A brand new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts each Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Every week, the Pewter Reporters deal with one other robust query. This week’s immediate: What should the Bucs do that week as they maintain two joint practices with the Jaguars and play them on Saturday night time?
Scott Reynolds: Bucs Want To Drive Extra Takeaways On Protection
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: USA Right now
I bear in mind speaking to former Bucs head coach Greg Schiano and he would use the time period “turnover” because it associated to offenses throwing interceptions or fumbling the ball. However he most well-liked the time period “takeaway” on protection because it pertained to “taking the ball away” with pressured fumbles and fumble recoveries and choosing off passes. So I exploit the time period “takeaway” as a result of I believe defenses must have a “take-the-ball-away” mentality. To date, Todd Bowles’ protection has had that in coaching camp – and it must proceed in Jacksonville.
There have been 22 interceptions to this point in coaching camp this yr. I don’t recall what number of the protection had final August, however I don’t assume the quantity was this excessive. Bowles and his defensive coaches have been preaching interceptions all offseason and it’s paying off in observe. Now it must occur in the course of the preseason video games. Tampa Bay’s protection had one takeaway in Cincinnati, however that’s not adequate. The purpose ought to be to report three takeaways in every recreation. The Bucs protection fell wanting that purpose by two takeaways on Saturday night time.
Reserve cornerback Keenan Isaac made a daring interception towards the Bengals and actually took the ball away from the receiver he was defending. Then he got here again on Monday’s observe and picked off Baker Mayfield within the pink zone for his second interception in observe. Tampa Bay’s protection must make life troublesome for quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence, Mac Jones and C.J. Beathard within the two joint practices this week – however extra importantly within the recreation on Saturday night time. And mixing in some sack-fumbles can be good too, particularly since Bowles’ protection didn’t report a single sack in Cincy.
Matt Matera: Proceed Flourishing In The Run Recreation
Bucs RB Sean Tucker – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
A typical phrase that has been hammered residence in regards to the Bucs with their offense was consistency. I’m taking that strategy in terms of the Bucs’ operating recreation, which got here alive of their preseason opening win towards the Bengals. The Bucs rushed for 136 yards with a median of 4.3 yards per try and had some splash performs, together with a 26-yard rush by Sean Tucker. If the Bucs run something near this within the common season, their offense can be as explosive as any group.
Talking of Sean Tucker, this most likely most immediately impacts him. We’ve seen Tampa Bay’s operating recreation, and Tucker, have flashes of brilliance earlier than. However then not lengthy after regresses with outcomes which might be lower than desired. A great first recreation from Tucker has put him ready to get a grasp on that third operating again place with Chase Edmonds nonetheless out with an harm.
The Jaguars have been proper in the midst of the pack stopping the run final yr permitting 4.2 yards per try. Can the Bucs proceed to get a push on the bottom? We’ll discover out this week. It’ll be intriguing to see if final week’s recreation was an anomaly or if Tampa Bay is legitimately trending within the correct path in terms of determining the run. One other recreation with expertise for Bucky Iriving will definitely assist, too.
Bailey Adams: Bucs OLBs Should Take Benefit Of Reps vs. Jaguars OTs
Bucs OLB Chris Braswell – Picture by: Cliff Welch P/R
With Yaya Diaby injured, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka banged up and Randy Gregory nonetheless no-showing camp, the Bucs’ younger exterior linebackers are already getting prolonged reps in observe each day. Second-year gamers Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez, in addition to rookie Chris Braswell, stand to profit from these reps probably the most. Out of the three, solely Ramirez actually confirmed up and performed effectively within the preseason opener at Cincinnati.
The advantages ought to develop exponentially this week because the younger go rushers get an opportunity to match up towards Jacksonville’s offensive tackles. Getting work in towards the likes of Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke is certain to have helped the event of Watts, Ramirez and Braswell. However seeing completely different tackles in observe this week ought to give them an opportunity to check themselves even additional.
Squaring off with the identical tackles in observe day after day, there’s a component of familiarity that may develop. The go rushers might find out how Wirfs, Goedeke and the opposite tackles react to sure strikes and play sure rushes. On the similar time, the tackles might get used to how the go rushers are working and making an attempt to beat them. The competitors remains to be stiff, however patterns might naturally develop over time.
That gained’t exist a lot this week. So, Tampa Bay’s younger go rushers — and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, if he will get again on the sphere — must benefit from this expertise towards Jacksonville’s tackles Anton Harrison, Cam Robinson, Walker Little and Javon Foster. Seeing what works and what doesn’t — and studying from each — ought to be an enormous assist for this group. And whereas it might repay within the preseason recreation on Saturday, it’ll be much more priceless for them to take what they realized and apply it as they face the Dolphins in joint practices subsequent week.
Josh Queipo: Take a look at Their Rookies
The Bucs have one of many youngest rosters within the NFL.
The common age of each #NFL roster. pic.twitter.com/jI454UITxY
— Tyler Webb (@tylermwebb) August 9, 2024
And very like final yr, when the group leaned on rookies to contribute significant snaps en path to a divisional title and a playoff win, they might want to lean on unproven gamers with a purpose to succeed. 5 draft picks – middle Graham Barton, exterior linebacker Chris Braswell, vast receiver Jalen McMillan, nickelback Tykee Smith and operating again Bucky Irving – are all poised to both begin or play important reserve roles.
So as to hit the bottom operating, these gamers will have to be examined within the preseason with reside reps in game-like conditions. The closest they’ll get to these reps is preseason video games. I need to see all 5 of those gamers, plus different rookies who’ve reputable photographs at making the roster like receiver Kameron Johnson, linebacker Kalen DeLoach, cornerback Tyrek Funderburk, tight finish Devin Culp, guard Elijah Klein, safeties Marcus Banks and Rashad Knowledge and defensive deal with Choose Culpepper get prolonged seems within the final two preseason video games.
Reps are invaluable. Within the joint practices starters will get nearly all of reps. The preseason video games themselves could be showcases within the closest factor to common season video games for these younger gamers to see how they may contribute when the performs actually matter. Play all of those guys at the very least three quarters and see who shines and who may have some extra time on a observe squad. As a result of a 17-game NFL season is a struggle of attrition. Likelihood is these gamers can be wanted at one level or one other. And having a greater really feel for who could also be able to come up to the event can solely be a internet optimistic in the long term.
Adam Slivon: Bucs Should Proceed Establishing Offensive Identification
Bucs QBs Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask and OC Liam Coen – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Though the Bucs solely put 17 factors on the board of their preseason win over the Bengals, seeing the group decide up 390 whole yards of offense was encouraging. With offensive coordinator Liam Coen calling the photographs now, the offense regarded extra balanced and was rhythmically placing collectively drives. The group should construct on its promising offensive identification this week towards the Jaguars, each throughout their joint practices and the sport on Saturday night time.
It’s an identification that’s predicated on physicality, and establishing the run to arrange the go. It’s a easy idea, however one the group had success with as operating the ball allowed each Kyle Trask and John Wolford to search out holes within the protection for a handful of chunk performs. Depend first-round decide Graham Barton as being excited for the long run – and the identification he desires to see the blokes take upfront.
“We actually take delight in our dashing assault,” Barton mentioned. “We take delight in being extra bodily than our opponent. That’s obtained to be the identification of our offensive line, we’ve obtained to be violent on the level of assault. We’ve obtained to maneuver folks off the ball and be capable of arrange our passing recreation.”
Final season the Bucs’ offense was mired by inconsistency early on. This time round, they can not afford that to be the case, particularly with a troublesome schedule from the get-go. The primary preseason recreation they performed was a fruitful starting, particularly because it was a lot of the second and third-string gamers serving to to maneuver the chains. This week and the following (towards the Dolphins) will not be solely prime possibilities to face and beat up on some Florida foes however to set the roots of a extra profitable and various offensive assault for the season forward.
