:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51000567/usa-today-9510038.0.jpg)
Kick offs
There was not much to write about here as the offense did not score much.
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | |||||
| Kickoff Stats | |||||
| Game 2, Arizona | |||||
| Att | Yards | Touchback | LOS | LOS Ret | |
| 1 | 65 | 1 | 25 | ||
| 2 | 65 | 1 | 25 | ||
| Average | 65 | 25 | |||
| Note: 65 yards is the goal line. | |||||
No sightings of a mortar kick yet.
Punting
Punter Bryan Anger had one more punt opportunity this game than he did the first game of the season against Atlanta. Tack on the four turnovers (we are not counting the last interception for obvious reasons) and we notice that there were a lot of offensive drives.
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | ||||||
| Punting Stats | ||||||
| Game 2, Arizona | ||||||
| Att | TB LOS | Punt | Return | Opp LOS | IN 20 | Ensing Opp Drive Result |
| 1 | 36 | 38 | 7 | 33 | TD | |
| 2 | ARI 43 | 34 | Downed | 9 | 1 | Punt |
| 3 | 25 | 49 | 0 | 26 | TD | |
| Half | ||||||
| 4 | 41 | 59 | TB | 25 | Punt | |
| 5 | 32 | 50 | 0 | 18 | 1 | Punt |
| 6 | 32 | 52 | 0 | 16 | 1 | Punt |
| LOS = Line of Scrimmage; Opp = Opposition | ||||||
Aside from Anger's first punt, the rest of the punts were kicked well. He even pinned the Cardinals on their 9 yard line!
Field Goals and Extra Points
Roberto Aguayo was 0 for 1 in field goals made and 1 for 1 in extra points. The field goal attempt was a 45 yard attempt. The previous week he nailed a 43 yard field goal. Missing his first field goal so early in the season does not look good for the Buc faithful. But many kickers struggle early in their first season. Let us hope that Aguayo goes on a kicking streak.
Kick Returns and Punt Returns
WR Cecil Shorts had a delayed reaction to take the ball out of the end zone for a kick off return. That made him get stopped at the 19 yard line, 6 yards short of the line of scrimmage should he have stayed in the end zone and taken the touchback. Never should have taken the ball out if one has to hesitate.
On punt returns, WR Adam Humphries had five opportunities to return the ball.
| TB Bucs | ||
| Punt Return | ||
| 2016 (Humphries) | ||
| Att | Return (yds) | TB LOS |
| 1 | 1 | 17 |
| 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 | 17 | 49 |
| 4 | 4 | 35 |
| 5 | FC | 19 |
| 6 | 25 | Ari 41 |
| Average | ||
| 9.4 | ||
Humphries took some vicious shots on his first two attempts to return the ball. It probably would have saved him some pain to just fair catch the attempts.
Conclusion
Head coach Koetter was asked about mortar kicks in a recent press conference, click to the 7:30 out of 8:56 time for this particular question: Thursday, Sept 22 Koetter Press Conference.
There was no direct answer, but rather he skirted around the question. It can be inferred that we are not doing mortar kicks just yet because we do not have great coverage on special teams with the way Koetter denoted several teams applying mortar kicking.
Also in that presser, Koetter threw the stat out that the starting line of scrimmage for returns was the 24-yard line and it would behoove a team to simple take the touch back and start at the 25 yard line.
Is it weird that a punter has been the most consistent, productive player for the first two games of the season worth noting about?