Tampa Bay Bucs came out this week and showed everyone in BucNation what this team can look like when everything falls into place. when the team comes out and plays a complete game on both sides of the ball. This past week after losing to the Falcons to fall to 0-4 at home and also 1-8 on the season. Some fans wondered if they would win another game the entire season. You know its hard to go 1-15 on the yr when you have some good players and a very respectable coaching staff. All week long Buccaneer players answered questions about being able to finish games and getting generating some defense. Getting Pressure with the front four. Getting guys healthy and back into the line up. Micheal Johnson missed last game with a hand injury. Some would say that he got benched because he's been silent all yr. Battling some injuries and maybe not really grasping his role in this new scheme. I don't know but we as fans need to see more from him.
Our Defensive Line as a whole needed to step up in the passing game. They did that by hitting RG3 all day long and also getting him off his spot and not allowing him to get comfortable in the pocket and pick us a part. I was a little nervous about his mobility before the game but after the game started and seeing how they was getting after it the first qtr. I wasn't so nervous after seeing the D-Line get after it all day long. Micheal Johnson registered a sack, Gerald McCoy had 1.5 sacks on the day, The newly acquired DE from Buffalo Jacquise Smith had two sacks on the day. Smith has made am impact on the pass rush since joining the Bucs a few weeks back. He has great speed on the edge and has the discipline to keep contain also. He hustles every play and has that motor that a lot of coaches love in a player. Larry English also got in on the action and applied some pressure to. It's been a very long time since we've seen that kind of pressure. Most will say Redskins are that bad but we haven't done that all season long and we have played some pretty Bad offensive lines along the way. So that was a big step int the right direction for that young group of guys.
The linebackers and the secondary i thought had a great game. In the running game i thought the LBs were decisive when hitting the gap and attacking the plays. Even though Washington RB Morris had a pretty good game 20car 98yds. I still thought the discipline was there. The aggression was there to play fast and physical at the point of attack. Lavonte David had another double digit tackling game finishing with 12 tackles on the day. MLB Mason Foster had a good game this week 5 tackles and a pass defense that was tipped into the hands of CB Jonathan Banks for a TD in the first quarter. That was a great way to start the game and get some momentum early. Safety Major Wright has filled in very well after the Bucs traded away Mark Barron to the Rams. He has been really aggressive in the running game making the hits down in the box and also playing in coverage. Something that Barron couldn't do. Deshon Goldson Played a very good game and also looked more like the guy we picked up from the 49ers last season making lays in the box and also Making some hit on Wrs across the middle dislodging the ball a few times. Another Guy i want to give kudos to is 2nd yr CB Jonathan Banks. This Kid the last 3 weeks is playing like he is finally understanding what it is that Lovie wants him to do in this defense. He's being more aggressive jumping routes and getting to his spot in coverage. With Verner being out the last few games with that sore Hamstring Banks has been asked to do a little more. Lining up against the opposing team Best wr and for the most part he has done a great job.
On the offensive side of the ball. I thought that they came out early and wanted to establish the running game early. Rookie Rb Charles Simms in his second game since he has been activated once again looked to be the guy they wanted to feature in the running game. he carried the ball 13 times for 36 yards which isn't anything to write home about because most of those carries he was stopped for a short gain or hit for a loss of yards. His longest run was 12yds and i think he had another run of about 10 yards also. I don't know if anyone has noticed but it looks like he's still a little hampered by the injury because i can see a noticeble limp in his step when he's running and also walking. I hope this is sonething that goes away because it would really be bad if he never regains it after the surgery. Sometimes it happens that way but, he doesn't look 100% to me right now. Bobby Rainey only has 5 carries for 8 yards in a very limited role. In the passing game Josh McCown in his second game back played a very well played game 15/23 288yds and 2tds for 85QBR and 136 QB Rating. Played a very efficient game. Took what the defense gave us and you say him again make plays with his legs to either pick up a first down or extend plays out to buy time to throw the ball. These were the main factors Lovie brought him here. I know most fans want to see Glennon back in the line up but Josh leadership and knowledge of the game and our offense is like another coach on the field. Last week Vincent Jackson and Evans got involved a lot into the passing game. This week it was all Mike Evans who set a rokkie and NFL record for his 200 yard day on 7 rec and 2 tds. The mismatch was there and this time around unlike in other games when we've seen Evans open down field. The ball got to him and hit him in stride for 2 tds. Mike Evans showed us why he was the 7th overall pick in last yrs draft. showing that speed, ability to get separation down field. I had him as the best wr in the draft. He catches the ball with his hands and because of that attacking nature his catch radius is huge. He attacks the ball at its highest point and that is what play makers has to do. After the game Evans said Wr Vincent Jackson has been a huge infleunce on helping him develop so quickly. I can see that because they are similar in style and the way that they play the game of football.
I though the offensive line had another average game. That's about all i think they have are average lineman. Can pass protect to some extent but cannot open any wholes on the line G Demar Dotson had a bad game. registering a few penalties for hands to the face. Anthony Collins played and i didn't even know he was active because i didn't hear his name at all so anytime you don't hear an lineman name it's a good thing. Josh was only sacked twice and had good time in the pocket to get the ball out but it also helps an offensive line when the QB knows where he wants to go with the ball and doesn't sit and hold the ball to long because they don't have to block forever.
I thought the coaching this game really showed in the way the team came out and played. It's not easy to go on the road in the NFL against any team and get a dominating win. That showed these guy were locked in and the coaches did their job throughout the week to get the players prepared to play. I think that this is a building block for the rest of the season and something that the players and the coaches can build upon for the next coming weeks and the development for the team identity for the rest of the season and the future. The defense is starting to take the next step into learning the system and trusting what the coaches are saying. I look to next week for them to take another step in the growing process in growing as a team.
