Bucs Offense Need More Explosive Plays

In 2015, the Bucs had a lethal running game which created explosive plays for the offense and allowed them to be more efficient. In 2016, due to injuries and inconsistent line play, the Bucs had no running game which didn't help the passing game to create explosive plays downfield. Now part of this is due to the offense not having much speed to work with which is why the Bucs were at the bottom in yac(yards after catch) yards.

In this league, it is all about explosive plays and the Bucs went from averaging 9 explosives to only 7 in 2016. This off-season, the Bucs need to figure out how they can achieve more explosive plays whether it's via the run or pass. Everyone has a part in it and unfortunately both Doug Martin and Charles Sims were out multiple times this season due to injuries. Those two combined for more explosive plays in 2015 than the whole team in 2016. Jameis Winston needs to improve his deep ball accuracy, but more receivers besides just Mike Evans on the outside will help that too. Coach Koetter needs to be more creative and diverse in his play calling. Simply, the Bucs need to add more speed to this team and get guys in here that can make one guy miss and take it to the house for 6.

The good news is Bucs Gm Jason Licht knows this and will be definitely upgrading the talent at the skill positions this off-season. This offense can be dangerous as it did a great job converting on third down but it is hard to score in this league on 10 to 12 play drives everytime. Taking care of the ball and hitting on explosive plays is what wins games in this league now. Koetter talks about this all the time and have to believe that him and Licht are going to do what they can to add that missing ingredient which is called speed.

Inconsistent Ground Game Has Hurt The Bucs

This season has been a fun one as the Bucs have won eight games and have a chance to win 9 which would give them a winning record since 2010. Unfortunately, the Bucs will likely not be in the playoffs this season but they have a good foundation to build on for the 2017 season. One of the main reasons this team won't be in the playoffs is the lack of a good running game. In 2015, that was the strength for the offense as they could gash teams with big runs as well as control the clock.

For whatever reason, the ground game could just never get going this year. Injuries to Doug Martin and Charles Sims didn't help, then Jacquizz Rodgers was doing well and then he got injured. So for the Bucs running game, it has been two steps forward and then one step back as it was close to breaking out but never met.

Inconsistent play along the offensive line hasn't helped either as they have struggled to create holes along with allowing too much penetration. This is going to be one of the keys this off-season as the Bucs need to solve their run game issues. This offense is at their best when they can use their play action passing game and control the clock with the run as well. Unfortunately in 2016, it was the downfall for the offense.

Bucs Offense Must Get Back to The Basics

The Bucs are winning again which is awesome as their defense has been terrific during this 5 game winning streak. However while that is great, the offense has been struggling to get any kind of consistency going especially in the redzone. They are 21st in scoring efficiency with a rate of 34% which is not very good and is something they must improve down the stretch if they want to play in January. This offense starts with the running game as it opens up the play action passing game which is what Jameis is best at. It's been a struggle all year for the run game as there have been injuries, inconsistent O-line play, along with opposing defenses forcing Jameis to beat them.

Personally I think it's time to get back to the basics as this offense needs to make everything simple and dont try to get too fancy. I think the Bucs need to get away from running out of the shotgun formation and purely run out of the I-form or singleback allowing Doug Martin and company to run downhill. Everytime the Bucs run out of the I-form or singleback up the middle usually good things happen. So if the Bucs start with that, it could help the offense more down the stretch also think the Bucs run better with the three wide formation as well.

As for the passing game, it's real simple in which Jameis needs to trust other guys besides Brate and Evans. Take what the defense is giving you and stay ahead of the chains. This past game Jameis had other guys open but instead got too locked on Evans or Brate and it ends up being a wasted play. With that being said they need to find a way to isolate Evans and Brate more in the redzone as the Bucs are leaving too many points on the field. Need to get back to more slants and drag routes over the middle to help open up space against the opposing defense. Jameis expects it to get better via buccaneers.com.

“No, we didn’t (perform well). We’re going to look back on this film and say, ‘A win is a win.’ Coach Koetter’s going to get after us. The coaches should get after us, because like Robert [Ayers[ said, ‘We’re terrible.’ We’ve got to continue every week to get better and better. The offense, we have to play better for us to win football games.’

Bucs D Leads The Way Again!

The Bucs did it again yesterday as their win streak has reached 5 games and are now 8-5 on the season. The defense was outstanding as they held the high powered Saints offense to 9 points defeating the Saints 16-11 eliminating them from playoff contention. The Bucs offense did just enough as they were smart with the ball having zero turnovers and rookie kicker Roberto Aguayo made all of his kicks. Jameis Winston was a little off with his accuracy in this game but did enough to help the team win. Running back Doug Martin didn't have stellar numbers but ran hard and helped the Bucs controlled the clock limiting the possessions for the Saints offense. Head coach Dirk Koetter blamed himself for the offensive struggles, he says it must get better.

“That’s one of the things that’s crazy on the stats. I felt like we had 215 penalties and I look at it and they had twice as many as we did. I’m not satisfied at all with how we’re playing on offense. We definitely left points out there. We’re going to get a chance to play these guys again in two weeks. I’m sure both New Orleans’ offensive coaches and our offensive coaches are going to be feeling the same way. We’ve got to play better. And both (sets of) defensive coaches are feeling pretty good about the way they played.’’

“The main reason we’re leaving points on the field is the play-caller is not going a good enough job.’’ 

It's all good coach as long as the team wins and the Bucs have won five straight which keeps them tied with Atlanta for the division crown. Let's get back to the main reason for the Bucs streak and that has been the outstanding play of the defense. The unit has been flying around the field making plays all over the field. During this five game streak, they are allowing 12.8 points per game, 298 yards per game, and 2.8 turnovers per game making this unit the number one defense during this stretch. Another great stat is that the defense has only allowed one Td during their last three home games which was the fluke hail mary play by Jay Cutler and the Bears. Winston knows how good this defense can be when they are healthy and they finally are.

“Absolutely. Our defense has been playing amazing. It starts with our leaders on that defense. [Defensive tackles] Clinton McDonald, Gerald McCoy and [linebacker] Lavonte [David] have taken it to a whole new level. [Linebacker] Kwon [Alexander] is stepping up, it’s amazing. When our defense is healthy, you see what they’re all about.’’

Buc ball is back and the defense is getting better every week and it's really fun to watch the unit play. Huge game this Sunday against the 11-2 Cowboys as they have a great O-line and really play great team ball. Bucs will need to bring their "A" game and I believe they will. Let's keep this streak going!

Martin is The Key to The Offense

The Bucs have been much improved over the last three games and are currently on a three game winning streak. A big reason for this recent streak has been the return of Doug Martin to the lineup and how he opens up the offense. The Bucs offense is at it's best when it can establish the run and then use the play action passing game. That is what this offense is built for and it's what Jameis does best as he is already an master of the play action passing game. With Doug Martin back, the Bucs can finally play to their strengths on offense. Now Doug hasn't had a big game yet but his presence and the threat of the run have given this offense more flexibility and open the playbook up even more.

The good news is Martin is progressing with each passing game as his yards continue to rise as he has gone from 33, 63 and this past game up to 87 yards which means he is getting closer to his 2015 form. Down the stretch over these last 5 games, Martin needs to average 20 plus carries because when he does the Bucs can control the clock but can maintain balance on offense as well. I have been saying all off-season that Martin is the key to the offense and during this final month he is going to have to be at his best. Bucs will be facing some good offenses in this last month of the season, so it is critical that the Bucs continue their winning formula which is running the ball non-stop. Expect Martin's numbers to continue to rise over these last five games.

Take Advantage of The Checkdown

The Chiefs defense is the ultimate bend but don't break unit as they find a way to either force a turnover or hold their opponents to three points. Their defense will give up the checkdowns as the 5 to 6 yard pass play is going to be there for opposing offenses. Jameis and the Bucs offense needs to take advantage of this in today's game. Jameis needs to look for Cam Brate, Doug Martin, and Cecil Shorts in the flats and in the middle of field as there will be opportunities there. Now again the Bucs are going to come out run heavy as they should as the Chiefs run d is less than stellar, but the short passing game is an extension of the run game.

Jameis did a great job of this against the Falcons in week one as he hit the checkdowns early and often in the first half. By doing this it opened up the deep passing game in which helped the Bucs win in week 1. The offense should be able to do the same today as it will be there and then later in the game the deep passing game should open up. The Bucs need Jameis to bring his A game against the Chiefs as they have plenty of playmakers on defense and it's important that Jameis is accurate and smart today. Look for the checkdowns today which should help the Bucs to keep the chains moving.

Bucs Need to Finish Strong

The Bucs have lost the last two games dropping their record to 3-5 and are now a long shot to make the playoffs. Despite the last two games, the Bucs need to focus on finishing strong over these last eight games. This team has struggled over the last several seasons to finish out seasons on a high note and that must change this season. The Bucs are facing a tough stretch to finish the season but 4 to 5 more wins is still possible with this current roster.

It looks like running back Doug Martin is finally going to return to action possibly this Sunday vs the Bears which would be huge for this team. With Martin back, the Bucs could get back to being balance on offense, winning time of possession, and allowing the defense to be rested throughout the game. This current team needs to get back to those things which is and should be the identity of this team. Enforcing that identity over these last eight games is going to be critical not only to finish strong this year but going forward as well.

It's important for this team to learn how to win in November and December because that is what winning teams do. Winston, Martin, and Evans makes the offense more dangerous and now just need the defense to find what works for them and stick with it. If this team can get seven to eight wins I would say that is pretty good for what has happen during this season. The time is now to start building confidence throughout this roster and for them to learn how to win in the final two months of the season. Only one way to do that and that is finishing strong to close it out.

How many more wins for the Bucs this season? Feel free to comment below!

Bucs remaining schedule:

Nov 13th      Bears          1pm
Nov 20th @ Cheifs          1pm
Nov 27th      Seahawks   4pm
Dec  4th   @ Chargers     4pm
Dec  11th      Saints         1pm
Dec  18th @ Cowboys     1pm
Dec  24th @ Saints          1pm
Jan    1th       Panthers    1pm

Bucs Are Not Ready For Primetime

These last two weeks have shown that the Bucs are just not ready for prime time and as of right now they are just not there yet as a football team. Going into the season, we believe the team was talented enough to make a run at winning 9 maybe 10 games this year but we didn't foresee this many injuries to key players. In addition to the injuries, with an new coaching staff in place especially on the defensive side of the ball there has been growing pains along with communication errors and at times questionable playcalling. Plus with a first year head coach there are mistakes that are going to be made which has happen in multiple games this season.

This team still needs time to grow together and still needs to add multiple pieces on both sides of the ball through free agency and mainly the draft. Consistency with the coaching staff would help as the constant change with the coaching staff has created high roster turnover rate which hurts an team from attaining any kind of consistency on the field. This team is still heading in the right direction as they have key pieces in place especially at Qb with Jameis Winston who is still learning how to be consistent in this league. Gm Jason Licht needs to find more playmakers for the offense to help young Jameis out along with keeping most of the current group in place. Same can be said with the defense which could use some more pieces up front on the defensive line along with more playmakers in the secondary.

The Bucs are getting closer but are still not ready to contend for a playoff spot as they need more time to grow and mature as a football team. The team also needs to look into getting a better training staff as the amount of injuries this season has been ridiculous. The loss of Doug Martin has really hurt this team as he is critical piece to the Bucs success. Hopefully he can return this week against the Bears as it's important for this team to finish the season strong with at least 4 to 5 more wins which would be an successful season for this current group.

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!

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.

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.

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.

State Of The Bucs 1-3

    
Realbucstalk has added to their team, here is an article written by our newest member Douglas O'Connor,  you can follow him on twitter as well: @Ren_Daxt

The pieces are in place for the Buccaneers to become a perennial playoff team.  Though young the Bucs have top tier NFL talent throughout their organization. General Manager, Jason Licht, who understands player contracts and how to work the draft. Experienced coordinators on both sides of the ball and Pro Bowlers dot the roster at key positions. Then why is Tampa Bay 1-3 and in danger of falling 3 games out of first place just after passing the quarter pole of the season? There are many reasons for the disappointing start but all can fall under the umbrella of growing pains. 

     I will start at the top. Jason Licht has proven to understand the draft process and find ways to get the players he covets. His free agent acquisitions however have largely been busts his first two years. This off seasons signings is a mixed bag, mostly to to injuries but all in all his best group yet. Buc fans hope Jason has figured out the difference between contract year performers and solid contributors.  

     Coaches: One of Head Coach Dirk Koetter's biggest worries about becoming the big man on campus was his ability to manage the clock late in games. So much so he assigned Assistant Wide Receivers Coach Andrew Weidinger as a Game Management Coach to help him in such occasions. Fast forward to week 3 against the Rams. The Bucs were driving for the winning touchdown with under 2 minutes to go when coach Koetter didn't call a time out hoping to catch a tired Rams with a winning TD pass. Weidinger was telling Koetter to call a time out but he ignored the plea and took the shot into the end zone. The pass was overthrown and over 40 seconds had ticked off the clock. Fans can debate if that was the way to go or not, but the fact of the matter is that the Buccaneers ran out of time before they ran out of downs and lost the game.

     Offense: This analysis, as it always will, begins and ends with number 3 Jameis Winston. Having a young quarterback lead your team and the phrase, growing pains, being thrown around is about as common as Doug Martins name showing up on the injury report. I can't tell fans anything about Jameis that they don't already know but here is my two cents anyway. Jameis is putting his football team in bad situations by making bad decisions with the football. There is no 10 point play in football. Sometimes a sack is better than forcing the ball into a tight window. Going 3 and out and punting isn't the end of the world. Take what the defense gives you and move the chains. All fans love his competitive nature but when two defensive linemen are hanging off of you, it's time to take the sack and get'em on the next play.

     Defense: Not surprisingly the defense is going through the biggest pains. Having to learn a new scheme and language is no small task, but NFL teams do it every year and aren't last in the league in points given up. Which the Bucs are. Defensive Coordinator Mike Smith has stated that it takes four weeks to learn his defense, react on the field instead of thinking. He has also talked about how Chris Conte and Bradley McDougald, the Bucs starting safeties that have been in fans cross hairs, are communicating much better. Well coach it's week 5, time to show how much the guys on your side of the ball have grown in your system.

     Special Teams: To be perfectly honest I really don't even want to do this one. Did you hear that the Buccaneers traded up back into the second round and selected a kicker and said kicker is struggling on his extra points as well as field goal attempts? Yay, so did everyone else in the NFL fandom kingdom. Look Roberto Aguayo is going to be the Bucs kicker this year and next year no matter what happens. It is what it is and I totally understand the frustration. When points are at stake almost every time you touch the ball going through growing pains can be soul crushing for the invested fan. Bright side, the punter is really good.

Bucs Depth is Being Tested

The Bucs have had some tough injuries to deal with during the first four weeks of the season. Losing Jacquies Smith for the season, Doug Martin, Luke Stocker, and Robert Ayers these past three games has been tough blows to overcome. Now Bucs DT Gerald McCoy, Rookie DE Noah Spence and TE Brandon Myers are now on the injured list. The Bucs depth has been tested and it has hurt the running game and pass rush the most.

Backups in Howard Jones, and Devonte Lambert have done ok so far but they are no Ayers or Smith. Then on offense the Bucs are missing Stocker's run blocking and their best player in Doug Martin who can break tackles and bring power in the ground game. Sims has done a decent job as his strengths are in space and tends to struggle running between the tackles, but for the most part has done great as a pass catcher. Bucs Cb Jude Adjeh-Barimah talked to the media yesterday, and said it's no excuse as injuries happen.

“It’s hard because those are your brothers and you don’t want to see them go down, but at the same time it’s an opportunity for guys to step up. As I think about it last year, part of the reason why I got on the active roster is because of an injury. It’s an opportunity for guys to step up and to really make a comfortable role for themselves on this team and help us win. It’s the NFL, injuries are going to happen. We’d love to have [defensive tackle] Gerald [McCoy] and all those guys out there every day, but we need to the next man to step up because the standard remains the same and we have to keep up the level of play as if he were in there.”

Players and coaches have to do a better job as injuries will continue to take place and it's up to the backups to raise their games and play like starters. Bucs depth needs to rise up to the challenge because it's being tested right now.

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.

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.

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.

Bucs Will Use Misdirection And Counters vs Falcons

The Bucs have some weapons on offense starting with Jameis Winston, Doug Martin, and Mike Evans and those three will be key if the Bucs want to win Sunday against the Falcons. I believe your best players have to be your best players on game day especially on the road. The Falcons defense plays an aggressive style and loves to mix up their coverages between man and zone.

The Falcons strength on defense is their secondary which features two good young corners in Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford. Both like to play press man and are very aggressive as they like to jump routes when they get the chance. Their linebackers are very athletic which features Vic Beasley and two rookies in Devondre Campbell and Deion Jones. The front four is led by DT Grady Jarrett who can penetrate and cause havoc in the backfield.

So how should the Bucs attack this defense? It's simple as they should come out in two and three tight end sets and pound the rock with Doug Martin. Look for the Bucs to use misdirection and counters as the Falcons tend to overrun their gaps which leaves the cutback lanes open.

Have to think with D.Martin's cut back ability...#Bucs will take advantage of Atlanta's aggressive nature pic.twitter.com/mVEdA8hm7L

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) September 6, 2016

Look how far the Falcons front seven gets sucked up to the right side which opens up the cutback for Arian Foster which leads to the touchdown. I think the Bucs will try to do similar things as they will try to get the Falcons moving one way and then attack the open side.

 This play is a perfect example as the Bucs get the Falcons to over pursue on the right side which opens up Martin to attack the left side for a nice gain. The strength of this offense is running the ball and I expect Martin to have 20 carries in this game. Now the Falcons know the Bucs want to run the ball which should open up the play action pass early which could lead to big plays for Evans and Jackson. So when it comes to passing the ball, look for some PA rollouts for Jameis which should give him time to make some big plays downfield. It's all about creating mismatches so look for the Bucs to attack the Falcons front seven come Sunday afternoon.

Jameis an MVP candidate?

Winston seems to be getting the attention of all the NFL not just the Tampa bay fans. Adam Schein of NFL.com wrote a piece describing his sleeper picks for NFL awards next year and take a wild guess who his sleeper for MVP was. Yes, none other than our Tampa Bay Buccaneer franchise QB Jameis Winston. Here's a little reason why Schein feels this way.

I believe Winston, who enjoyed a very solid rookie campaign, will take an even bigger step forward. The game slows down in Year 2. He's on the same page with Dirk Koetter, who not only remains Jameis' play-caller but now assumes head-coaching duties. The coaching change will equal more wins in Tampa. I think Winston will post a very impressive touchdown-to-interception ratio, as his rapport with the receiving corps (particulary third-year man Mike Evans) continues to improve.

Winston has always been known for having an amazing football mind and was able to understand Jimbo Fisher's complex offense at Florida State which is known for being a more NFL style of offense. Schein makes a good point in saying that the game usually slows down in year 2 of an offense as Winston started in Florida State after sitting his first year as a redshirt freshman. He was able to get the mental game down and just needed to apply it to game situations. Winston is officially in year 2 of now head coach Dirk Koetter's offense and seems primed to make that big leap. Winston not only has a great mind but he is also a genuine leader and Schein went on to discuss that further after revealing what fellow buccaneer Doug Martin spoke of Winston.

 "He's already great. He sets the bar high for himself. And he's already established himself as a leader," Martin told me. "He always wants to get better. He's the first guy in the building setting the tone, wanting to get better. It shows the type of character he is. It trickles down to everybody else and it's contagious. We are all accountable to each other to stay at that level [that Jameis establishes]."

Jameis may not be ready for the NFL MVP just yet but he surely is our MVP right now. I and no one else can put a cap on how good Winston can actually be this season as he is in control of his own destiny and he looks as if he's going to make the most of every opportunity. Jameis no doubt has all of Tampa's attention now its time to grab the rest of the NFL. Go get your victories Jameis!