SB Nation - Earnest Graham

The 5 Things the Bucs need for a happy 2010

Niko Houllis — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:50:52 -0000

What the Bucs need to do to have a better 2010...

In no particular order, here are five things the Bucs need to do to insure a happy Buccaneers 2010 season; with an extra point after the jump.

Continue to show improvement in play- The Bucs have been blown out by double digits in 5 of the first 7 games. In the last four? The Bucs lost one big, but won one, and lost the other two by a combined 5 points!.... in the last minute of each game! Josh Freeman is outplaying the other two big named rookie quarterbacks, as Josh is now 69 out of 125 (55.2%) for 793 yards 7 TDs and 5 Ints. His 76.5 QB Rating is higher than the 62.4 for Stafford or 62.1 for Sanchez. Both of those QBs have thrown for less completion %, and have a higher interception rate too.
Maintain continuity- Many fans want to see Bill Cowher coach this Bucs team. Yet Cowher's success comes from his ownership giving him 15 plus years to run the team, and not let him go at the first sign of a poor record or poor showings. The Quick Pull that fans want to do with Raheem is exactly the thing that would have ruined Cowher. Redskins QB Campbell is a fine example of what happens to a QB who gets a new Coordinator each year. Closer to home Bucs Shawn King had a new coordinator each year, Shula in '99, Les Steckle, Clyde Christianson, Jon Gruden was no. 4 in 4 years. Keep Raheem Morris, Greg Olsen, and remove the Bates defensive coaches so everyone is on the same page. We are seeing this improvement we have been looking for all year. If it continues, this offseason isnt the time to do it.s
Import more defensive talent, starting with the Defensive Line- Now that its obvious the Bucs return to the Tampa Two is a little more long term, the restocking of the Bucs defense is now on a lesser scale. Before the season is over, the defensive coaches need to assess if anyone on the roster is capable of taking over the undertackle 3 technique. If not, then this is a critical position on the roster that must be addressed in the NFL Draft, and Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh is a popular choice for that particular need. The secondary will need some attention too, as Ronde Barber is not getting younger, and Sabby Piscitelli needs to be assessed if he is the man to take the free safety position for the Bucs.
Punting is fundamental- Its not FUN though for Bucs fans, watching Dirk Johnson punt that is. The Bucs 'for real' punter Josh Bidwell's condition must be assertained to determine if his season ending injury is going to hamper his efforts in 2010. The last thing a struggling defense needs is a poor punter. Connor Barth seems to be the real deal in the place kicking department. When he misses, he misses by feet, not stadiums. Matt Bryant was similar.
Find a franchise running back- Take a moment to get your breath back after reading this one...and tell everyone which of the three running backs is a real, bonafide franchise back, that can be relied upon in a pinch. Cadillac? Love the whole story, its a great one, but he is 90% of what he was. A franchise back can break a 45 yard TD. Which one of our Backs do you see doing that? Derrick Ward has been a disapointment, but will be given another chance next year. Earnest Graham may be the real deal, but we need an LT, a Bettis, an........Alstott, to go with our Freeman.

OK OK, Extra Point- It may not sound popular. But number 5 + 1; Re-sign Antonio Bryant- Forget the injury. They happen. Its not a career bug, but it was bad enough that it affected most of he season. Not really his fault. What did he do with it? Did he cause a disruption in the lockeroom? Wasnt that the worry after all about AB? Not that he could do the job, but that he wouldnt turn into a head case. Two seasons now, and the worse we have is Bryant saying throw the ball more please. Tell me he is wrong first before you let him go, because you can bet there will be a line at the Free Agency window if he is not given a long term contract. Also...start Sammy Stroughter and Maurice Stovall so 1) Sammy can show he is a serious #2 guy, or 3) Stovall can finally show us he is more than a special team star.

Welcome To HATE FSU Week

mlmintampa — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:47:06 -0000

Some of you probably think it is a sure thing. You're trying to figure out how to get to Atlanta or Pasadena. Even worse, you're thinking this is a victory lap for Tim Tebow and The Optometrist, Brandon Spikes.

But Florida State week should never be over looked. Not just because this is a rivalry game. This is class warfare. The hatred between Florida and Florida State is tribal, as the two institutions are separated athletically, culturally and intellectually. I'm sure there are people who think this is a football game. I feel sorry for them.

To start this week, remember that there was a time, not too long ago, when a weakened FSU played a Florida team that was marching towards a National Championship. At least until FSU's Darnell Dockett nearly broke Earnest Graham's leg.

Graham was then held out of Florida's 34-32 loss to Tennessee, ending the 2001 season without a trip to Atlanta and a shot at the National Championship. Mickey Andrews, the architect of Dockett's attempt to end Graham's career, the intentional late hits on Danny Wuerffel, and hitting "to the echo of the whistle", will coach his last regular season game. It is our hope that the Gators send him into retirement in style with an epic beat down and sixth consecutive loss for Florida State.

Remember Earnest Graham this week. Carry him in your orange and blue heart. It does not matter that Earnest Graham won a Super Bowl and Darnell Dockett lost one. FSU fans cheered Percy Harvin's injury in 2008 and that deserves eternal retribution. It does not matter that UF has won six of nine games this decade, because there are always more games to win. It does not matter that FSU is struggling, because they always deserve another ass kicking. And it does not matter that Bobby Bowden is too old to continue coaching at Ron Zook Field. The old man had Jack Childress hand him the 2003 game and Bowden deserves to never win a game against UF again.

Throughout this week, in addition to actual football (and basketball) material and Championship Mode on Thanksgiving, we will remind you that destroying FSU is a very big deal. Plus, we will have an "exclusive" with Evil Tim Tebow on Wednesday.

And I don't give a damn about Alabama right now. This is HATE FSU Week.

Poll

How much do you hate FSU?

Jesus Christ could play for FSU and I wouldn't root for them

78 votes

I want to see the frat boy who plays Chief Osceola get the flaming spear in the chest

91 votes

I never wear garnet, gold or shop at Dillard's

13 votes

Bobby Bowden should coach forever

44 votes

I go to grad school at FSU/chose to live in Tallahassee

3 votes

IM A FSU GRATULATE! WOO! SKALPE EM!

16 votes

245 votes | Poll has closed

5 Questions with 'BucWildGuy'

Ed Valentine — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:00:35 -0000

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With our New York Giants facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this weekend, I traded questions this week with 'BucWildGuy' from our Bucs blog, Buc 'Em. His answers to my incredible questions are below. Check Buc 'Em for my answers to his queries.

Big Blue View: The first thing I think about when it comes to Tampa Bay is that Derrick Ward is there now instead of with the Giants. What are your impressions of Ward thus far? Is he having the kind of impact the Bucs hoped for?

WildGuy: I haven't been disappointed with Ward in the least. I don't think he's had a chance to show his stuff yet either, at least, not to his fullest capabilities. He's been in a very even split with Cadillac Williams and has even given some carries to Earnest Graham. Ward is currently over 4 YPC and when he gets the ball is a tough determined runner. He's shown good hands out of the backfield, which is a huge help. I haven't been able to really evaluate him as a pass blocker, but thus far he's been a huge help.

The Bucs would like to be a run first team and having him along with the other guys (Caddy, Graham) gives us a great 1-2-3 punch. I'm sure you and Giants fans can agree. In game 1 against Dallas, both he and Caddy were explosive and had great opportunities as the score was close. Ward looked like exactly what I thought/hoped he was. Of course, against Buffalo, we were down early so he didn't get as much playing time, but when he did tote the rock, he looks like a fit into our system

BBV: The season has not started well for the Bucs. Are you optimistic that things will turn around, or are you feeling like this will be a long season for Tampa Bay?

WildGuy: The optimist in me says we will turn it around, it's just a young team learning it's way. The realist in me says long year ahead. Our schedule isn't easy to open up and with a new system on each side of the ball and inexperience and youth all over the team, it could get out of hand fast. This will only be heightened if/when we bring in our rookie QB Josh Freeman. You don't typically see rookies come in mid-year and make huge strides. I'd love to sit here and tell the football world that the Bucs are gonna turn it around starting this week, but I'm fully expecting a rough year. They happen from time to time and as long as we make progress game to game and year to year, I can handle a down year.

BBV: I really know nothing about Raheem Morris. Does he have what it takes to be a long-term success as an NFL head coach, or do you think his tenure at the top will be a short one?

WildGuy: Good question with no real answer. When he was hired, I was initially excited. A young, energetic guy who didn't spew BS as did his predecessor. As time has gone on, Morris' inexperience has come to light. The firing of the OC just before the season (after he hired him), the Talib arrest, the Jackson suspension, these are all reflections of any head coach, we just happen to have a new one. I think the length of his tenure depends more on year 2 and Freeman. Year 1 is almost a free pass, he was given a bare cupboard and told to cook a masterpiece. Well, he was given ingredients to make grilled cheese, not a 10 course meal. Next year will show his ability to teach, turn a team around, and see what the young QB can do. If he doesn't make progress, you could be hearing about the always popular "hot seat" and names like Schottenheimer, Cowher, etc.

BBV: Give me a couple of Tampa Bay players Giants fans might not know a whole lot about, but who we should keep an eye out for on Sunday.

WildGuy: Sammy Stroughter is developing into a nice #3 WR. He's a 7th round rookie out of Oregon State. Geno Hayes is looking good as a starter and, dare I say it, replacement of Derrick Brooks. The guys that drive our team, Leftwich, Caddy, Ward, Bryant, Clayton you know about. On defense, outside of Ruud, the aforementioned Hayes, and Aqib Talib, that's about it. In the run game I'd look out for Geno Hayes. Fast, quick hard hitting weakside linebacker. In the passing game (defensively) there isn't much to look out for. Our pass rush is non-existant. On offense, the names are familiar.

BBV: One of my favorite questions. If you could take one player off the Giants' roster and put him in your lineup, who would it be? Why?

The obvious pick to some people is Manning, but I feel pretty comfortable at QB. The main guy(s) I'd take are any of your dominant pass rushers. Tuck or Kiwanuka to start. Those guys get after the QB and we could use a dominant pass rusher. Feel free to leave one of them behind this weekend.

Thanks, 'WildGuy.' I have to make one comment on these answers. With Byron Leftwich starting, and the mess that the Buccaneer quarterback situation has been the past few seasons, I can't believe he passed on Manning in answering the last question.

Keys to Victory: Bills vs Buccaneers

Kurupt — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:00:16 -0000

With Monday night's heart breaker behind us, it's time to cheer for the Buffalo Bills as they make their Ralph Wilson Stadium regular season debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bills will be trying to bounce back from their 25-24 loss to the Patriots, while the Bucs are looking to rebound from the 34-21 smackdown Dallas laid on them. Both teams are searching for win number one. After the jump are the keys to the Bills' ending that search.

Get after Leftwich: Byron Leftwich is from the Drew Bledsoe school of quarterbacks: big, strong, huge arm, totally immobile. With a slow windup as part of his throwing motion, getting to Leftwich will completely alter his throws, which will hopefully lead to some turnovers. His inaccuracy will be apparent if his timing is thrown off by a good rush. The defense cannot let him sit back there and try to pick us apart. Tampa does have a solid offensive line, so getting to Leftwich might be easier said than done. I'd like to see more blitzing this week, especially more creative blitzes designed to actually, you know, get to the quarterback. Unlike last week, the Bucs don't have the same caliber receiving options for the Bills' defense to worry about. It's a good opportunity to go extra hard after the quarterback.

Force Leftwich to beat us: I don't know about many of you, but I'd feel much more comfortable with Leftwich and a mediocre group of receivers trying to beat us than I would if they were handing it to their solid trio of backs. With Cadillac Williams looking healthy, Derrick Ward providing a quality all-around threat and Earnest Graham as a tough short-yardage option, shutting the Tampa run game down will be priority number one. With starting center Jeff Faine out with a triceps injury, Kyle Williams' and Marcus Stroud's job will be a little easier.

Start strong: There's nothing worse than coming out flat in your home opener. Many Bills fans want this game to be a blowout. If that is to occur, a fast start would be welcome. Like the Bills, Tampa is built to play with a lead. If the Bills can get up early, that increasees the need for Leftwich to make plays, which should play right into what the Bills want to do. A strong start also keeps the fans into it and fired up.

Get Evans and Owens the ball: One of the league's best receiving duos combined for just 5 receptions and 71 yards against the Patriots. For the money these guys are earning, that just doesn't cut it. The Patriots effectively doubled both of them throughout the game, but offensive coordinator needs to find ways to get them the ball. Owens is one of the best receivers in the league going over the middle, catching the underneath passes and turning them into big plays; Alex Van Pelt needs to make sure this offense incorporates more of those passes this week (and the rest of the season). If the offense is able to get T.O. going, there could be more opportunities for Evans deep. With Tampa's inexperienced defensive backfield, outside of Ronde Barber, there will be opportunities for Trent Edwards to challenge the likes of Sabby Piscitelli and Elbert Mack. Tanard Jackson missing the game due to suspension is also a big plus for the Bills' offense. It's time to get Owens and Evans more involved; you don't pay these guys big contracts to be decoys.

Continue using plays that work: It sounds so simple, but the Bills really need to continue working screen passes and outside runs into their game plan. I expect they will. With an offensive line proving to be athletic enough to move around and lead block for Fred Jackson on the outside, these plays are already looking like strong points in our offense. Why fix something that's not broke?

Show a sense of urgency: One thing this team never seems to show us is a sense of urgency. Well, even though it's only Week 2, they need to pick up a win here. A loss means a two-game deficit in the AFC East already and a blown chance at picking up a victory in a game they should win. Dick Jauron has to have them ready to play and ready to take it to a team that quite frankly isn't as talented.

Make Special Teams special again: We all know that the Bills' special teams really struggled last week. Brian Moorman had a 37.5 net punting average, which was impacted by a couple of shanks. The Patriots averaged nearly 30 yards per kick return, while the Bills averaged less than 25. Leodis McKelvin fumbled, apparently. It just wasn't a good performance for Bobby April's units. But Tampa Bay didn't exactly have a good performance against Dallas, either. They had mediocre return and coverage units, and also allowed a blocked FG. Mike Nugent missed his only other FG attempt, finishing 0/2 on the day. The two teams ranked No. 27 and No. 28 in Special Teams DVOA last week. For the Bills, that's a major disappointment. Improvements across the board would really give them an edge this week, something this team should be counting on. I fully expect McKelvin to make amends for his mistake last week quite soon.

***

This week's keys to victory seem pretty simple... slow the Tampa run game, force Leftwich to win the game, get the receivers involved and play confident, strong football. That's always easier said than done, however. Feel free to add your keys to victory in the comments section. Go Bills!

Bills Fantasy Friday: Week 2 Start 'Em/Sit 'Em

Kurupt — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:30:15 -0000

Welcome back to Week 2 of Fantasy Football Friday at Buffalo Rumblings. Week 1 saw a couple of Buffalo Bills put up nice fantasy performances against the Patriots, while a couple of others were total disappointments (cough, Lee Evans, cough). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Ralph this Sunday for a 4:05 tilt in the Bills' home opener. Once again, we'll be taking a look at the individual fantasy players of note and offering up some generic advice. Check out my suggestions for Bills and Buccaneers after the jump:

Quarterbacks
Byron Leftwich - As a real life quarterback, I think Leftwich is one of the worst starters in the league. That doesn't mean he can't be a decent fantasy option for a desperate owner. Against the Cowboys, Leftwich put up a solid line of 276 yards, completing 61% of his passes and adding one touchdown. As an offense, the Bucs put up 450 yards, much to the surprise of fans everywhere. Leftwich was a big part of that, but isn't a guy that fantasy owners should really be considering as an option. It's unlikely he'll be consistent enough to put up totals like that on a week-to-week basis. However, after seeing Tom Brady shred the Bills for 378 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the Bucs may be more than willing to establish the passing game this week. I expect the Bills defense to come after Leftwich in hopes of forcing him into mistakes due to his slow release and lack of mobility. With Antonio Bryant iffy, Leftwich could be without his best option. It's tough to envision him putting up big numbers this week, on the road, in a hostile Ralph. Unless you have Donovan McNabb as a starter and are in a deep league, you will have better options. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Trent Edwards - Edwards was one of the Bills who put up nice fantasy numbers in Week 1. It was a surprising effort considering his poor pre-season play, the move to Alex Van Pelt and a very questionable offensive line. He quieted the critics, at least for one week, but he needs to do more to prove he's worthy of being a weekly fantasy option. Edwards and the Bills' passing game does seem to have a great matchup this week, however. The Bucs defense allowed Tony Romo to throw for 353 yards on just 16 completions, with three 40+ yard touchdowns. Its safe to say the Tampa D just might be susceptible to the big play. With their best defensive back out again this week (Tanard Jackson), and young players still getting comfortable (Sabby Piscitelli, Elbert Mack), look for Alex Van Pelt to try to get the ball downfield more this week. Again, McNabb owners should consider Edwards as a fill-in, but owners of QBs with tough matchups (Matt Schaub @Tennessee, Jay Cutler vs Pittsburgh, Phillip Rivers vs Baltimore) may also look his way. It's a tough call, but it might be worth the risk. Verdict: Start 'Em as a fill-in

Running Backs
Cadillac Williams - I'm not going to lie, I root for Cadillac. It's tough to root against a good guy who's overcome so many injury issues just to be playing right now. He had an excellent performance in Week 1, shredding the Cowboys for 97 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries. He's looked quick and healthy, and will likely see an increase in touches in closer games. I expect this game to be closer, and I expect the Bucs to go to the Caddy early and often. I'm guessing he gets 15-20 touches this week, and will still be the first option for goal line carries. He's a very good flex option and maybe even RB2 this week, even against a stouter looking Bills run D. Unfortunately, with Paul Posluszny out, it should be easier for the Bucs' run game. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex or RB2 in deeper leagues.

Derrick Ward - Ward also had a nice Week 1, putting together 83 total yards on 14 touches and a touchdown. Ward and Williams will likely split the touches pretty evenly once again this week, with Cadillac likely to see more run and goal line opportunities. In PPR leagues, Ward is the better play. I probably wouldn't consider playing Ward outside of PPR leagues or as a flex. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex

Earnest Graham - I like Graham and think he deserves touches in their offense. He only had one carry last week, though, so move along.

Fred Jackson - Jackson had an excellent game against the Patriots, putting together 140 total yards, 5 receptions and a touchdown. In PPR leagues, he's gold, but he's also proving to be a more than capable option as a RB2. The Cowboys gouged the Bucs for 4.9 yards per carry, so it's a good bet we'll see Jackson getting more carries this week. I like the matchup and expect Jackson to have another very good all around game. Again, in PPR leagues Jackson gets a major bump. Verdict: Start 'Em in all leagues

Wide Receivers
Antonio Bryant - Bryant missed practice on Thursday still trying to recover from his early August knee surgery. He played last week against Dallas, but was limping by the end of the game. Cryptic Raheem Morris says he is hurt, but not injured, whatever that means. I don't know if we should expect Bryant to play, and if he does, he obviously won't be 100%. I'd steer clear unless you're totally desperate. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Michael Clayton - Remember him? He of the 1,000-yard monster rookie season and zero 500-yard seasons since. He's only scored two touchdowns since scoring seven as a rookie. What happened to this guy? Every time I watch him, he's dropping passes like he's Braylon Edwards. Amazingly, he put together a 5-catch, 93-yard performance in the opener, and with Bryant potentially out, he could approach that again. I'd be nervous using him, but if Bryant sits, he could make a very good spot starter. Verdict: Sit 'Em in most leagues, Start'Em in deeper leagues with Bryant out.

Sammie Stroughter, Maurice Stovall - These guys were very good college players recently, but I hope you don't have to consider using them as fantasy starters this week. Once again, move along.

Terrell Owens - So much for opening game fireworks. T.O. looked visibly frustrated against New England, but they doubled him most of the game. Expect that to continue, but also expect Alex Van Pelt to find more ways to get him the ball this week. You don't bring a guy like this in and don't get him the ball. The fans will be fired up to see him make some big plays, and T.O. will be chomping at the bit. I have to believe we'll see more crossing patterns and slants with him this week, his bread and butter. I expect a nice bounce-back week from him, and would have no hesitation starting him if I were crazy enough to own him. Verdict: Start 'Em

Lee Evans - Like Owens, Evans was very quiet on Monday night, finishing with just 3 catches for 25 yards. And like Owens, Evans also saw a lot of double coverage over the top. However, when that happens, Evans seems to be effectively shut down. He still has yet to prove he can be a consistent underneath option, and for some reason, the Bills never utilize him over the middle. Expect Edwards to try to get it downfield to him more this week, but his inconsistency is too great to count on. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish - Please don't have to start either, please.

Tight Ends
Kellen Winslow - With a gimpy Antonio Bryant, Winslow is the Bucs' No. 1 receiving option. After seeing Ben Watson torch the Bills in the fourth quarter Monday night, I expect Winslow to be targeted early and often by Leftwich. The Bills will obviously key on him, but he could still be in line for a nice afternoon. He'll surely get a lot of targets, and maybe receptions. Verdict: Start 'Em

Derek Schouman, Shawn Nelson, Derek Fine - The Bills utilized Schouman and Nelson to the tune of 5 catches for 52 yards and a touchdown on Monday. Pretty solid production for a unit that in years past hasn't been much more than an afterthought. The production is directly associated to the double teams Owens and Evans saw. With that likely to continue, these guys will get some looks. Unfortunately, all three will rotate in and out of the lineup, so it's impossible to predict what any of them will do, and in turn it's impossible to rely on any of them. Maybe down the line, Nelson will grow into the big-time receiving option we hope he can be, but that time is not now. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Kickers
Mike Nugent - If you're in a 32-team league, I'd say start Nugent. Otherwise, leave him on the waiver wire.

Rian Lindell - Lindell only averaged six points per game in home games last year, while averaging almost 10 on the road. I don't know if that's significant, but it is worth noting. I only consider starting kickers who put up consistent numbers and/or play for consistently good offenses. I'd avoid Lindell until the Bills prove that they're legit. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Defense/Special Teams
Both teams' defenses gave up a ton of yards last week, and only had one sack of the opposing quarterback. Neither pass rush is expected to consistently pressure quarterbacks, and right now, neither defense looks all that opportunistic. There are much better options available, and I'd consider one week fill-ins like Washington (vs STL) or Atlanta (vs CAR) before either the Bucs or Bills defense.

Sleepers
Michael Clayton - I mentioned Clayton could be a nice option with Bryant out. He earns my sleeper label for that.

Bills D/ST - After talking about how I wouldn't start them, this might seem odd, but they look like a solid sleeper option this week. With a fired up home crowd behind them and a slow-footed, windmill wind-up Leftwich susceptible to turnovers/sacks, they could put up some nice fantasy stats this weekend. Leodis McKelvin will also be hunting for a big return to make up for Monday's mistake.

*****

Hope this can be of some help to at least a few of you out there. Please use this as your end of the week fantasy open thread. Good luck to everyone once again this week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Grading out the offense - Week 1

Buc Wild — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:00:52 -0000

It's that special time of the week again. Time to look back on the prior week's game and see how players and units played. We'll be player specific when possible and will grade out the players/units based on that week's performance. Also, without having the ability to watch tape at this point, I'll be grading them out based on what I saw at the game and on the replay at home.

Let's jump on in.

Quarterbacks

Byron Leftwich - It's nice to only have to look at one quarterback here. Leftwich provided a pretty efficient day going 25 of 41 for 276 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT's, 1 fumble (recovered by offense) and 0 sacks. Except for the 41 attempts, I'll take that every week. Leftwich showed good poise in the pocket, hung in there and delivered strikes. He didn't show much touch on the ball, particularly on a play where he missed AB in the end zone. Threw several strong passes over the middle. Missed high on a few attempts. I liked what I saw. We were able to stretch the field a little bit, use the middle and sidelines and spread the ball around. Would like to see him not get hit as much and tone down that overthrow. Grade: B+

Running Backs

Cadillac Williams - Hope you guys are ready for some Caddy praise. I said it once, I'll say it again, he looked like a feature back, like the guy we drafted. Stat line was 13 carries, 97 yards, 1 TD. Thats 7.46 YPC. He routinely hit the hole and fell forward at the end. Showed good vision and good reads. Picked up the pass rush good minus one occassion that had no bearing on the play. The fact that he stayed on the field and produced goes a long way. Hope there are more of these to come. Grade: A

Derrick Ward - Not the showstopping performance we may have envisioned, but a good day nonetheless. 12 carries for 62 yards and 1 TD. 5.16 YPC. Also caught 2 passes for 21 yards. Showed his affinity for hurdling players again. Was able to hit the hole and showed some good speed outside. Formed a good duo with Cadillac Grade: B+

Earnest Graham/Clifton Smith - Not enough tape here to make any assessments. Graham had one carry, which you can't read into. WIth Caddy and Ward going strong, Morris stuck with them. Grade: Incomplete

Wide Receivers

Michael Clayton - We knew he was a beast in the run game, and did nothing to deter us from that assessment. On the receiving side, he did drop two tough passes but had 5 catches for 93 yards, including a tough catch on a 47 yard bomb just before half. Truly a tough guy after going over the middle and getting lit up, only to see the safety be the one who went down. His blocking combined with his receiving makes him worth the money at this point. Would like to see more of this type of performance. Grade: B+

Antonio Bryant - 2 catches 29 yards. As an interesting side note, if you take his pay and evenly distribute it over his 16 games he plays (hopefully), it equates into $617,750 per game. So each catch in that game cost the Bucs $308,875. Bryant and Leftwich may not have been in sync with the whole preseason being a waste. Bryant also tweaked his knee and was removed from the game. No word on severity, although Im guessing it's not bad. A big performance wasn't necessarily needed as other guys stepped up. Still, we need our #1 guy. Grade: C

Sammy Stroughter - 3 catches for 25 yards and his first heartbreak in the NFL with his TD being called back. Welcome to the NFL little guy. Wasn't a big factor in the game, but showed he can get open and play. Had a drop, but made some tough catches. Grade: C+

Kellen Winslow - Was more involved in offense at start and end of game, but vanished during the middle. Did score a TD late in the game, but had a crucial 4th down drop that would have extended a drive. Morris threw praise at K2 for not "riding the emotional roller coaster" after his 4th down drop. Sorry, no praise here. Catch the ball. Finished with 5 catches for 30 yards. Not quite the game changer we imagined. Yet. Grade: C-

The rest - Jerramy Stevens led the way with 4 catches for 41 yards, and Clark and Stovall had some contributions, but nothing major. Stovall looks lackluster in the regular season. Same as prior years. These guys performed at an average clip for backups Grade: C

Offensive Line

First Team - Looked very solid against both the run and pass. Zero sacks given up with a good pass rush and a cinder block at QB. Rush did break through at times, but Leftwich had time to deliver the ball. 5.6 YPC in the running game. Were able to open and hold holes and finish blocks. I'm very itnerested to look at some advanced stats once they are available to see how this unit did. Looked promising. Anytime Leftwich drops back 41 times and is kept clean (no sacks), that seems like a win. Did allow Leftwich to get hit, but could be a product of his propensity to hold the ball. Gave up 8 QB hits. Grade: B+

Overall

450 total yards. 276 passing. 174 rushing. 0 turnovers. 3 TD's. A HUGE change from the past. The Bucs were able to move the ball more times than not. Drives were sustained and involved a good mix of run and pass (42 pass plays, 31 rush plays). The switch in schemes came together in Week one. The OC being fired, at least for now, did not cause any disturbance on the offensive side of the ball. The worst part of the offensive day was the playcalling on the 2 minute drive that left too much time on the clock resulting in a Dallas score. Hopefully we can chalk that up to youth or a rookie mistake. This was a performance to be encouraged about. Grade: B+

Game Preview: Preseason Game 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Jonathan Loesche — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:56:11 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

Nate Hughes showed he was ready to make the jump from the practice squad to the full roster Monday against the Dolphins. What will he do in the home preseason opener?

Browse more photos »

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

Preseason

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

VS.

Date:	August 22nd, 2009	Location:	Jacksonville, FL
Time:	7:30 pm EST	Stadium:	"The Jack"
TV:	NFLN	Favorite:	Even
Radio:	Click Here	Over/Under:	33.5
Weather:	77, clear	Injury Report:	Coming Soon
SBN Coverage:	Buc 'Em	Coverage Map	Blackout

The Jaguars open their home preseason slate against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. To say the Jaguars need to show improvement is an understatement. The Jaguars first team looked flat out bad against the Dolphins in the preseason opener. It didn't get better from there. Penalties, overthrown balls, fumbles, you name it, the Jaguars did it. Now the Jaguars have one more tune up game before participating in perhaps the most hyped preseason game ever in Philadelphia. The Jaguars take on an average Bucs team in a game that the Jaguars should win if they play any better than they did Monday night.

What to Watch: Jacksonville Jaguars

1. First team offense: Where to start? David Garrard didn't look good; Tony Pashos seemingly wanted to give Eben Britton the starting RT spot; MJD looked average in the handful of plays he was in. In short, the first team offense needs to get going. This isn't the Buccaneers defense of Warren Sapp and John Lynch, and the Jaguars offense should treat it as such. If the first team offense doesn't sustain a drive or two Saturday night, then panic buttons will be hit.

2. Eugene Monroe: The number eight pick was one of the few bright spots against the Dolphins. Despite holding out for two weeks, Monroe looked great in the preseason opener. Unfortunately for him, Tra Thomas also looked good against the Phins. Monroe needs to have another good performance to keep the heat on Thomas and to have a realistic shot at getting the starting left tackle spot.

3.The 3-4: Or should this be under "What to hope to not watch?" The times the Jags lined up in the 3-4 against the Dolphins were ones where I had to hold down my inclination to vomit. Just as Vic and everyone else who's commented on the subject has said, the Jaguars aren't a team built to run the 3-4. It showed Monday night and it will continue to show as long as this horribly wrong experiment is allowed to continue.

4.The wide receivers: This is easily the most wide open position on the team. After Torry Holt, I dare anyone to list the 2 through 5 wide outs with any confidence. Nate Hughes has made a statement that he is more than a practice squad player. Jarrett Dillard made some nice grabs, Troy Williamson looked alright, and the two Mikes, Walker and Thomas, make their preseason debuts Saturday.

5. Special Teams: When the kicker is the leading tackler in any game, you know a team's special teams had a bad day. Fans have been wondering whether the hiring of Russ Purnell was a bad move, and the unit's play against the Dolphins seemingly proved they were right. The coverage unit needs to get better or the Jaguars defense will be put in an even bigger hole this season.

What to Watch: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1. Quarterbacks: The Buccaneers are carrying a bevy of quarterbacks that gives new meaning to the term "if you have two starting quarterbacks, you have none." Former Jaguar Byron Leftwich is seemingly at the head of pack at the moment, but the Bucs invested their first round pick in Josh Freeman. Expect both to see extensive time against the Jaguars.

2. Derrick Brooks: Or lack there of. The Bucs let the aging All-Pro linebacker go in the off season and the search to replace him will be an on going process. The Buccaneers don't have anyone that screams at you in their current linebacker corps, though it will be a position to watch Saturday night.

3. Kellen Winslow: When's he's not breaking his leg in motorcycle accidents or going on rants about being a soldier Winslow is one of the best all around tight ends in football. However, he is just as well known for his boneheaded off the field moves as he is for his on the field moves. The Bucs traded their 2009 second round pick for the soldier in hopes of improving their offense. The Jaguars will need to cover Winslow extensively in order to effectively shut him down.

4. Raheem Morris: Within the span of a few weeks, Morris went from being a defensive backs coach, to defensive coordinator, to head coach. Some have questioned the move because of Morris' qualifications, and a solid preseason would do alot to bolster his reputation.

5. Running Game: The Buccaneers only managed 95 yards rushing in their preseason opener against the Titans. They will look to re-establish the running game with Carnell Williams against the Jaguars. The Buccaneers certainly have capable backs behind Williams, including Earnest Graham. The Bucs will need a running game to help them through their current troubles with the quarterback position.

Player on the hot seat

Tony Pashos, RT, Jacksonville

Pashos needs a good game Saturday night. He looked bad Monday night and his competition, Eben Britton, looked really good. If Pashos continues to be good for a holding call a game, his days as a Jaguar are numbered.

Prediction

7-3 Jaguars (When the starters leave

17-6 Jaguars

-Jonathan Loesche

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations

Ted Bartlett — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:30:09 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Chiu - AP

3 months ago: Denver Broncos cornerback Alphonso Smith (33) breaks up a pass intended for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Micheal Spurlock (18) during their NFL preseason football game in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, Aug. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

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Happy Tuesday, friends, and welcome to another edition of ST&NO, this time with actual football to talk about. We'll start with some thoughts about Friday night's game, we'll reflect briefly on Jay Cutler's Chicago debut, and we'll move into some other topics also. Get excited, because it's going to be a lot of fun. Ready.... BEGIN!!!

1. Friday night thoughts follow, with an effort not to beat the same drums as others have been. (The Tuesday AM time slot doesn't look so great, when the game was played on Friday night.)

a. I was very, very pleased with what I saw of the first-team front 7. To me, that was the best sign of the game. They were active, they tackled well, and they played physically up front. The OLBs did a nice job, and played like standup ends mostly, mirroring the 5-2 look a few of us speculated we'd see.

b. Kyle Orton needs to improve, obviously. He could start by realizing that he has a fantastic O-Line in front of him, and settling his feet down. His arm is strong enough to make every throw, but he needs to have his feet set, like most QBs. There aren't many Jay Cutler's, who can be lazy in their lower half, and still usually power the ball to the general area they're going to. I've come to think of that as a vice, more than a virtue, really. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have to get their feet set EVERY time, so they do it just about EVERY time. Orton's third INT was particularly an example of bad footwork leading to a weak throw.

c. Chris Baker may start at NT by Week 4. He looked like a beast, and got a sack. I think the Broncos are really onto something with him.

d. Alphonso Smith is going to be a top-notch player in the NFL for a long time. His pass breakup when he got his feet tangled on the play was a thing of beauty, and he looked explosive (like always) returning kicks. I've been saying it since before the draft, so I'll keep saying it. The Broncos are never going to regret trading for the pick they used to take him.

e. I thought the offensive play-calling wasn't great, particularly with Orton on the field. I think a little more balance would have helped, and challenging the deep part of the field also would have been useful.

f. I can't figure out why Vernon Fox is on the roster. He was awful last season, and should have been part of the purge. That terrible long TD by the 49ers' Brit Miller was clearly Fox's responsibility.

g. If Orton continues to struggle, I am comfortable with Chris Simms. Truthfully, I could care less which one is the starter. Neither one is my son, you know? I think they can both play well, and help the Broncos win.

h. I did a fair bit of tweeting during the game, @TedBartlett905. I may continue to do so, in future games. Follow me, if you like my work.

i. I generally liked how physical the team looked. They've never been a quote-unquote physical team, for as long as I can remember. This was something I was really watching for, and I was pleased with the results.

j. I thought the TEs were very under-utilized in the passing game. I realize that the offensive coaches have an extensive toolbox to work with, but a lot of matchup problems can be created with those guys. I hope to see Tony Scheffler running deep soon, because he's unstoppable downfield, with his size and speed.

2. I watched the beginning of the Bears-Bills game on Saturday, and Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler looked like he hasn't improved at all. He still threw flat-footed, he still made bad decisions, and he still made a couple of big-time throws, to remind you that he can, especially one he put ON Desmond Clark down the seam.

It was kind of like seeing an ex-girlfriend at a party, if our members who don't date ladies will momentarily forgive the simile (not metaphor). For a minute, you think she looks hot, and you remember what it was like when you used to date, and she did all those wild things, when it was time for doing wild things. Man, she was a lot of fun. Then she drinks too much, and she's doing keg stands, and then she throws up in a potted plant, and is hanging all over the chump who was just holding her hair back. He evidently doesn't care that she threw up, a little vomit doesn't bother him, because now he's making out with her anyway. You're vividly reminded why you broke up with her, right?

Jay can still fire the ball, but he still locks onto receivers, and he seems to be learning that Devin Hester is no Brandon Marshall. He's not even a Brandon Stokley, actually, and has a long way to go before he can even be called a good receiver. Six of Jay's ten throws went to Hester, which is very problematic, and then he threw Hester under the bus for the interception (You stay classy, Jay). The Bears' O-line struggled against the Bills too, which was a bad sign, and Jay showed happier feet than I have seen since the Seattle game, his rookie year. Jay threw one interception, had another easy one dropped by Reggie Corner, and had a 3rd-down throw into quadruple coverage in the end zone batted down. His passer rating of 30.8 even managed to make Kyle Orton's 32.6 look a little better. I'm not saying, I'm just saying....

3. Thoughts and Observations on other games:

a. Aaron Rodgers looked terrific for the Packers, and the Browns first-team defense looked completely abysmal. The Browns had no pass rush, no coverage, and ill-timed penalties, like a defensive holding on 4th and 6.

b. Due to a preference for soundness and consistency, I am predisposed to prefer Brady Quinn to Derek Anderson, but Quinn looked a lot better, again. He led the Browns to a pretty good early drive, which saw a made field goal get disallowed by a Hank Fraley penalty, and turn into a missed field goal. At the end of the first half, Braylon Edwards dropped a sure TD on him, one play before Quinn threw a pick while getting hit. Quinn, as usual, looked decisive and fundamentally sound. Anderson looked ragged, and threw a bad interception against tight coverage.

c. I like the Bills' use of the no-huddle in mid-game situations. It gave them some matchup advantages against Chicago, and they looked improved with it, over the previous week in Canton.

d. The Bears had Henry Melton as a kickoff returner, which was a sight to behold. Melton is a Defensive End, who wears uniform number 69. He's 6-4 and 269 pounds, and he did play some running back at Texas (132-625-16 in his career, not bad). He actually looked pretty nimble, and had a 20-yard return, which he fielded nicely on a bounce, in the third quarter.

e. The Bears had better hope Cutler doesn't get hurt. Brett Basanez and Caleb Hanie are not good - especially Basanez, a Northwestern grad, who ought to be thinking about where he wants to go to graduate school. Maybe the 5 Commodores on the team can put in a good word for him at Vanderbilt.

f. Ellis Lankster, another CB I really liked in the draft, got 2 interceptions off of Basanez. Lankster played at West Virginia, and I saw a lot of him last fall, when I was dating a big Mountaineers fan. He's a guy who plays a lot better than he times, and he looks like a steal as a 7th rounder. The Bills are very deep at CB, but Lankster is going to make the team, as a seventh-rounder.

g. Matthew Stafford looked pretty good for the Lions, except for a back-foot interception which he got returned for a TD. The guy I really was pretty impressed with was Drew Stanton. He led the Lions to the win at the end of the game. For a guy who was a second-round pick, you have to wonder why he never got a chance to play, especially during an 0-16 season. I wonder if he didn't just get caught up in the Marinelli/Millen shuffle.

h. #36 for the Bears, Josh Bullocks, threw one of the body-rockingest blocks you'll ever see on a punt return. He lit some poor Buffalo Bill up, and got his returner 10 extra yards.

i. Local Philly MSMer Bob Brookover said that Jason Peters looked good against the Patriots, and the NFP reposted the article with the headline Peters Paying Dividends. I beg to differ. I watched him get beat repeatedly, and I thought he looked really fat and slow. Winston Justice, who played on the right side, is a terrible player, and he was also repeatedly abused. It's time to give up on the Justice-has-potential meme.

j. A Browns player who jumped out at me was rookie CB Coye Francies. He looks really active, and smashed a Packers RB on a play where he looked like he had some daylight. He also had an interception of the totally inept-looking Brian Brohm. Remember when Brohm was going to be the #1 pick in the 2007 Draft, after his junior season? Matt Flynn is a lot better than him, and was picked 5 rounds later.

k. For being new to zone blocking, the Seahawks looked pretty good at it. Julius Jones is a good RB for that kind of scheme, because he gets downhill quickly, and he had pretty solid success against the Chargers.

l. I think the Chargers defense still looked vulnerable. The Seahawks were able to throw and run against them. Shawne Merriman mostly stayed blocked, and had no impact on the game, although Shaun Phillips looked active and quick.

m. Matt Cassel struggled mightily for the Chiefs, showing happy feet, inaccurate passing, and a fumbled exchange (though, to be fair, it was raining). Chiefs fans shouldn't panic, though, just like we shouldn't panic.

n. A guy who looked very good for the Chiefs was Tamba Hali. He seems to be making a good transition from DE to 3-4 OLB, and he was very active, playing the whole first half. He had some rushes against Eric Winston, a good RT, where he got good pressure.

o. Matt Schaub looked really sharp for the Texans, completing all 7 of his throws for 70 yards. I've always liked Schaub, and I think if he can stay healthy, he'll have a big year. The Texans offense, as we all know, gets guys open on a lot of crossing stuff, and creates high-percentage opportunities.

p. Old friend Jim Bates' Buccaneers defense looked quick and sound, especially Stylez G. White (formerly Greg White). He had a sack and a really impressive interception of Kerry Collins. Sabby Piscitelli looked like he is putting his game together to match his talent, and he also picked off Collins, in the end zone.

q. Another old friend, John Lynch, did the color commentary for the Bucs, and he seemed very natural at it.

r. Byron Leftwich is the same as ever. He throws the ball really well, but needs to elaborately wind up to do it, and has no pocket mobility. He did make a really nice throw for a TD, to another old friend, Brian Clark. Clark also forced a safety on a punt, by getting himself held in the end zone, with a really impresisve rush.

s. I've been critical of Vince Young, but he played well Saturday. He had a couple of nice throws in the second quarter, especially a deep ball to Kenny Britt, and later hit Britt with a 37-yard TD pass. Britt looked like the real deal, and I was kind of indifferent to him, coming out of Rutgers.

t. Titans backup Center Fernando Velasco did a repeatedly horrible job with the shotgun snap. There was inadequate velocity on his snaps, and he grounded one to Young on a 3rd down near the end of the first half. Young stupidly/wildly lateraled the ball over LenDale White's head, and White smartly kicked the ball out of bounds, once he caught up to it.

u. The Bucs have a lot of quality depth at RB, which people aren't mentioning much. Derrick Ward and Cadillac Williams have both been 1,000-yard rushers, and Earnest Graham got 898 and 10 TDs in 2008. Behind them is Clifton Smith, who made the Pro Bowl as a return man last season, and looked good carrying the ball from scrimmage this weekend.

v. It was mostly assumed that Clint Sintim would be drafted by a 3-4 team, since he played in one of the very few collegiate 3-4's at the University of Virginia. When the Giants took him in the second round, a lot of people were surprised, but I was not one of them. The Giants 4-3 plays like a 5-2, and their SLB tends to be DE-sized, like Mathias Kiwanuka. The Jim Johnson-led Eagles have tended to do something similar, which I am sure is where Steve Spagnuolo picked it up, but the Giants are really heavy on rushing 5 big guys most of the time. Sintim looked really good on Monday night, with a sack and a forced fumble, and a couple more solid rushes.

w. The Giants' first-round pick Hakeem Nicks looks completely lost, and got nothing done on Monday night. The Panthers' top pick, second-rounder Everette Brown, looked pretty good in his opportunities, and Jon Gruden credited him with finishing well on one occasion.

4. Interesting note from Pro Football Weekly's Whispers column:

• The Broncos recently moved Marcus Thomas from nose tackle to defensive end and we hear he will challenge DE Ryan McBean for a starting spot. Sources say Thomas is the team's most talented D-lineman, but it could take him some time to learn his new position in the team's 3-4 scheme after he was used as a tackle in a 4-3 set previously. McBean, who has just one game of experience, has not impressed observers thus far.

When I first heard that Thomas was being tried on the nose, it struck me as a little strange. He's much more a quick-footed guy than a mauler. He did look good at DE in the 30-fronts the Broncos used last season, so I think this is a smart move.

McBean got a coverage sack on Friday, but generally didn't distinguish himself much in the rest of the game. I think Thomas can do very well given this chance, and I expect him to earn the starting job.

5. Fun with Peter "Mr. Light and Breezy" King

e. It won't matter what kind of play the Broncos get out of Orton or Simms if they play defense the way they played against the all-star lineup of Shaun Hill, Alex Smith and Damon Huard. I know, I know. Preseason Week 1. Who cares? Half of these guys will be gone in two weeks. But 14 of 18 passing, for a 143.5 rating? And 30 San Fran carries for a 4.5-yard average? Not good.

This is a lot like saying that the Broncos had the second-best offense in the NFL last season. At the end of the day, the defense held San Francisco to 17 points, and nothing else matters. Remember, one TD was at least partially a gift of great field position by way of Orton's 3rd INT. This team is probably going to get the ball moved on them this season, but if they can hold the opponents to field goals instead of Touchdowns, they can win a lot of games.

This is exactly what Miami did last season, in going 11-5. People remember the Wildcat, and solid play by Chad Pennington, but scoring-area defense was the hallmark of their success. It goes a long, long way. As for Mr. Light and Breezy, I am pretty sure he was in attendance for this game, so it kind of boggles my mind why he is relying on the stat sheet, rather than his own eyes. Allowing 4.5 yards per rush sounds bad, to be sure. Par for the course, I guess, though.

6. I like the Michael Vick-to-the-Eagles move. Low pressure for him, and he can get back into the swing, and probably play in some specialty packages by the end of the year. Expect him to be in high demand next offseason, if he looks good at all, and the Eagles will now have a quality tradeable asset, with one club-option year for 2010.

The dogfighting stigma is already fading, mostly thanks to Tony Dungy and the Eagles. By next year, PETA will still be trying to make hay from Vick, but they'll be the only media force who is, and even Ted the Well-Known Liberal will grant you that nobody outside of PETA really takes PETA very seriously. What they stand for is important, and worthwhile (at a high level), but their shrillness and rigidity puts them outside of the mainstream. (Before I get excoriated, I think that most everybody can generally get behind the ethical treatment of animals, but there's a variance in what that exactly means in people's minds. That's what I mean about a high level.) If Vick can behave and dedicate himself to being a good player, he can redeem his career and his life, which is a great thing for ~~anybody~~ everybody who has ever made a mistake.

7. Retired for John Elway.

8. I will be in New Hampshire visiting family from Wednesday night through Sunday morning, so chances are, I won't get to see the game live on Saturday night, unless I can find a bar with NFL Network, and my brother wants to go, the night before his 5 AM flight back to L.A on Sunday. I may tweet a little from my iPhone, if I can make it work. I'm hopeful, at least.

9. How about Tom Cable apparently breaking his assistant's jaw? That's putting the fun in dysfunctional, there, Raiders-style. I remember when Buddy Ryan socked Kevin Gilbride on the sideline once in the early 90s, when they were the coordinators for the Oilers. That got a lot of notoriety, but this seems worse, considering the nature of the injury, and the fact that it was the HEAD COACH. I actually kind of feel bad for Raiders fans.

As I mentioned, I'll be out of pocket, and out in the woods at the end of the week, but I hope everybody has a great one. Until next Tuesday, I'll be keeping it Shallow and Nearsighted, like always.

The Point After - Grading out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Offense

Buc Wild — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:00:17 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

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Saturday night proved to be the baptism by fire for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fielding so many new players and coaches, the only way to evaluate what we have, and see how they hold up is to have live game action. Though the final score didn't total in our favor, the game did feature some bright spots. In this edition of The Point After, let's take a look at how the offense performed and grade them out.

Grades are indicative of the players performance in this game only.

Quarterbacks

Luke McCown -Was the starter of the first preseason game. Had a very underwhelming performance behind a very poor offensive line. Went 4 of 8 for 19 yards. Made some nice plays with his legs, but was not sharp in his delivery. A dropped pass may have hurt his numbers, but he was by no means stellar. Was bailed out of a terrible fumble and bad sack by a facemask penalty. Grade: D

Byron Leftwich - Second QB in. His slow wind up was evident, but delivered the only passing touchdown of the game. When had time, was able to throw strikes and showed fairly good decision making skills. Dumped ball off when needed to. No speed and once touched by a defensive player, the play is dead. Final numbers: 6 for 14, 61 yards, 1TD. Grade: B-

Josh Freeman - First live action in NFL. Displayed good poise in the pocket generally, though he did scramble right into a sack. Telegraphed passes which lead to an interception. Maintained the short throws. Showed a live arm and above average accuracy. Bounced back from interception well. Successful first attempt on the field. Final numbers: 5/9 for 52 yards, 1 INT Grade: C

Josh Johnson - Last of the 4 QB's in. Showed a nice zip on his passes, good decision making, and accurate throws. Scrambled well in a 43 yard TD run. Competition was weak, but didn't show a glaring weakness. Good effort to build on. Final Numbers: 3 for 5 for 15 yards. 1 Rushing TD. Grade: B

Running Backs

Earnest Graham - Poor first showing in 2009. Though the OL did him no favors, did not show any burst or good read abilities. Didn't make anyone miss. Had chances to fall forward or make defense miss and made no progress. Got a pass out of backfield and fumbled it away. Final Numbers: 4 carries, 1 yard, 1 catch for 1 yard and a fumble Grade: D

Derrick Ward -First run was best of bunch, for 7 yards. Again, OL provided no support, but was able to manufacture a few yards. Showed good burst and tenacity when hit. Moving forward all the time. Final Numbers: 4 carries for 9 yards, 1 catch for 7 yards. Grade: C+

Clifton Smith - Showed good ball security, a change from last year. Made several players miss with good jukes and agility. Showed good receiving skills out of the backfield. Was able to find holes and make most of time with ball. Only question could be durability or ability to handle blitz pick up assignments. Final Numbers: 5 carries for 27 yards, 1 catch for 7 yards. Grade: B

Kareem Huggins - Showed good receiving skills, good burst with ball, and ability to hit hole and rack up yards. Not much hesitation, good for a young player. Did not go down without a fight. Final Numbers: 9 carries for 43 yards and 3 catches for 14 yards. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Bryan Clark - Was the recipient of the only Bucs TD pass. Made an nice adjustment to haul it in. Had a drop, also caused a holding penalty resulting in safety. Not spectacular but made the play when it mattered. Final numbers: 2 catches for 29 yards and a TD. Grade: B

Maurice Stovall - Not hard to see why he isn't a force in regular season. Disappeared for most of the game. 1 catch for 8 yards. Will need to rebound to factor into future plans. Grade: D

Cortez Hankton -Will end up simulating other teams on practice squad. Several drops on balls that should have been caught. Not impressive in the least. Grade: PS as in get to the practice squad

Sammy Stroughter -Good debut for the rookie. Looked shaky on a kick return early on, but rebounded well. Displayed good hands and ability to run with ball in hand. Looked comfortable at every level on the field. Final numbers: 3 catches for 42 yards. Grade: B

Kellen Winslow -Didn't play much. As a blocking tight end was just average, if that. Didn't get many opportunities in passing game. 1 catch for 5 yards. Grade: Incomplete

The rest of the bunch - The remaining receivers didn't do much to stand out. As a group they were below average and will struggle to make an impact. Truly shows the lack of depth at WR. Pray that AB or Clayton don't get hurt (again). Grade: C-

Offensive Line

The Big Guys - First string had a terrible performance. Didn't open any holes in the running game. Penn was overmatched at points. Provided little to no time for quarterbacks. Running game was a non-factor. This zone scheme is either very complicated to pick up, tough to master, or we might be in over our heads. Not ready to jump ship after 15 plays, but didn't give me much confidence. Grade: D

The second string and beyond provided some good time for Leftwich and other QB's. Running game got going as first stringers left game. Still tough to gauge depth on team as running plays routinely had defense in backfield. Grade: C+

Overall

The offense looked lost. It's tough to determine how things are going after one preseason game, particularly after a game where the opponent has one more game than you and was one of the better defenses in 2008. All the hype surrounding the new offense, the new scheme, and the addition of Ward and Winslow left in a hurry. While those two players were not the main culprit in the futile efforts of the offense, the offense as a whole failed (first string). Other squads (the backups and beyond) looked decent, though competition was not of the same level and I don't count on those guys to make an impact during the year. I won't be surprised if the Leftwich/McCown loser is cut if Johnson keeps this up. There is alot to work on going into Jacksonville. Final Numbers: 17 first downs, 5/15 on 3rd downs (33%), 138 yards rushing, 118 yards passing (256 total). 2 TD's and 2 Turnovers. Overall Grade: C-

How did you grade out the Bucs offense on Saturday night? Hit the comments section below and let us know.

Dress Rehearsal: There is a lot to take in...

Niko Houllis — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:01:19 -0000

JJ's TD run showed off his speed.

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Thousands of people watched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers open their 2009 campaign last night, and each one of us came away with different opinions about every possible angle there is to look at. So what have we all been able to summarize from the first effort?

Never say Die: The team does not quit. They will provide us with 60 full minutes of effort and will on Sunday afternoons.
Ryan Purvis will make this team. He may be on the practice squad all season, but those hands earned him a paycheck on the two point conversion on the Bucs last touchdown.
The Defense is stout, and fast. Quincy Black and Sabby Piscitelli rewarded Coach Raheem Morris for his confidence in them last night, and it may be the first sign that we may hear the words "Derrick Who?" at some point this year.
Stylez G White will resume where he left off after the 2007 season, not 2008.
We now see how this defense works. Defensive tackles recorded zero tackles last night. No biggie! Because they clogged up the middle and forced runners to the outside where Safetys, Linebackers and Corners can get them for little yardage. Nice system Bates; its different, but after the last four games of last year, its nice. The biggest weakness of the Tampa Two was allowing a run up the gut. Now we have to deal with bombs against us. heres hoping Sabby and Tanard are fast!
While he may not be as reliable from long distance as Gramatica was, Mike Nugent at least shows there is a 50/50 shot at making a long FG from 50+ yards out or more.
You may need to get the nameplate ready. Kareem Huggins is looking like the new Mr. August.
Management is going to have a tough decision to make regarding QB Josh Johnson, who smoked everyone running around the Titans Defense for a 43 yard Touchdown QB sneaker!

And yet with all the positive results.. come an assortment of boneheadedness to be expected from such a young team!

Earnest Graham's fumble in the first quarter is not going to help his bid to have a majority of carries away from Derrick Ward.
Donte Nicholson was not even within 20 yards of Kenny Britt when he scored that TD. If that truly was Tampa Two coverage like the announcing team mentioned, Monte Kiffin is jumping OFF of rocky-top about now.
Josh Freeman is not ready to start, however he shows great potential when he blows off a pick 6 and completes a couple of nice throws to navigate the team quickly into FG range.

Next week, Byron Leftwich will get a chance to start against his old team when the Bucs travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars at 7:30 next Saturday night. He will have a chance to show everyone which Byron he can be, the one who came on the field and threw a TD on his second play, or the guy who was not really able to do much the rest of the half save the last minute FG drive. Luke McCown looked like the same QB who threw a Pick 6 against the Saints in 2007 when he threw the ball behind his receiver in the first quarter, and when he carelessly fumbled the ball while being sacked similar to the Texans game of the same year. Its understood he doesnt have a lot of in game experience, but did we see what Jon Gruden saw the week before the Atlanta game last year when he bypassed Luke for Brian Griese?

Derrick Ward had a few nice runs that showed his power and speed, but Kareem Huggins was the suprise player of the game......perhaps on his way to becoming the new Mr. August? (Sorry Earnest Graham, you've got your full time gig now!)

John Lynch did a great job in the booth with Chris Myers, long time Bucs preseason TV man and Fox regular. He was insightful, let us know he has a knowledge of the game without cramming that knowledge in our face, and did his homework on the new Buccaneers squad. Fox has a winner on its hands, and Bucs fan have a lot to look forward to with Lynch looking good in the booth.

Other Tidbits of Useless information.....

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMS LAST NIGHT....

- Buccaneers Defensive Coordinator Jim Bates played for the University of Tennessee

from 1964-67 and then was the linebackers coach in 1989.

- Bucs Defensive Line coach Robert Nunn was the Defensive Ends coach at the

University of Tennessee from 1989-1990.

- Titans Offensive Coordinator Mike Heimerdinger coached as the Wide Receivers

coach at the University of Florida from 1983-87. Heimerdinger coached FB B.J.

Askew and K Mike Nugent when he served as Offensive Coordinator of the New

York Jets in 2005. Bucs DC Bates and Titans OC Heimerdinger served together on the

Denver Broncos coaching staff in 2007.

- Bucs Offensive Coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski was the Tight Ends coach in 2004 for

the Atlanta Falcons where he coached Titans TE Alge Crumpler.

- Titans Special Teams coach Alan Lowry coached with the Buccaneers in 1991 and

served as the Special Teams/Tight Ends coach.

- Titans WR Mark Jones played in six total games for the Buccaneers in 2007.

- Bucs Pro Scout and former LB Shelton Quarles started all four years at Vanderbilt.

Quarles calls Nashville his hometown.

- Former Bucs DT Jovan Haye signed as a free agent with Tennessee this past

offseason after spending three seasons in Tampa Bay.

- Titans DE Larry Birdine and Bucs S Donte Nicholson spent two years together at

the University of Oklahoma.

- Bucs RB Earnest Graham and Titans CB Reynaldo Hill played together at the

University of Florida.

- Bucs rookie G Ryan Schmidt originally entered the league with the Titans as an

undrafted free agent in 2009.

- Bucs rookie DT Roy Miller played with Titans QB Vince Young in 2005 for the Texas

Longhorns and won the BCS National title.

- Bucs rookie DE/DT Kyle Moore played with Titans RB LenDale White for one

season at USC.

- Bucs DE Louis Homes was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee.

NOTE: High Def Highlights will up later today!