IT’S SAINTS WEEK!

Tampa Bay fans consider this a rivalry, even if Todd Bowles doesn’t. If you’re like me, you HATE the Saints; like H-A-T-E them with a passion. I hate the Saints the same way that I used to hate the Eagles and Rams. Even more so; since they’re in our division. And every time they beat the Bucs, the hatred grows more and more. New Orleans has won seven of their last eight meetings with the Bucs, including that gut-wrenching 9-0 loss in Tampa last year. So this game is not just a rivalry for me; it’s THE rivalry, especially with Jameis Winston at quarterback.

The Saints are coming off of a last-second field goal win against the Atlanta Falcons last week, while the Bucs went to Dallas and convincingly beat the Cowboys. I think the Bucs players have had this game circled on their calendars since the schedule came out. They want payback for that shutout loss at home. They want Jameis to eat an “L” instead of those dumbass “W’s” he likes to chomp on all the time. They want to show their head coach that this is a rivalry and should be treated as such every time. This is the game to do it. It’s a road game. It’s a division game. It’s a rivalry game. It’s the perfect storm.

So let’s talk about both of these teams and what we can expect from this Week 2 matchup between NFC South rivals.

 

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

The New Orleans Saints have entered a new era of football. Their longtime head coach Sean Payton retired; after last season, leaving defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as the new head coach. Jameis Winston took over for the retired Drew Brees at quarterback last season but suffered a season-ending injury early on. Now the Saints are starting the season Payton-less AND Brees-less for the first time in 15 years. They had a rough game against a not-so-good Falcons team last week, winning on a last-second field goal after trailing the entire game. So despite what the win-loss record is between these teams, they’ll have their hands full with a Buccaneers roster that’s loaded with talent.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

OFFENSE – LT James Hurst

Hurst is a career backup who spent the first six years of his nine-year career with the Ravens. He is starting at left tackle because 2022 rookie first-round pick Trevor Penning tore a ligament in his foot and is on IR until at least November. I’m sure that Shaq Barrett will be lined up across from him for most of this game, which is a clear mismatch. So look for Barrett to have a big day.

DEFENSE – CB Bradley Roby

With second-year cornerback Paulson Adebo officially “OUT” for this game, it leaves nine-year vet Bradley Roby playing the opposite of Marshon Lattimore. He will probably be responsible for covering Julio Jones since Lattimore will likely be on Mike Evans for most of the game. Roby used to be a pretty solid corner, but I’m not sure he still has the ability to stop Julio 2.0 from getting his touches.

 

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

The Bucs are coming off of a road win in Dallas against the always-overrated Cowboys, where they dominated on defense but left a bunch of points on the field on offense. Hopefully, they got their Red Zone issues straightened out in practice this week and can put together a better performance than the one in Texas. This is a HUGE game for the team AND the fans. It’s a division game on the road, which is always important to the team. And it’s the Saints, which might be the most hated team in the league for most Bucs fans right now. As far as Week 2 games go, they don’t get much bigger than this one.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

OFFENSE – TE Cade Otton

The Saints’ safeties will be preoccupied with giving over-the-top help to both corners, which could leave the middle of the field: Wide Open. Even though he didn’t have a target last week against the Cowboys, Otton could get opportunities down the seam in this game and should see targets in the Red Zone.

DEFENSE – DB Antoine Winfield Jr.

Winfield had a nice game against Dallas, playing in his new nickel safety position, and I expect it to continue in New Orleans. He should get plenty of opportunities at his second interception of the season with Jameis Winston at quarterback for the Saints.

KEY MATCHUPS

1. Mike Evans vs. Marshon Lattimore

Father versus son. This matchup is always fun to watch and usually provides us with some kind of entertaining extra-curricular activities. Even though Evans typically dominates him, Lattimore is a tough, competitive corner, and Mike is nursing a sore calf muscle, so keep an eye on these two throughout the game.

2. Tom Brady vs. Tyrann Mathieu

These two crafty old vets have been going at it since Super Bowl LV when the Bucs beat the Chiefs. Now that he’s with the Saints, these two will see each other twice this season. This will be a chess match for the entire game, with Brady trying to look Mathieu off with his eyes and Mathieu trying to bait Brady into a dumb throw. It’s always fun to see two greats going at it, and this definitely fits the bill.

3. Cameron Jordan vs. Whoever

Whether it’s Donovan Smith with his injured elbow or a 100% healthy Josh Wells, Cameron Jordan will be a problem on Sunday. In their two games last season, he had 7 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 tackles for loss. No matter who starts at left tackle for the Bucs, Byron Leftwich will have to put someone over there to help block, whether it’s tight end Ko Kieft or Leonard Fournette chipping like he did last week against Micah Parsons.

INJURY REPORTS

BUCCANEERS

The Buccaneers only have one player officially ruled “OUT” for this game, but unfortunately, that player is WR Chris Godwin (hamstring). CB Zyon McCollum (hamstring) and LT Donovan Smith (elbow) are listed as “DOUBTFUL“, so neither of them will likely play either. And they have six players listed as “QUESTIONABLE” who were all limited participants in Friday’s practice. They include WR Mike Evans (calf), RB Leonard Fournette (hamstring), WR Julio Jones (hamstring), WR Russell Gage (knee), WR Breshad Perriman (knee), and RT Tristan Wirfs (abdomen). Yes, Bucs fans, their top five wide receivers are ALL on the final injury report; however, I suspect all of them, with the exception of Godwin, will play.

SAINTS

New Orleans also has just one player officially ruled “OUT” for Sunday, which is starting cornerback CB Paulson Adebo (ankle). They also have six players listed as “QUESTIONABLE” on their injury report just like the Bucs. Those players include QB Jameis Winston (back), RB Alvin Kamara (ribs), RB Mark Ingram (ankle), RB Dwayne Washington (hamstring), WR Tre’Quan Smith (shoulder), and CB Alontae Taylor (hip). That means their top three running backs are on the injury report; however I expect all of those “questionable” guys to play as well.

 

SCORE PREDICTION

Since 2011, the Saints are 17-5 against the Bucs. In fact, since Tom Brady’s arrival in Tampa Bay, the Bucs are 1-7 against them and 29-3 against everyone else. They have definitely had the Bucs number. Todd Bowles said that they can’t call this a rivalry because it’s been too one-sided. And I think these Bucs players are fed up with it, especially after being humiliated and shut out at home 9-0 in their last meeting. Trust me, this team has been thinking about that game all week, and they’ll take their frustrations out on the Saints on Sunday — Bucs win easily.

Bucs  27 –  Saints 16

 

THE WRAP-UP

Okay, the Saints’ reign of terror in the regular season; needs to end. They’re NOT the better team. Hell, they weren’t even the better team last year. But enough is enough; this silliness has to stop — the ridiculous gnawing on the fingers. The celebratory dancing in the locker room after the game — the trash-talking, the bragging about owning the Bucs over the last decade; all stops Sunday. And now that you know everything you need to know about this week’s matchup, there’s only one thing left to say.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, YOUR ASSES ARE ON THE CLOCK!

 

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By now, you have probably seen the final injury report, and like many, you probably put your face in your hands and sighed, but it’s not as bad as it seems.

Among the names on that list, only Bucs’ wide receiver Chris Godwin is listed as OUT, and that is pretty much a no-brainer, considering he pulled a slight hamstring during NFL Opening Weekend against the Dallas Cowboys. No, the Buccaneers did not play him too early, even if you, or they, think the team might have. Godwin pulling a hamstring was likely to happen sometime during the season — it comes with the territory. Late last season, Godwin suffered multiple tears in his knee (ACL/MCL), which resulted in him missing the remainder of the 2021 season and having surgery back in January (2022). In a video you will find below, Dr. Jesse Morse explains that Godwin’s ACL recovery could have led to his hamstring injury.

Dr. Jesse Morse explains how Godwin’s ACL recovery could’ve led to a hamstring injury. DR. Morse also gives an idea of how much time the veteran receiver could be missing.

DOUBTFUL

Listed as DOUBTFUL is Donovan Smith, who hyper-extended his elbow last week. Smith could play Sunday, depending on how much pain he can take. He is one tough son of a gun, so do not be surprised if Smith is out there on Sunday shoving Saints linemen around.

Also listed as Doubtful is rookie cornerback Zyon McCollum with a hamstring injury. As for the rookie playing, I wouldn’t count on it. He was sat down last week, and I would expect that to be the case again this week. If he’s not 100%, I do not think that Todd Bowles is going to throw him out there this Sunday. But if he’s good to go, then let the ‘ROOK play.

QUESTIONABLE:

Questionable is the word that seems to have had fans worried the most. Mike Evans (calf), Julio Jones (knee), Leonard Fournette (hamstring), Russel Gage (hamstring), Breshad Perriman (knee), and Tristan Wirfs (abdomen). Of those, only Breshad Perriman might not play this Sunday. These injuries are minor, and these are regular week-to-week happenings. I wouldn’t worry about Mike Evans — it’s just a bruise, folks.

As for Tom Brady, Akeim Hicks, and Lavonte David, You better believe they will play this Sunday. Non-football-related absences.

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HERE WE GO! Week Two is upon us, and this week, we’re previewing the NFC South showdown between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints. 

The Saints have had the Bucs number in the last six regular season games, with the Bucs winning their only matchup in the playoffs (2020) in that time frame. 

Bucs’ offense needs to come out strong!

 

The Bucs have been stagnant in their matchups against the Saints. The last time they played, they ended up being shut out at home, losing 9-0. The Bucs are going to need to establish the ground game with Leonard Fournette, who rushed for 127 yards in last week’s victory over the Cowboys. The Saints rush D surrendered 201 yards on the ground to Atlanta last week after being the league’s fourth-best against the run a season ago.

 

The Bucs will also need big games from veterans Julio Jones and Russell Gage, who both are familiar with the Saints during their time with Atlanta. Brady will need to stay upright as his blindside could be in jeopardy as tackle Donovan Smith is unlikely to play after sustaining an elbow injury last week against the Cowboys. Saints linebacker DeMario Davis will look to exploit Tampa’s blindside regardless of Smith’s status, so we’re going to need another good crack block from Lenny this week. On the right side, Saints Cam Jordan may be ruled out of Sunday’s game but expect Tristan Wirfs to still have his hands full.

Devin White and the Bucs D must play Smart Football!

 

If the Bucs are hoping to win Sunday, it’ll take them playing technically sound football on the defensive side, starting with Devin White. After leading the team in tackles (8) and sacks (2), he’ll have his hands full not only communicating with his teammates but containing RB Alvin Kamara. Although Kamara hasn’t been himself on the field, he could easily turn into a nightmare. Kamara has 957 all-purpose yards (464 rushing/493 receiving) and 10 touchdowns (7 rushing/3 receiving) in 10 regular season games against the Bucs.

The Bucs front seven (4 sacks vs Dallas in Week 1) could have a field day against the Saints offense if they block the way they did against Atlanta in Week 1, allowing quarterback Jameis Winston to be sacked 4 times and a fumble loss. 1.5 of those sacks came from the interior, which means Akeem Hicks and Vita Vea (1 sack vs Dallas) could feast or require double-teams, allowing Will Gholston, JTS, and Shaq Barrett to reign free on the former number-one draft pick.

 

Finally, the matchup that Bucs fans are eagerly awaiting is Carlton Davis III and Sean Murphy-Bunting locking down slant-boy Michael Thomas for another game. On the other side, Jamel Dean will look to lock down Jarvis Landry, while safeties Logan Ryan, Antoine Winfield Jr (interception vs Dallas in Week 1), and Mike Edwards rotate in hope of keeping all deep passes in front of them. The secondary is well aware that if Winston is pressured, he tends to make those arrogant passes that have a high tendency to end up in the defense’s favor.

Other notes:

Julio Jones 18 game career vs. New Orleans: 158 receptions, 1615 yards, 3 touchdowns (7-100 yard games vs. Saints)

Russell Gage 8 game career vs. New Orleans: 36 receptions, 374 yards, 3 touchdowns (Last game vs. Saints*: 9 receptions, 126 yards, 1 touchdown) *as a member of the Atlanta Falcons

Betting via Caesars Sportbook: Bucs -2.5, Over/Under: 44.0

 

Additional Notes:

• Quarterback Tom Brady passed for 212 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. He has 5,557 passing yards (308.7 per game) and 44 TDs (40 passing, 4 rushing) vs. 11 interceptions for a 104.2 rating in 18 road starts with Tampa Bay. He passed for 375 yards and 4 touchdowns vs. 2 interceptions for a 112 rating in the last road meeting. Brady has 300 or more passing yards, 2 or more touchdown passes, and a 100 or better rating in 4 of his past 5 road starts vs. the division.

• Runningback Leonard Fournette had 137 scrimmage yards (127 rush, 10 receiving) in Week 1, his 15th-career game with 125 or more scrimmage yards. He has 795 scrimmage yards (99.4 per game) and 7 touchdowns (5 rushing, 2 receiving) in his past 8 games on the road.

• Wide receiver Mike Evans led the team with 5 catches for 71 yards and a receiving touchdown in Week 1. He will look for his 3rd in a row at New Orleans and 3rd in a row on the road overall with a touchdown catch this Sunday. Since 2014, Evans leads NFL with 76 receiving touchdowns.

• Wide Receiver Julio Jones had 86 scrimmage yards (69 receiving, 17 rushing) last week in his Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ debut. He has 102 receptions for 1,615 yards (89.7 per game) and 3 receiving touchdowns in 18 career games vs. New Orleans. He has 59 career games with 100 or more receiving yards, which is tied for 3rd most in NFL history.

• Linebacker Lavotne David had 6 tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a pass defended in Week 1. He had 11 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, a sack, and a forced fumble in the last meeting with the Saints and has 18 tackles for a loss in 20 career games vs. The Saints. he is 1 of 2 (J.J. Watt) with 50 or more passes defended (54) and 25 or more forced fumbles (26) since 2012.

• Linebacker Devin White led the team with 8 tackles and had 2 sacks and a pass defended last week, which is his 5th-career game with 2 or more sacks. Has 10 or more tackles in 4 of his 5 career games vs. New Orleans.

• Defensive lineman Vita Vea had his 13th career sack last week. He has 4 sacks in his past 4 games on the road.

• Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. had 6 tackles and his 4th-career interception last week. He will look for his 6th game in a row on the road with 6 or more tackles.

• Cornerback Carlton Davis has 11 passes defended in his past 11 games on the road.

 

Some highlights from last season’s game in New Orleans

 

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In Week one against the Dallas Cowboys, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers performed rather well. The Buccaneers rushed the ball 33 times for 152 yards. Fournette led the team with 127 yards on 21 carries, placing him at 5th in the league in rushing yards for the week. The offensive line played solid, despite the loss of Ryan Jensen and Aaron Stinnie. Wirfs was dealing with an Oblique injury, but it was a non-factor. He still played the entire game; all 62 snaps.

The running game flourished that night.

A solid established running game is exactly what is needed to help take some pressure off of Tom Brady and help to stabilize the line in order to get the ball out of Brady’s hands and into a receiver’s hands for the score.

But that’s easier said than done. Lenny has a Saints’ thorn in his side, too.

In Leonard Fournette’s career (5 games) against the New Orleans Saints, he has just 72 yards combined on 20 attempts (3.6 YPC), with no touchdowns. The stat is important. I would expect to see Todd Bowles continue to run the football, establish that run, and get the ball moving down the field a lot more in this year’s Week 2 contest. Mike Evans is dinged up with a calf injury but isn’t likely to miss Sunday, and Chris Godwin suffered a hamstring injury last week against the Cowboys. Godwin’s injury isn’t too significant, but I wouldn’t expect him to play this Sunday against the Saints in New Orleans.

Considering that Bowles does like to run the ball more than 17-20 times, I believe that the run will be the deciding factor in this Week 2 game, and the “Playoff” Lenny continues his hot start and has a breakout game against the Saints.

It will be an interesting game this week, considering this will be the first time the Buccaneers have faced the Saints without Sean Payton calling the shots since 2005, when Jim Haslett was their head coach, so that is something that the Bucs should take advantage of.. Always the big rivalry, the Bucs cannot come out flat against the Saints this week as it puts so much pressure on the team, and mistakes get made all too easily. The Bucs have to play precisely, establish the run, protect Brady, make the catches, limit the penalties and play hardnosed defense in order to walk away with the win and a 2-0 start to a long, tough, season.

Article Written by Derek “Maniac” Stephens

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Arians’ absence shows in week one.

It was hardly a week ago that I wrote an article entitled” Will a running game resurface for Tampa Bay in 2022?” It only took a week to get a resounding “Yes”. The Bucs Defense was smothering and dominating against the Cowboys at home. They were in control from start to end. The problem was that the Bucs’ offense could do nothing but kick field goals on red zone intrusions, save for one Brady toss to Mike Evans for a touchdown.

Rushing attempts against Dallas more than in any game last season.

It was the rushing game that was working, and that’s what they did to the tune of 33 rushing attempts for a total of 152 net yards. That’s more attempts than in any game last season. In 2021 the Bucs eclipsed the 30 rushing attempts just 4 times all season. In 2020 the team only eclipsed 33 carries twice. In the four losses last season: their rushing attempts ranked the lowest or close to the lowest of the season. (13 was the lowest): 13 attempts vs the Rams, 14 and 21 attempts vs the Saints, and 13 against Washington; however, the rushing attempts could be low because of the need to come back in the games they were losing. It is still a statement that their three lowest games in rushing attempts all came in losses. Even if you have been or are a high-volume passing team, there will still be weeks when the pass, for whatever reason, just isn’t getting it done. There were games last season that Jonathan Taylor and the Colts just were not getting it done on the ground. You understand what I’m saying; sometimes it just bees that way, and on those days, you must be able to do the opposite to survive.

Playoff Lenny, running the ball in mid-season form.

Fournette finished with 127 yards on the ground, and the LSU product looked good getting that total. Fournette dictated the running game, and the Cowboys were on their heels, it seemed, most of the night. No doubt that this season will far eclipse the rushing totals for the last 3 to 4 years. It certainly couldn’t hurt us. Brady is most happy when the running game is working, and he can run the play action more effectively. It also helps, of course, with the overall pass rush intensity. The defense can’t pin their ears back and bring it so hard when they have to account for a successful running game. Fournette is going to break a thousand yards rushing, no problem, if he can stay healthy. Look for Rachaad White to get more touches as the season goes on, as well. Mr. Fournette may excel at receiving out of the backfield, but let’s not forget he was always a good rusher. Go Bucs!!

 

Resources- 2021 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports | Pro-Football-Reference.com

 

2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports | Pro-Football-Reference.com

ONE DOWN, NINETEEN TO GO!

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicked their season off on the right foot by kicking in the door to “Jerry’s House” and pillaging as pirates do. Despite losing Donovan Smith and Chris Godwin early on, the Bucs were able to dominate the Cowboys from start to finish, carried by the legs of Leonard Fournette and a stingy Bucs defense on their way to a 19-3 win on the road.

If you’re new to Buc Nation or just need a reminder, this segment is where I talk about the GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY things that I saw in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game each week. So let’s get into it, shall we?

 

THE GOOD

The “W”

Obviously, it’s a win. It may not have been a pretty one; but it’s a win nonetheless. And a conference road win at that. It was also rare. Over the last 5 years, the Bucs are 2-15 when scoring less than 20 points in a game. A new center, a rookie left guard, and a backup left tackle for 3 quarters, and the offense was still able to produce 19 points and 347 total yards, including 152 rushing. It wasn’t pretty, but it’s definitely something to build on. All three phases contributed to a complete team win. Sure there are things to clean up across the board, but it was a small glimpse into what this team is potentially capable of.

 

“Lonestar Lenny”

Leonard Fournette was a wrecking ball in every way possible Sunday night. He had 21 carries for 127 yards averaging 6 yards per carry. He also added 2 catches for 10 yards and pass-protected his ass off. In fact, there was a play where he chip-blocked Micah Parsons lifting him off the ground and putting him on the turf. After the game, Parsons went on Twitter complaining about the hit and whining about it like a baby. Lenny responded to his tweet with a crying face emoji. Todd Bowles stuck up for his running back today in his press conference, saying that it was a legal hit and that they’ll always play within the rules. Fournette is off to a good start to the season, and the Bucs look like they might be a more balanced offense under Bowles.

 

“Julio 2.0”

Jones finished with 3 catches for 69 yards in his Bucs debut. The 33-year-old reached 20.62 mph on his 48-yard reception, which was the third fastest in the NFL for Week 1 behind Jaylen Waddle’s (23 years old) 20.8 and Zay Jones‘ 20.64 (27 years old). He was even faster than Tyreek Hill’s 20.33 mph. Since coming to Tampa Bay, Jones has begun working with Tom Brady’s TB12 method, and apparently, it’s paying off. Todd Bowles says that he looks like the “old Julio“, and that should scare any defensive coordinator the Bucs are facing this season.

 

The O-Line, Kinda

Not only did they produce 152 rushing yards, but they only allowed 2 sacks (both by Micah Parsons) to a very solid Cowboys defensive line. Not too bad considering Tristan Wirfs was the only starter remaining from last year’s o line after Donovan Smith left the game. A backup left tackle, a rookie left guard, a new second-year center and a new right guard is how the Bucs played the entire second half, and they were still able to be productive. Even the rookie held his own. According to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, Luke Goedeke had a pass block win rate of 87.5% (14 of 16); and a run block win rate of 70.4% (19 of 27) DESPITE making his first start after transitioning from a right tackle in college to an NFL left guard. Sure there’s room for improvement, and it would be nice if they could get healthy and back to full strength, but this was a pretty decent outing against a pretty good d-line. And bonus, they committed just one penalty in 62 offensive snaps. Hats off to the big boys up front.

 

The “Big D” and I Don’t Mean Dallas

The Bucs’ defense came up BIG on Sunday, giving up just 244 total yards on 64 plays, including 173 passing and 74 rushing yards. Last year, the lowest total offense for Dallas was 290 yards in a loss to Denver. The Cowboys never ran a play inside the Bucs’ 30-yard line. With the exception of the opening drive, they didn’t even cross midfield until the final minute of the third quarter. The 3 points allowed matches the lowest score for the Cowboys under Mike McCarthy, and it’s the second-lowest scoring output in a season opener in Cowboys history. It was the second-lowest points allowed by a Bucs defense in a season opener and matches the fewest points allowed since 2019 when Todd Bowles took over.

Tampa Bay Held The Cowboys’ “Big Three” in Check For Most of The Night.

Dak Prescott finished 14 of 29 for 134 yards and an interception, Ezekiel Elliott had 10 carries for 52 yards, and CeeDee Lamb had 2 catches for 29 yards. The Cowboys’ biggest contributors were no-name wide receiver Noah Brown with 5 catches for 68 yards and tight end Dalton Schultz with 7 catches for 62 yards.

Devin White led the way with 8 tackles and 2 sacks, while Vita Vea and Anthony Nelson; also added a sack each. Antoine Winfield Jr. had the Bucs’ only turnover of the night with an interception from Dak Prescott.

 

THE BAD

The Injuries

The Bucs really dodged a bullet in this game. Chris Godwin went out with a tweaked hamstring, and Donovan Smith went out with an elbow injury early on in this game. Luckily, neither injury looks to be anything long-term. They’ll have to wait to see how Godwin’s hammy responds to treatment this week, and Smith’s elbow was just a hyperextension and is more of a pain tolerance issue. So both guys have a chance to play next Sunday against the Saints.

Also, in this game, Dak Prescott banged his thumb on Shaq Barrett’s helmet and left the game in the second half. It turns out; that his injury will require surgery, and he’ll miss 6-8 weeks. So that pretty much takes the Cowboys out of contention.

 

“Deadzone”; Not Redzone

The RedZone was an issue for both teams Sunday night, but for very different reasons. The Cowboys only reached it once all night and came away with nothing; the Bucs, on the other hand, reached it four times and came away with two field goals and a touchdown. The other trip ended with a missed 36-yard field goal by Ryan Succop. That can’t happen. The Buccaneers’ offense had a chance at 28 points in these four series and walked away with just 13 points. That’s not gonna cut it, folks. The good news is they will get better.

 

Look Ma! No Hands!

Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean only allowed 42 receiving yards between the two of them, but even though the “Gravediggers” did a pretty good job shutting down the Cowboys’ passing attack, they could’ve been even better. Antoine Winfield Jr. had the only interception of the day for the Bucs’ defense, but they had multiple opportunities for others. I can remember at least three or four others that Buccaneer defenders had a shot at, and they either dropped them or just couldn’t make the plays. Devin White, Jamel Dean, and even Winfield Jr. all had balls that could’ve, or should’ve; been interceptions, but they didn’t come down with them. For a group that put an emphasis on getting picks this offseason and set high expectations for the regular season, they’re not off to a very good start; however, it was their first game, so we’ll cut them some slack.

 

The Penalties

This may be nitpicking here. Since the Bucs only had 5 penalties for 25 yards, however, they were ALL PRE-SNAP PENALTIES! Three false starts and two offsides. That’s ridiculous; I know, it’s only five penalties. I know it’s only Week 1. But pre-snap penalties? Come on, man, there’s no excuse for those. They’ve got to clean that stuff up before next weekend.

 

THE UGLY

The Interception

Not only was it unusual, but it was ugly, too. Tom Brady only threw 12 interceptions all season last year, so we’re not used to seeing our QB mess up like that. The pick he threw in this game was especially ugly. Brady knew it and admitted it after the game. He tried to force a ball to Mike Evans, who was being covered pretty well already and didn’t see the defender cutting underneath. It was a poor decision and an ugly throw, for sure, and not one that Brady makes often.

 

THE WRAP-UP

Well, that insanely difficult first four games the Bucs had for their 2022 schedule aren’t looking so bad anymore. They went into Dallas and won convincingly. Next week, they go to New Orleans to play the Saints, who barely beat a bad Atlanta team on Sunday. Then it’s home to face the Packers, who looked terrible against the Vikings. They still have the Chiefs after that, but these first three games don’t have me as worried: as much as they did a few months ago.

The defense and special teams looked like they were in mid-season form already, but the offense wasn’t quite there yet. Yes, I know it’s early in the season, and the new guys on offense need time to gel, but those are just excuses. The Bucs don’t have time for excuses — this is Brady’s last run. The time is now. There are 19 more teams standing in the way, and the next one up is our NFC South rival New Orleans Saints. So enjoy this Week 1 win for now, but by Wednesday, it’ll be time to put it in the rearview and move on. It’s OFFICIALLY Saints week in Tampa Bay!

Until then, as always: GO BUCS!!!

What do the Bucs need to do to come out of the Big Easy with a win on the road?

We all know that Tampa’s defense is one of the best units in the league at stopping the run, but in this one, the game plan on defense needs to be focused on stopping the Saints high powered passing attack. It’s easier said than done, but the secondary needs to step up and play lights out in order to stifle Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, and Jarvis Landry.

This game is pivotal, absolutely critical.

We can’t afford to get swept by the Saints again this year! Another key to winning this game is that Tampa’s defense needs to put an enormous amount of pressure on Jameis Winston to confuse him and keep him guessing. Hopefully, doing that will result in the Bucs forcing a few turnovers.

Last but not least, Tampa absolutely has to score touchdowns! You can’t beat the Saints by constantly kicking field goals. The offensive line needs to give Tom Brady enough time to find weapons to distribute the ball to on offense!

Even in our Super Bowl season with Brady, we lost 2 of 3

Let’s face it, the Saints of New Orleans have had our number; not even Tom Brady has been able to change that. Since Brady’s arrival, the Bucs are 0-4 in the regular season against our dreaded rival. The only success the Bucs have had against them was in the 2020 postseason when we took them out on our way to the Lombardi Trophy. We play them twice a year, and they make us look bad basically every time. Our place, their place, one o’clock, or prime time kickoff, it doesn’t matter. I haven’t forgotten the shutout late in last season’s schedule (9-0). It’s like no matter how good we are in the regular season or how bad the Saints are, the outcome is the same.

Beating the good teams, we should beat

In all reality, the Buccaneers are an elite team this season. The Saints are still trying to get back to that place. The Bucs should be able to take care of business and take two wins away from the Saints on this schedule. Doing so would put us in the best position entering the playoffs. We would have to play one less game to get back to the big game; it would help the overall swagger level of the team. It would give us a more confident mindset, especially if we have to play them again in the playoffs if they are able to get to that point. Adding those two games to the win column could make a big difference at the season’s end. It would be nice to win another Super Bowl and another divisional title in the same season.

No more salt in the wound, please

Adding to the salt in the wound is that it’s Jameis Winston leading the offense as of late. I don’t know about you as a fan of the Bucs, but if I have to watch another one of Jaboo’s victory dances or eat W’s, I’m going to get sick. He was a good guy; when he was here, but he’s the enemy now. So what will it be this time around; embarrassment or satisfaction we all walk away with? Tom Brady and the team know that these are two games we should win; that is the way that it needs to be. Our schedule is chock-full of elite teams. These are two games we should be able to come out on top in. Game one is Sunday. Go Bucs!!

Over Brady’s twenty-two-plus seasons in the league, he’s made a slew of teams, including many an AFC East opponent, look bad. The Cowboys, as we know, are one of those five and had a chance to get themselves off the list, Sunday Night in Prime Time. The list is still 5 teams long after the game, with the Bucs basically dominating the Cowboys 19 – 3. Beyond the Cowboys, there are still four more teams who have never gotten the better of Tom Brady.

Those other four are; the divisional foes Atlanta Falcons, then the Minnesota Vikings, the New England Patriots, and yes, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Falcons, of course, get two shots this season to get a win. I don’t see that happening, as the Falcons are a few steps below the Buccaneers in 2022. Dak Prescott, of course, has not beaten Brady in his career, all with Dallas, and continued that trend on Sunday Night.

While the offense against Dallas tonight was hit-and-miss, with Leonard Fournette getting a good portion of the “hit”. The Defense played well all night and kept Dallas in check. There was room for improvement on both sides, and Brady will tell you he was far from on his A-Game, as he was only able to connect with Mike Evans for just one passing touchdown. Next up are our biggest rivals, the Saints of NOLA, who will surely give us all we can handle in the Super Dome next Sunday. I’m sure they will be ready; Brady knows how big the games are against them. They seem to find ways to get the better of the Bucs each season. Go Bucs!!