Bucs Nation - Buccaneers vs. Cardinals 2016: Jameis Winston faces big testA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Blog - Fire Those Cannons!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48049/bucs-fave.png2016-09-24T08:29:33-04:00http://www.bucsnation.com/rss/stream/127239872016-09-24T08:29:33-04:002016-09-24T08:29:33-04:00D-line play key to defensive performance
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uxCj-7WHBHbmjx-QqKEv3dYuuL8=/0x0:3155x2103/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50952871/usa-today-9550853.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Another game, another prominent piece on the defensive line gets injured. First week it was <span>Jacquies Smith</span>. This game, Robert Ayers gets hurt as well. For preseason, Smith led the team in pressures. Ayers was a prized free agent acquisition.</p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="323" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 243pt;">
<colgroup> <col width="44" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1609; width: 33pt;"> <col width="64" style="width: 48pt;"> <col width="49" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1792; width: 37pt;"> <col width="47" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1718; width: 35pt;"> <col width="56" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 2048; width: 42pt;"> <col width="21" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 768; width: 16pt;"> <col width="42" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1536; width: 32pt;"> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td colspan="7" height="20" class="xl70" width="323" style="border-right: 1.0pt solid black; height: 15.0pt; width: 243pt;"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsnation.com/">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a></td>
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<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td colspan="7" height="20" class="xl73" style="border-right: 1.0pt solid black; height: 15.0pt;">Defensive Pressure</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td colspan="7" height="21" class="xl67" style="border-right: 1.0pt solid black; height: 15.75pt;">Comparison: Game 1 v Game 2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl66" style="height: 15.0pt;">Game</td>
<td class="xl66" style="border-left: none;">Team</td>
<td class="xl66" style="border-left: none;">Sacks</td>
<td class="xl66" style="border-left: none;">TFL's</td>
<td class="xl66" style="border-left: none;">QB hits</td>
<td class="xl66" style="border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="border-left: none;">PD</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl65" align="right" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Atlanta</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">8</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">4</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl65" align="right" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">2</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Arizona</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">4</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The defensive line was the supposed to be talented enough so that rookie second-rounder <span>Noah Spence</span> would be used only in pass rush situations, with Ayers, Smith, Will Gholston, and possibly <span>Howard Jones</span> ahead of Spence on the ends. As you can quickly identify from the chart above, there was not a lot of pressure to the QB and tackles for loss.</p>
<p>Although TFL's are mostly stuffing the running back at or behind the line of scrimmage, there is a hidden implication. In my opinion, TFL's implies defensive line pressure pushing the offensive line backwards, which can result in stuffing a running back, getting a sack, getting a QB hit, or creating pressure to where the QB needs to release the ball sooner than the QB would like to deliver the ball.</p>
<p>Onto the drive chart, unfortunately.</p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="619" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 467pt;">
<colgroup> <col width="38" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1389; width: 29pt;"> <col width="43" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1572; width: 32pt;"> <col width="41" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1499; width: 31pt;"> <col width="45" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1645; width: 34pt;"> <col width="49" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1792; width: 37pt;"> <col width="29" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1060; width: 22pt;"> <col width="34" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1243; width: 26pt;"> <col width="19" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 694; width: 14pt;"> <col width="53" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1938; width: 40pt;"> <col width="55" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 2011; width: 41pt;"> <col width="54" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1974; width: 41pt;"> <col width="56" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 2048; width: 42pt;"> <col width="54" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1974; width: 41pt;"> <col width="49" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1792; width: 37pt;"> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td colspan="14" height="21" class="xl69" width="619" style="border-right: 1.0pt solid black; height: 15.75pt; width: 467pt;">TB Defense vs Arizona Offense</td>
</tr>
<tr height="61" style="mso-height-source: userset; height: 45.75pt;">
<td height="61" class="xl65" style="height: 45.75pt;">Qtr</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none;">Drive</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none;">Plays</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none;">Yards</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none;">Result</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none;">RZ</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none;">Pts</td>
<td rowspan="14" class="xl72"></td>
<td class="xl66" width="53" style="border-left: none; width: 40pt;">40 + yard Drives</td>
<td class="xl66" width="55" style="border-left: none; width: 41pt;">50 + yard Drives</td>
<td class="xl66" width="54" style="border-left: none; width: 41pt;">60 + yard Drives</td>
<td class="xl66" width="56" style="border-left: none; width: 42pt;">70 + Yard Drives</td>
<td class="xl66" width="54" style="border-left: none; width: 41pt;">80 + Yard Drives</td>
<td class="xl66" width="49" style="border-left: none; width: 37pt;">Totals</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" align="right" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">5</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">11</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Punt</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">2</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">5</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">18</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Punt</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">*</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">11</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">67</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">TD</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">7</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">4</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">6</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">14</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">FG</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">5</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">9</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Punt</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">6</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">8</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">68</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">TD</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">7</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">7</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">4</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">74</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">TD</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">7</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td colspan="7" height="20" class="xl74" style="border-right: .5pt solid black; height: 15.0pt;">Half</td>
<td colspan="5" class="xl74" style="border-right: .5pt solid black; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" align="right" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">8</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">5</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">53</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">FG</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">9</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">8</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">65</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">TD</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">7</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">*</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">10</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Punt</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">11</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">6</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">22</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Punt</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">11</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl67" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">6</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Punt</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl68" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">Total</td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">10</td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">67</td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">410</td>
<td class="xl68" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">5</td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">34</td>
<td class="xl68" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
<td class="xl68" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">5</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The defense could not recover as the turnovers kept piling up. Drive 2 was thwarted after Winston threw an interception. Drive 4 was another interception thrown, gifted at the Tampa Bay 39 yard line. Yet the defense pushed back to only allow a field goal. Drive 6 occurred after a fumble lost when RB Charles Sims' shoulder pads bumped the ball out of QB Jameis Winston's hand. That is 10 points off of turnovers.</p>
<p>Lack of communication and understanding of game situations, safety <span>Chris Conte</span> let a speedster do a fly by on him with under 2 minutes left on the clock. Conte should never have let the speedster ever get behind him. That speedster was also not bumped or deterred from his route, which should have been done by the defender initially covering him. It was 24 -€” 0 at the half.</p>
<p>Robert Ayers got injured just before the two minute warning in the first half. Without that added pass rush, we can see why Arizona's QB Carson Palmer had time to wait for his speedster, Brown, to fly by Conte. It was a gift.</p>
<p>Aside from that obvious miscue, the defense did admirably in the first half as the offense coughed the ball up three times.</p>
<p><b>Quick Stats</b></p>
<p><b><u>Red Zone Efficiency</u></b>: 3 for 5</p>
<p><b><u>3<sup>rd</sup> Down Efficiency</u></b>: 6 for 14</p>
<p><b><u>Rushing Yards Allowed</u></b>: 101 yards (3.5 yards per attempt)</p>
<p><b><u>Interceptions</u></b>: 0 INT</p>
<p><b><u>Sacks</u></b>: 1 Sack(s)</p>
<p><b><u>Pass Defended</u></b>: 3 PD(s)</p>
<p><b><u>QB Hits</u></b>: 4 QB hits</p>
<p>That Red Zone efficiency does stand out. The first touchdown should have been penalized as an offensive lineman blocked downfield on a pass play. But it probably should not have come to that as the defensive line jumped the gun on Palmer's cadence on 3<sup>rd</sup> and 3 on the Tampa Bay 8 yard line.</p>
<p><b>Top 5 Tacklers</b></p>
<p> </p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="414" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 312pt;">
<colgroup> <col width="37" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1353; width: 28pt;"> <col width="46" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1682; width: 35pt;"> <col width="86" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 3145; width: 65pt;"> <col width="64" span="2" style="width: 48pt;"> <col width="24" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 877; width: 18pt;"> <col width="50" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1828; width: 38pt;"> <col width="43" style="mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 1572; width: 32pt;"> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td colspan="8" height="20" class="xl71" width="414" style="border-right: 1.0pt solid black; height: 15.0pt; width: 312pt;">Tampa Bay Bucs</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td colspan="8" height="20" class="xl74" style="border-right: 1.0pt solid black; height: 15.0pt;">Top 5 Tacklers</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td colspan="8" height="21" class="xl68" style="border-right: 1.0pt solid black; height: 15.75pt;">Game 1: Atlanta</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl67" style="height: 15.0pt;">Rank</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-left: none;">Pos</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-left: none;">Name</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-left: none;">Total</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-left: none;">Solo</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-left: none;">Sack(s)</td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-left: none;">TFL(s)</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl65" align="right" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">1</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">CB</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Grimes</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">7</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">7</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl65" align="right" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">2</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">S</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Conte</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">7</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">7</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl65" align="right" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">3</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">MLB</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">Alexander</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">7</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">6</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" class="xl65" align="right" style="height: 15.0pt; border-top: none;">4</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">CB</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">VH3</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">5</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">5</td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
<td class="xl65" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td height="21" class="xl66" align="right" style="height: 15.75pt; border-top: none;">5</td>
<td class="xl66" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">S</td>
<td class="xl66" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">McDougald</td>
<td class="xl66" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">4</td>
<td class="xl66" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">4</td>
<td class="xl66" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;"></td>
<td class="xl66" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
<td class="xl66" align="right" style="border-top: none; border-left: none;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Compared to last week's stats, this table seems quite lackluster. The Bucs' superhero weak side linebacker registered ZERO tackles. Last week, David recorded 8 tackles, 6 solo tackles, and 3 TFL's. I give the game ball to Arizona's OC for designing plays to negate David's presence.</p>
<h4><b>Conclusion</b></h4>
<p>Keeping Arizona from scoring is an impossible task. The Bucs' offense turning the ball over three times in the first half did not help. The Bucs' offense going 3-and-out with under two minutes left also did not help the defense. Losing Ayers in the first half is just adding to the misery.</p>
<p>The Bucs offense gave the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Cardinals</a> one extra drive in the first half and it was a costly one. There is only so much a defense can do when the offense is not scoring, but giving the ball away needlessly.</p>
<p>Defensive line coach Jay Hayes will have to earn his keep if Robert Ayers is not available for the next game. That would be two prominent pass rushers not available to him, Smith and Ayers. Can Noah Spence and Howard Jones pick up the slack? Can Gholston overachieve? Where is <span>Akeem Spence</span>?</p>
https://www.bucsnation.com/2016/9/24/12998058/powerless-pressure-placates-palmerHockey Duckie2016-09-20T12:05:05-04:002016-09-20T12:05:05-04:00How Gerald McCoy set up Noah Spence's first sack
<figure>
<img alt="Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Arizona Cardinals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7yxSn_-zaZwkPCBqagEM79_-_rc=/0x0:2994x1996/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50940009/607573210.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="wP7Uvh">The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected arguably the best edge rusher in the 2016 NFL draft in Noah Spence, the defensive end out of Eastern Kentucky who had gotten kicked out of Ohio State over abusing ecstacy. Which is why he was available in the second round, and didn’t come off the board at the top of the first.</p>
<p id="MGe959">Spence came in with high expectations and certainly looked good in the preseason, but has been less impactful in the regular season so far. He did, however, get his first sack against the Arizona Cardinals. Anthony Becht broke that sack down for <a href="http://Buccaneers.com">Buccaneers.com</a>.</p>
<div id="LvIatX">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Breaking down <a href="https://twitter.com/nspence94">@nspence94</a> sack & <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeEvans13_">@MikeEvans13_</a> TD on this week's Film Session w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/Anthony_Becht">@Anthony_Becht</a><br><br>WATCH: <a href="https://t.co/V2vHYRXnIu">https://t.co/V2vHYRXnIu</a><a href="https://twitter.com/FrontierCorp">@FrontierCorp</a> <a href="https://t.co/uDCtHJvDUn">pic.twitter.com/uDCtHJvDUn</a></p>— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) <a href="https://twitter.com/TBBuccaneers/status/778258224965312512">September 20, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
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<p id="rTthuI">What stands out for me isn’t Spence’s sack in and of itself, which is fine as far as it goes, but the work Gerald McCoy and Spence do to set it up. This is how you adjust during a play. </p>
<p id="37m683">Both Spence and McCoy push upfield, with McCoy beating his man. That forces the center to come in and bump McCoy — which then allows Spence to come off his man, around the two linemen occupied with McCoy, and get the sack. The key here isn’t Spence in particular, who hasn’t made much of a splash in his first two games, but the way McCoy sets up the move, and the way he finishes it. </p>
<p id="XSus7g">This play also demonstrates a problem Spence has faced in both of his games: he doesn’t have much of a counter to his speed-rush right now. He tries to run around offensive tackles, which is fine as far as it goes, but with tackles wise to that, they simply drop back deep and catch him — and he doesn’t have the power to run through them right now, nor the counter move to redirect inside.</p>
<p id="RxRFjX">That’s a process, though, and a reason why rookie pass-rushers tend not to produce too much. They’re adjusting to a new speed and can’t rely on athleticism as much as they did in college. It doesn’t help that Spence’s reps are limited because he’s getting blown off the ball against the run. </p>
<p id="LcjyT1">One thing does stand out for Spence on this play: his finish to the quarterback. That closing burst is often the difference between a pressure, and a sack. And Spence at least is displaying the talent to turn his pressures into sacks.</p>
https://www.bucsnation.com/2016/9/20/12988222/how-gerald-mccoy-set-up-noah-spences-first-sackSander Philipse2016-09-20T11:10:51-04:002016-09-20T11:10:51-04:00Donovan Smith and Jameis Winston struggled against the Cardinals
<figure>
<img alt="Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Atlanta Falcons" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RvpygoxPOkftNLZph_bUjZbGljM=/0x1:3264x2177/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50938731/602411664.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="abRA3f">The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not have a good game against the Arizona Cardinals. That’s a fairly obvious conclusion to draw after a 40-7 drubbing. Which is what Pro Football Focus did, too. </p>
<p id="tUZGcN">Surprisingly, no Buccaneers were listed among their worst players of the week. None! That’s pretty impressive given the fact that the Bucs lost 40-7 — but then they only <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.profootballfocus.com%2Fpro-10-worst-individual-performances-of-week-2%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bucsnation.com%2F2016%2F9%2F20%2F12987568%2Fdonovan-smith-and-jameis-winston-struggled-against-the-cardinals" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">listed ten players there</a>.</p>
<p id="tOnBha">Of course, that’s not the only thing they said. Donovan Smith, he of the inconsistent play, graded out as the worst offensive lineman of the week. He allowed seven pressures, according to Pro Football Focus’ charting. </p>
<p id="fTpWK5">PFF also was unimpressed with Jameis Winston, who struggled when he was pressured — as do all quarterbacks. PFF thinks this was Winston’s worst game since week four of last season, which is probably a fair assessment — then again, this may have been the best defense he’s faced since then. </p>
<p id="VIol6v">One Buc was listed <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.profootballfocus.com%2Fpro-the-best-performances-from-sunday-of-nfl-week-2%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bucsnation.com%2F2016%2F9%2F20%2F12987568%2Fdonovan-smith-and-jameis-winston-struggled-against-the-cardinals" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">among PFF’s best players of the week</a>, though: Alterraun Verner, who started the game with two pass breakups and had a strong game all-around. There’s an argument to be made that he should be starting over Vernon Hargreaves, who’s had a few breakdowns in coverage.</p>
<blockquote id="DV8Tye"><p>When a defense coughs up 40 points to the opposition, you’re not expecting to see many strong performances, but Verner was impressive against the Cardinals. Covering primarily Michael Floyd, Verner allowed just one catch on six targets, blanking Floyd entirely on the three passes that came his way. He broke up a pair of the incompletions, too.</p></blockquote>
<p id="TmiJ1I">Of course, PFF’s coverage grades are probably the least useful part of their entire program. It’s really hard to consistently grade defensive backs because assignments are often unclear, especially when you’re grading them off of game footage rather than all-22 tape. That doesn’t mean this assessment is entirely useless though — Verner certainly seemed to play well.</p>
<p id="fL4uNY">Overall, none of this is particularly new. Sunday was a bad day. Most players struggled, and PFF’s grades fit what we saw in the game. Here’s to hoping next Sunday will be a little better.</p>
<p id="q2dMSG"> </p>
https://www.bucsnation.com/2016/9/20/12987568/donovan-smith-and-jameis-winston-struggled-against-the-cardinalsSander Philipse2016-09-19T17:54:51-04:002016-09-19T17:54:51-04:00Sims could be feature back, says Dirk Koetter
<figure>
<img alt="NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/r6f8AuHxrhiCh-KmRzu-6pXJhN4=/49x0:2928x1919/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50930123/usa-today-9535798.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="uJfUOu">The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost running back Doug Martin (hamstring), tight end Luke Stocker (ankle) and defensive end Robert Ayers (ankle) to injury yesterday. </p>
<p id="YegIhK">It’s unclear how serious those injuries are. Or at least, the team is refusing to announce their status. For what it’s worth, Doug Martin was walking around with no restrictions, <a href="https://twitter.com/RCummingsNFL/status/777982054541787136">according to Roy Cummings</a>, while Luke Stocker was wearing a hard cast, <a href="https://twitter.com/gregauman/status/777965588404588544">per Greg Auman</a>.</p>
<p id="t4M3oW">We do know one thing, though: if Martin can’t go, the Bucs are confident that either Jacquizz Rodgers or Charles Sims could be the team’s feature back. Both players are primarily receiving and change of pace backs, but head coach Dirk Koetter expressed confidence in both of them as lead runners. </p>
<p id="25wuDg">In fact, while Koetter was explicit about Sims’ potential as a feature back, he also noted that Rodgers was closer to Martin’s style than Sims. Rodgers could be expected to carry the load as the team’s main running back, with Sims continuing in his role as the main receiving and change of pace back. </p>
<p id="37PC7Z">Yesterday, Sims got nine carries for 24 yards, while Rodgers got two carries for 29 yards. I wouldn’t read too much into that split, though: almost all of those carries came with the team so far behind, they were forced to largely abandon the run. </p>
<p id="a5xnuH">Incidentally, the Bucs also placed Josh Keyes on waivers. They’d signed him as a special teamer the past two games, with Devante Bond sidelined with injury. This may be a move to make room for a replacement for one of the three injured players. </p>
https://www.bucsnation.com/2016/9/19/12981696/charles-sims-could-be-buccaneers-feature-back-says-dirk-koetterSander Philipse2016-09-19T14:31:16-04:002016-09-19T14:31:16-04:00The Buccaneers are amazing at getting blown out
<figure>
<img alt="Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Arizona Cardinals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/P0AeLZnYGrdBbRClFhwNzV5FUiw=/0x0:3623x2415/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50924015/607569820.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="J9GhiX">The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense hasn’t been consistently bad since 2011, but it has certainly had a lot of moments of amazing badness — often helped by a few turnover-prone quarterbacks. Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times figured out one interesting statistic: the Bucs have given up the most 40+-points games since 2011. </p>
<div id="Xw28a2">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Since 2011, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bucs?src=hash">#Bucs</a> have allowed their opponent to score 40+ points in a game 11 times, most in the NFL. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Colts?src=hash">#Colts</a> are second at 10.</p>— Thomas Bassinger (@tometrics) <a href="https://twitter.com/tometrics/status/777899907298582528">September 19, 2016</a>
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<p id="WJjDe9">That....is ugly as anything, especially because the closest team at least scores a lot of points itself. Meanwhile, the Bucs have topped 40 points just three times since 2011: once in 2012, once in 2013, and once in 2015. At least they won all three of those games.</p>
<p id="NveWgy">In fact, since 1976, the Bucs have given up 40+ points a whopping 34 times, which is ranked sixth in the NFL over that period. That’s just as many as the Detroit Lions, and only four fewer than the league-leading Atlanta Falcons (hah!). </p>
<p id="BM9GPT">Unsurprisingly, those 34 games were all losses. They’re also indicative of a consistent problem the Bucs have faced: they tend to buckle against good teams. That’s no surprise for a team that hasn’t actually been good, but the Bucs keep showing promise. </p>
<p id="AYCDFl">The Bucs can beat some bad teams. They haven’t been able to beat good teams since 2010, though. That needs to change if the Bucs want to amount to anything. They’ll have two chances to do so in the next three weeks: against the Denver Broncos in week four, and the Carolina Panthers in week five. </p>
<p id="DfUSnx">Let’s hope they don’t get slaughtered again.</p>
https://www.bucsnation.com/2016/9/19/12976006/the-buccaneers-are-amazing-at-getting-blown-outSander Philipse2016-09-19T08:42:18-04:002016-09-19T08:42:18-04:00DLT's Diatribes - Crashing Back to Earth
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ti3Yxk8JtBvhsQUUTZnUVtAx71g=/0x0:4635x3090/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50914957/usa-today-9551540.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Buccaneers made a large thud as they plunged.</p> <p>We knew this was a step up in weight class for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsnation.com/">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a>, didn't we Bucs fans? The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Arizona Cardinals</a> are one of the best teams in the NFC and have been for a couple years now. They were coming off a humilating defeat at home and their coach, Bruce Arians, called out several of their players during the week.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Bucs, led by their 22 year old starting quarterback, were being told they had arrived. National media was asking the quarterback for interviews, pundits were picking the Bucs as a rising time to watch - a team that could make that "Carolina jump" from mediocre also-ran to top contender.</p>
<p>This was the game the Bucs were going to be weighed and measured. Unfortunately, they were found wanting. Furthermore, the Cardinals took that measuring stick and beat the Bucs with it.</p>
<p>In the end, the Bucs learned a valuable lesson. Know your role, as the Rock used to say. They aren't an upper eschlon team. In fact, they have a long, long way to go get there.</p>
<p>But take heart, Bucs fans. There aren't many teams in this league on the level of the Arizona Cardinals, a team that very well should be playing for <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl">the Super Bowl</a> in January.</p>
<p>1) I love Dirk Koetter. I think he's the best coach the Bucs have had since Chucky. Yet, like so many fans (as well as the announcer <span>Charles Davis</span>), I had to wonder what the hell the coach was thinking leaving Jameis in the game in the fourth quarter down by 33.</p>
<p>"You can criticize me all you want," Koetter told reporters, "He stayed in the game. You can get mad as you want. He stayed in. Write what you're going to write."</p>
<p>Okay coach, here's what I'm going to write - it was an idiotic move by you. You risk your franchise quarterback for what? Because he doesn't want to come out of the game? Who the hell is running this team? You or Jameis? The Cardinals were teeing off, completely ignoring the run and getting after Jameis. He took a ton of hits he simply did not need to be taking. Had he gotten seriously injured or knocked out for the season - it would have been pretty close to a firable offense.</p>
<p>Coach, your first and primary job is to win games. The second is to protect Jameis from Jameis. You failed on both this week. Be smarter, please.</p>
<p>2) Jameis giveth and Jameis taketh away. It's thrilling the Bucs have a Favre-ian level quarterback. He makes some plays that simply make you go wow. Then there's days like yesterday. Jameis wants so badly to will this team to being a championship caliber football team that many times he's his own worst enemy.</p>
<p>Sunday was one of those days. I think Jameis knew that to have any chance at beating Arizona, he was going to have to make some big time plays. Unfortunately, in doing so, he took chances and this week, the Cardinals made him pay.</p>
<p>The first interception was just a great play by <span>Patrick Peterson</span>, who boxed out <span>Mike Evans</span> and made a terrific play on the ball. The second one was a terrible throw by Jameis and an awful route run by <span>Vincent Jackson</span> (who is really off to a slow start this season). The fumble was just one of those goofy NFL plays that can happen. The third (the pick six that ended any thoughts of a comeback), you could blame on the receiver for tipping it up into the air but frankly, there were way too many red jerseys over there, Winston should have never thrown the football to that spot in the field.</p>
<p>Of course, the fourth and final pick was a heave into the endzone as time expired. It didn't hurt anything but Winston's stat line in a game he had no business still being in (see diatribe 1).</p>
<p>Bottom line is its impossible for the Bucs to win games when Winston plays like this...and there's going to be more of these games coming, I'm afraid to say. It's just life with a young quarterback.</p>
<p>Let me tell you this though, we will get many more Atlanta Jameis games than Arizona Jameis games with this quarterback. These games suck, but its your quarterback trying to do too much. He'll learn.</p>
<p>3) We knew the defense under <span>Mike Smith</span> would be a work-in-progress. Through two weeks, its been downright abysmal. Tampa Bay is 21st in total defense (yds against) and even more alarmingly, 28th in scoring defense giving up an average of 32 points a game. They have yet to force a turnover - a staple in the <span>Mike Smith</span> defense.</p>
<p><span>Carson Palmer</span> had his way with the Bucs' defense, throwing for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns. There were busted coverages, just terrible plays in the secondary by <span>Brent Grimes</span> and <span>Chris Conte</span> that led to scores. <span>Kwon Alexander</span>, who I lauded last week, had a horrible game on Sunday. Not only was he not making the big plays he performed last week, he hurt the Bucs with some terrible tackling that led to big plays by Arizona.</p>
<p><span>Lavonte David</span>, for the first time in his NFL career, got goose egged. How does your best linebacker on the team and one of the top in the league get nada? Zippo. Zilch. Not a tackle. Not an assist. Not a pass breakup. Nothing. In fact, if he didn't record two QB hits, you wouldn't have known he played.</p>
<p>That's unacceptable. You would think quarterbacks would be picking on the rookies, like Vernon Hargreaves, but its the veterans letting down the Bucs defense right now.</p>
<p>4) I'm not one to join the "Vincent Jackson is washed up" brigade. Has Jackson gotten off to a slow start this season? Sure. Is he not the player he once was? Definitely. Vincent is still better than any other receiver on this roster not named Mike Evans. Perhaps that says all you need to know about the Bucs receiving core.</p>
<p><span>Adam Humphries</span> is a nice little receiver, but he's no V-Jax. Cecil Shorts has some playmaking ability, but he's injury prone and certainly no Vincent. Russell Shepard can make a play here or there, but he's pretty much a special teams guy.</p>
<p>When it comes to the Bucs receiving core, its Evans and Jackson.</p>
<p>5) <span>Doug Martin</span> is hurt again. It remains to be seen how long (if any) Martin's hamstring injury will keep him out. Hopefully it is just a minor pull of the hammy and not something nasty that will plague him the rest of the season. We should know more later today.</p>
<p>Martin was already off to a slow start this season, averaging 3.4 yards a carry on the season. <span>Charles Sims</span> hasn't been much better, averaging just 2.5. In fact, the only explosive plays out of the running game came from newcomer Jacquizz "Quizzy" Rodgers who fired off a 24 yard explosive in his first carry.</p>
<p>If the Bucs can't get a solid running game together, this offense will struggle. If Martin is out, Sims will need to take on a role he's never had before. Some players, like Kansas City's Spencer Ware, take the opportunity and make the most of it. Hopefully Sims is ready to do just that.</p>
<p>Most believe he's a complimentary back, not a number one. Here's his chance to prove to everyone he can be THE guy.</p>
<p>6) The Cards not only beat up the Bucs on the scoreboard, but physically as well. In addition to Martin, the Bucs lost <span>Luke Stocker</span> early to an ankle injury. Late in the first quarter, <span>Gerald McCoy</span> was clutching his back in obvious pain (although McCoy didn't appear to miss any time). Robert Ayers, the Bucs best pass rusher this season, was seen in a walking boot after the game (usually a sign he'll be out a couple weeks at least). Receiver Cecil Shorts appears to pop a hammy as he made a big reception in the 2nd half.</p>
<p>After getting out of Atlanta with only one significant injury, the Bucs end this two game road trip a bit banged up.</p>
<p>7) The Bucs turnover ratio is unsustainable if they have any hopes of being a playoff team in 2016. -6 isn't just bad, its the worst in the league. The Bucs are one of three teams in the NFL yet to force a takeaway and they lead the league in giveaways. By comparison, the Cardinals are now a +7 in this category. Want to know the true difference between Arizona and Tampa Bay? Its right there, folks. Good teams force turnovers and protect the ball. Bad/Mediocre teams turn it over and can't take it away.</p>
<p>If the Bucs want to become a playoff contender, that's the stat that must improve. Jameis can't throw games away and the defense has to start making some impact plays.</p>
<p>The scariest thing for the defense? They haven't even been that close to recording a turnover. Brent Grimes could have had an interception in the end zone yesterday but couldn't hold on. His team, down 24-7, desperately needed that pick.</p>
<p>8) The Bucs offense continues it's feast-or-famine inconsistency. That's the thing that was maddening for the Bucs last year. Tampa Bay would roll up a lot of yards and points one week and then spit the bed the next. Such is life with a 22 year old quarterback, as his inconsistency goes, so goes the offense's inconsistency. Until the Bucs' offense can be deadly week-in and week-out, they will not get to that next level.</p>
<p>9) And of course <span>Roberto Aguayo</span> missed a makable field goal. It was that kinda of day for the Bucs. Just add another thing to worry about for Bucs fans.</p>
<p>10) Okay, so now I go into my counseling session. Buc fans were way too high after Tampa Bay beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Falcons</a> last week. This week was the reality check we all needed. I had a feeling the Bucs would not win in the desert, but I certainly did not forsee the butt-kicking the Cards delivered to our boys in Pewter.</p>
<p>The bottom line, though, is the mission was accomplished. The Bucs had to come out of these very tough first two games at 1-1. With five of the next seven games at home, Tampa Bay is very much in the mix. Further, the Bucs are still tied for first in the NFC South and technically, in first place, thanks to that division victory. Now, some will scoff and say that's fool's gold - a temporary situation that will likely be rectified in a few weeks, but I don't think so.</p>
<p>The Bucs got served some humble pie on Sunday by a superior football team desperate for a victory. The more the Cards rubbed Tampa Bay's faces in the dirt, the more I became convinced this team will be okay. The Bucs of old would have simply given up. This team didn't. They kept fighting (and in the case of their quarterback, that was quite literal). They kept getting back up, only to get knocked back down again. Then back up. Knocked down again. Back up. They refused to quit and I found that encouraging.</p>
<p>It took last year's butt-whooping by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> to get Jameis to settle down and be the quarterback the Bucs needed him to be the rest of the season. Thankfully, that lesson came early in 2016, with a lot of time to make hay.</p>
<p>The Bucs are finally at home, facing a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.turfshowtimes.com/">Rams</a> team coming off a huge upset win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seattle Seahawks</a> in their return to L.A. This Rams team has beaten the Bucs each of the last four seasons. Yet, they're also a team coming in averaging 4.5 points a game on offense. This isn't the Cardinals. This is a team the Bucs can and should beat at home. It's a big difference coming from L.A. than St. Louis. Its a much longer trip and the Rams are coming off the high of highs in beating their division rival. It's an awful lot like the Bucs heading into the desert.</p>
<p>With the Super Bowl participants in the next couple weeks, the Bucs really must win this game against L.A. If they do, they'll be fine, no matter what happens in the two weeks that follow before the bye.</p>
<p>What I'm saying is - don't get too down on your Buccaneers, fans. This team wasn't as good as it looked in Atlanta and it certainly wasn't as bad as it looked in Arizona. We'll be okay.</p>
<p>JC's Tweet of the Game:</p>
<p><i>I live tweet the games, follow me at @jcdelatorre to see all the good...and bad of gameday. Please note, I do tend to use naughty language on gameday, parental guidance is strongly suggested.</i></p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Winston's 5th turnover on the day. The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bucs?src=hash">#Bucs</a> head coach did his QB no favors at the end of the game. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TBvsAZ?src=hash">#TBvsAZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/OnwUaramqe">pic.twitter.com/OnwUaramqe</a></p>
— JC De La Torre (@jcdelatorre) <a href="https://twitter.com/jcdelatorre/status/777648405107572736">September 18, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
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https://www.bucsnation.com/2016/9/19/12968524/buccaneers-vs-cardinals-2016-dlts-diatribes-crashing-back-to-earthJCDeLaTorre2016-09-19T07:05:10-04:002016-09-19T07:05:10-04:00Winners and losers after the Bucs’ loss
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<img alt="Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Arizona Cardinals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_FI8W7uGkkgN9vSuHxZRfnD6Q1k=/0x245:1997x1576/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50914027/607579088.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="KeJnXX">The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to 1-1 after losing to the Arizona Cardinals, 40-7. That is not a good look for a team that got a lot of hype after week one, and the Bucs have plenty of things to be ashamed about and work on after that week two performance. </p>
<p id="EHnMgA">Improvement starts with identifying failure, though, and that’s what we’re here for: to point out a whole lot of people who lost yesterday’s game, and the few who can walk away feeling like winners after their individual performances, if not the team performance. </p>
<h2 id="arUzfZ">Losers</h2>
<h3 id="e2rTFX">The Buccaneers</h3>
<p id="QY0vd8">The Bucs lost 40-7, turned the ball over five times, did not take the ball away once, struggled in all phases of the game, and looked nothing like the week one powerhouse we’d hoped to see. </p>
<h3 id="ORAt8z">Defensive coordinator Mike Smith</h3>
<p id="vQJuzU">This defensive performance didn’t start out horribly, and the four turnovers that mattered certainly didn’t help Smith’s defense, but this defense looked terrible. It couldn’t tackle — Kwon Alexander’s tackling issues resurfaced — it couldn’t cover, it couldn’t rush the passer. Most of all, it couldn’t keep the Cardinals out of the end zone. This is not the kind of performance the Bucs had in mind when they replaced Lovie Smith. </p>
<h3 id="XrYaOp">QB Jameis Winston</h3>
<p id="TlHEok">Five turnovers, one touchdown, a whole bunch of accuracy issues and really very few positives to point to. This was a Bad Jameis day, and it showed. Each of those turnovers has a mitigating factor — miscommunication, a running back knocking the ball out — but then, he could have been picked off on a few other plays as well. He finished the game completing 27 of 52 passes for just 243 yards. That’s not remotely good enough. </p>
<h3 id="OAojhA">WR Vincent Jackson</h3>
<p id="L5zHBX">Maybe it’s just age catching up with him, but Vincent Jackson looks like a shell of himself. For the second week in a row miscommunication between him and Jameis Winston led to an interception. There were several plays where what seemed to be miscommunication led to incompletions. He finished the game with four catches for 44 yards on nine targets, almost all of that production coming with the game already out of reach. Jackson looks slow, he’s not consistently catching the ball, his route running looks sloppy — and he’s in a contract year. </p>
<h3 id="oFTx47">S Chris Conte</h3>
<p id="0kDT2z">If one player had a bad day on defense, it must have been Chris Conte. He was beaten for two touchdowns, including a really ugly 51-yarder with just seconds remaining in the first half. Pro tip: you cannot give up a deep ball as a deep safety, especially not if there are just seconds remaining in the first half. </p>
<h3 id="6Lt8GL">LBs Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David</h3>
<p id="w0rjJm">Off the top of my head, Alexander missed at least two tackles in the open field. And according to the box score, Lavonte David had exactly zero tackles. Now the box score tracking of tackles is often a bit wonky, but David did not show up much in this game (he did have two quarterback hits) and Alexander looked very messy. This is not the kind of performance you want out of a pair that was supposed to be one of the best linebacking groups in the league, or at least that’s what we heard last week.</p>
<h3 id="QQGuK3">CB Brent Grimes</h3>
<p id="MP1Jbu">Beaten all day by Larry Fitzgerald, and dropped an interception in the end zone. Grimes made a few tackles, but he’s not quite the player he used to be. </p>
<h3 id="PoffnN">Injuries</h3>
<p id="HpkaTx">Doug Martin, Robert Ayers and Luke Stocker all had to leave the game with injuries and could not return. That’s three starters missing for most of the game. We don’t know how serious these injuries are yet, and none of them appear to be season-ending, but this is not good. </p>
<h2 id="YHhm1P">Winners</h2>
<h3 id="G8Wckc">WR Mike Evans</h3>
<p id="kzEsBo">Six catches for 70 yards and a touchdown while going against Patrick Peterson. Evans had a strong game for the second week in a row, and appears to be on the same page as Jameis Winston, which wasn’t necessarily the case last season. He also seems to have fixed the drop issues he had last year. </p>
<h3 id="z6eAzf">WR Adam Humphries</h3>
<p id="qZGENa">With Vincent Jackson floundering, Adam Humphries has had to step up. For some reason the Bucs keep wanting to target a slow, small receiver with deep throws, but other than those plays, Humphries has looked pretty good. He had six catches for 67 yards and seems to be at his best on screen passes and other short throws where he can make some moves after the catch. </p>
<h3 id="4ErO5O">CB Alterraun Verner</h3>
<p id="qHbi3d">Verner may have lost his starting spot to Vernon Hargreaves, he came to play against the Arizona Cardinals. Verner was on the field for 65% of the defensive plays,had two official passes defensed, and made a few more plays on the ball that I recall. The defense didn’t have a very good day, but Verner can certainly still play.</p>
https://www.bucsnation.com/2016/9/19/12968498/buccaneers-vs-cardinals-winners-and-losers-for-tampa-baySander Philipse2016-09-18T19:46:43-04:002016-09-18T19:46:43-04:00Buccaneers still first in NFC South despite blowout loss
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<img alt="NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZZotNBtxvwGfv4EUd3X4ARcO3rA=/0x100:3427x2385/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50907945/usa-today-9551560.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="BbtgZz">The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still number one in the NFC South, despite a blowout 40-7 loss against the Arizona Cardinals today.</p>
<p id="FgDbmZ">Losing to the Cardinals gave them a 1-1 record on the season, and that’s good enough to tie for the division lead. The Bucs started the season with a 31-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons, who are now 1-1 after beating the Oakland Raiders. </p>
<p id="8rGDuM">The Carolina Panthers started with a loss, then soundly beat the San Francisco 49ers today to get to a 1-1 record as well. And the New Orleans Saints, well, they’ve lost two close games and are now 0-2. Hah!</p>
<p id="bNjoxL">That means the Bucs are tied with the Panthers and Falcons for first place in the division, but they also hold the tiebreaker: they’re the only team to have beaten a division rival. And that makes them the NFC South leaders, for now. </p>
<p id="DbTPEU">None of that means anything if they don’t actually win some more games, though. They get to play the St. Louis Rams next week. A 2-1 record after three games would be a nice way to start the season, and forget about today’s horrendous loss. </p>
https://www.bucsnation.com/2016/9/18/12963188/buccaneers-still-first-in-nfc-south-despite-blowout-lossSander Philipse