find when we put up new content.

     As always thank you for reading and Go Bucs!



   

Jason Licht And Staff Come Up Big In Monday Night Win

by Douglas O'Connor
follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     Draft week is the Super Bowl for NFL General Managers and their staff. The spot light is shining bright on Buccaneers GM Jason Licht and his 31 other counterparts  during this 3 day prime time event. While some fans grade their GM's performance on the draft alone the true measure of a scouting teams salt is their undrafted free agent (UFDA) work. When a starter gets injured or a Pro Bowler goes down, usually it's up to these type of players to keep the train a mov'en and salvage a game or even the season.

     With the Bucs decimated with injuries at the defensive line and running back positions a number of these players were called upon to play, some significantly. Here is a breakdown of some of said players and their contributions that helped pull out a victory against Carolina Panthers.

Jacquizz Rodgers No surprise he makes the list. Signed back on September 13th to be the 3rd string running back. Offered a contract mostly because of his familiarity with Dirk Koetter's offense back in their Atlanta days. Thrust into the staring role after a Doug Martin hamstring injury and a surprise IR move with backup Charles "Chuck" Sims. Easily the biggest contributor with over 100 yards on the ground and 5 receptions.

Alan Cross A UDFA pick up right after the draft. Alan has been filling in for Luke Stocker as the Bucs blocking TE. He caught his 1st  NFL pass on Monday and made a highlight reel block, picking up the blitzer, giving Winston time to throw his only touchdown pass of the game.

Peyton Barber Also found by Jason Licht's staff immediately after the draft. The running back from Auburn received his 1st NFL playing time in the win. Spelling Rodgers for a few plays and picking up some tough yards.

DaVonte Lambert Yet another early UDFA signing that was forced into a big role. With 3 of the 4 starting DLmen out for Mondays game. Lambert played 96% of the defensive snaps and caused a fumble that the Bucs recovered.

John Hughes III Unemployed literally 1 week before seeing NFL action. Hughes didn't play much, just 17 plays but he gave DT Akeem Spence much needed breathers. Spence made the tackle for loss on the Panthers last offensive play forcing them to punt. I like to think that Hughes made an assist on that play.

     Feel free to comment on this article below. We ALWAYS respond and love talking Buccaneers football. Who is your favorite non drafted Buc? Did I miss someone? Also check out other articles that interest you in our archives on the right. Finally give us a follow, makes us easier to find when we post new content.

     Thanks for reading and as always Go Bucs!



   

3rd And 9 Run Made Sense

 by Douglas O'Connor
 follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

       Buccaneer fans were all up in arms about Head Coach Dirk Koetter's play calling during Monday nights narrow victory over the Carolina Panthers. No play received more attention from the Twitterverse than a 3rd and 9 run call late in the 4th quarter.

     The game was tied with under 4 minutes to play the Bucs had the ball inside the Panthers 40. Jameis had just thrown into what appeared to be double coverage and given the season long struggles of placekicker Roberto Aguayo, fans really wanted a first down. What they got was a run play to the right that produced little to no gain. Followed by another Aguayo miss and the tweets started to fly.

     First I was right there with the armchair quarterbacks. Fantasizing of being outside of One Buc Place with my pitchfork. Screaming for Dirks head due to his lack imaginative play calling. Then I remembered something Chris Myers said while doing the TV coverage for Buccaneers preseason games. "Aguayo likes the ball on the right hash mark". The skies parted, the sun shined and I was okay with the play call. In fact I think it was the right call.

     Coach Koetter was putting his team, our team, in the best position to win the game. The run to the right main objective wasn't to pick up a first down. It was to put the ball on the right hash. Giving his kicker the best chance to make the kick and take the lead. Handing the game over to his defense to get one stop and essentially win the game.

     We all know that Roberto missed that kick, but Dirk put him in position to succeed and the plan almost worked out the exact same. The defense did get a stop. The Bucs did put the ball on the right hash mark and Aguayo did make the game winner. Just 3 minutes and 35 seconds later.

     Kudos to you coach Koetter. Your play calling proved to be spot on and your team executed for you. Well, at least the second time.    

Commitment To Run Game

On Monday for the first time all year the bucs finally committed to the run game and controlled the clock while doing so. The bucs first possession of the game almost took 9 minutes and consisted of 10 runs to 4 throws. Most buc fans see it as Jacquizz Rodgers being such a good running back in reality its just the bucs actual commitment to force feeding the ball to the running back and blocking for him.

The bucs ran the ball 37 times as opposed to throwing it only 30 times. Thats the first time all year we have ran more than passed. The oline deserves huge credit for this as coming into the game Carolina's strength was against the run (10th in NFL) and we made it look like their weakness. The main big uglies that caught my eye were Donovan Smith, Kevin Pamphile and Ali Marpet , all 3 seemed to win their matchup and push forward on running plays. Not one of the runs went for more than 13 yards but it was the commitment to continue to wear down the defense that lead to the only touchdown that Winston threw which was off a play action fake.

Committing to the run will take pressure off Winston and lead to bigger plays downfield. Maybe Koetter needs to not over think it and get back to the basics. Yes we have a young gunslinger but he doesn't have to be throwing the ball 50 times a game for us to win. Hopefully with Martin coming back after the bye we will see more of this run game and ease the pressure off Winston a little bit.

A-F Grades For The Bucs Against The Panthers

     Everyone likes lists. Here is a quick rundown of grades for the Buccaneers against the Carolina panthers.

A     Jacquizz Rodgers touched the ball 35 times during Monday's game. Though his yards per rush average was pedestrian, 3.4, Rodgers continually moved the chains and set the tone for the game. The Bucs fed him the ball on the first 6 plays. While picking up 2 first downs was big, it put the defense on it's heals that lasted throughout the contest. 

B-     Buccaneers Corner Backs did have a hand in letting Panthers tight end Greg Olsen run free to the tune of 9 catches for 181 yards. A lot of those plays were against the Bucs linebackers. Account for the 2 interceptions caused or made by the duo,and add in a pass breakup that was an eyelash away from a pick 6. This and not giving up a passing touchdown earns the pro bowler and the rookie a high mark.

C+  The Bucs Defensive Line didn't have 1 sack or 1 tackle for loss and brought little to no pressure to Derek Anderson's doorstep. So why an average grade you may ask. The Buccaneers  DLine was missing 3 out of 4 starters and had 2 players, Gholston & Lambert, in for more than 95% of defensive snaps. An unheard of stat in today's NFL. While the unit as a whole wasn't necessarily an asset it sure wasn't a huge liability as it could of been.

D-    Roberto Aguayo missed half his kicks and may have been one miss from losing his job. Never the less he made the game winner and aloud the Bucs to put a smile on their collective faces going into the bye week.

F     Demar Dotson was hailed as the best offensive lineman in Bucs camp. He got a big new contract, some job security, everything was coming up roses for number 69. Then the season started and his film so far is more of  how not to than that of a cornerstone lineman. Leading the team in penalties (fact), whiffed blocks (maybe) and tripping over ones feet (possibly but definitely happened). Once Aguayo made that game winning kick, Dotson has taken over as the biggest disappointment.      

     

Good Time For a Bye Week

Waking up the next day after a Bucs victory just feels so much better and knowing that this team is 2-0 in the division is even better. Yes the Bucs are still a game behind 500 as they are 2-3 but look at the riduclous amount of injuries including two of our best players in Gerald McCoy and Doug Martin. However, it's a next man up league as injuries are part of the game which is another reason why last night's win feels so good as this team is beat up right now. Thankfully this team has a bye this week and it is perfect timing as the team needs to get healthy and regroup for the games ahead.

Getting key players in McCoy, Mcdonald, Ayers, Martin, Stocker, and more back onto the field will be an huge boost on both sides of the ball. The best news is the Bucs have some winnable games coming up against Niners, Raiders, Falcons, and Bears in which three of those are at home. If this team can get healthy over the next two weeks and fix some minor issues they are more than capable of making little run over this next stretch of games. Still much work to be done, but things are looking positive for this team as they go into the bye week.

Good Team Win

The Bucs got an much needed victory last night beating the Carolina Panthers on a last second field goal by Roberto Aguayo by a score of 17 to 14 final. One of our keys to the game was protecting the football and the offense did just that which helped them win the game. The Bucs offense was a little conservative last night but they were physical and ran the football with purpose as spot starter Jacquizz Rodgers had over 100 yards rushing. I personally liked that coach Koetter started the game with 6 straight runs as he wanted the offense to set the tone for the game and how it was going to be played. The Bucs needed a game like this as every unit made big plays and it was a great team win.

Huge credit for last night's win has to go to the defense though as they forced three turnovers and showed tons of fight throughout the game. This was without most of their starting defensive line as the Bucs started two rookies up front and still managed to get stops and force turnovers. It wasn't perfect but to be without their best player in Gerald McCoy, and to play the way they did have to give big kudos to the defensive coaching staff and the whole defensive line group. Our two playmakers in the secondary made big time plays especially Brent Grimes who made one hell of a play to prevent a go-ahead touchdown for the Panthers.

Finally our special teams made some big plays as well in which they recover a fumble, our punter was outstanding, and our kicker Roberto Aguayo made a big kick to win the game. Most importantly, the Bucs are 2-0 in the division and 2-3 overall as this was an huge win for this team. Hopefully this win will start an winning streak and this team can gather some momentum.