2 Out Of 3 Last Week, What To Look For Against The Chargers

by Douglas O'Connor
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     Chances are that writing about Mike Evans, Jameis Winston and the turnover battle will just be a regurgitation of obvious keys to victory that you have read this week and all season long. Here are some lesser known things to watch versus the Chargers that can deliver a Buccaneers victory.

Open Field Tackling: San Diego Head Coach Mike McCoy's offense relies heavily on draws, screens, and rubs (legal picks). Getting his athletes the ball in space and letting them make a play. Outside corner backs Brent Grimes and Vernon Hargreaves are going to have to get off blocks and make solo tackles against bigger Charger receivers. When you hear "another great open field tackle by a Buccaneer", coming from announcer Sam Rosen, you know they've been doing their job.

Rush Lanes: I spotlighted this one last week as well but for a totally different reason. Rush lanes were important against the Seahawks for keeping Russell Wilson in the pocket. This weeks importance has to do with stopping the draw. Buccaneers DT need to stay in their lanes, pushing the pocket back and clogging the middle giving Gordon nowhere to go. MIL LB Kwon Alexander will also have to challenge the releasing center instead of using his speed to slip the block awarding Gordon an easy cut to get into the secondary. Here against the Rams is a 3rd and 19 that went for a 1st down. Bad lanes and slippage from Kwon left the runner uncontested until he reached the 3rd level.

Disciplined rush lanes will be a factor in keeping Gordon from doing this against the Bucs on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/1akfZvOANx

— Douglas Sean OConnor (@Ren_Daxt) December 3, 2016

Max Protection: Buccaneers Head Coach Dirk Koetter believes in protecting the passer more than spreading out the defense. Last week the Bucs threw the ball out of a 6 OL set and have used backs and receivers to chip opposing DE to ensure his quarterback remains upright. The Chargers have 20 sacks on the year with half coming from two players, Melvin Ingram and rookie Joey Bosa. Look for the Bucs to continue this trend and allow Jameis Winston to progress through his reads and pick apart a poor and beat up San Diego secondary.

     Seven out of eight experts have picked the Chargers in this game, for the record these same experts all picked the Chiefs and the Seahawks too. The more I look at this game I see a double digit win for the Bucs. San Diego is 6th against the run but their leading tackler is out this week leaving 3rd stringer Korey Toomer at ILB. I think the soaring confidence and new found nastiness of the Bucs OL puts up a nice performance in the run game. The ability to run the ball and the extra protection for Winston equates to the Bucs easily moving the ball up and down the field. The Chargers offensive scoring numbers are inflated by all the short fields their defense have been giving them. Couple this with San Diego's leading receiver will be wearing a brace on his shoulder for a torn labrum and the new look Buccaneers defense stinginess. I envision lots of smiles on the team flight back to Tampa.

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Odds And Ends About The Chargers Game

by Douglas O'Connor
follow me on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     Not all interesting components of the Buccaneers, Chargers game can be generated into a full story. So I have put together some "oh really" tidbits and posted them all together for easy consumption.

Gerald McCoy pulled Chargers RB Melvin Gordon to the side after interviewing him on press row during Super Bowl week. Giving him a pep talk about his disappointing rookie season and telling him just to keep working. Things will get better. Gordon is 4th in the league in rushing and rushing touchdowns, after coming in 29th last year with zero TD's.

The Chargers run the ball over 55% of the time on 1st down.

Head Coach Mike McCoy has elected to receive the past two games, even though the Chargers have won the coin toss.

Phillip Rivers starts fast but steadily declines as the game goes on. 1st quarter QBR 108.4 then continuously drops till it bottoms out at 76.9 during the 4th.

Rivers hasn't thrown a touchdown pass on any San Diego drive that starts on or inside their own 20 yard line.

When trailing late in games, under 4 minutes. Rivers is throwing for less than a 50% rate with 4 interceptions and 0 touchdowns.

Buccaneers Head Coach Dirk Koetter said while talking to the San Diego media that you teach offense through the eyes of the quarterback. Koetter has been fielding questions about Jameis Winston for almost 2 years and this is the first time I've heard this.

Casey Hayward a free agent pick up from the Green Bay Packers. Where he played almost exclusively inside nickel corner, is tied for the lead league for interceptions. Hayward has moved to outside starting corner back this season and has shadowed some teams elite receiver. Mike Evans is expected to draw Hayward all day this Sunday.

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