SB Nation - Elbert Mack

Friday Injury Report: Green Bay Packers at Tampa

Brandon — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:18:28 -0000

The week's list is long for the Green Bay Packers. While a lot has gone wrong for the Buccaneers during their 0-7 start, injuries have not been their biggest problem.

For the Packers, a couple players (Lang and Allen) were injured during practice this week. Chillar is out for a couple weeks after having surgery on his broken hand. Driver (neck stinger) and Rodgers (feet) were held out all week, until Friday's practice, but they're almost certain to play through the pain. Clifton was back at practice all week, apparently his practice on Friday was limited just as a precaution, and he should start on Sunday. Hall was back in practice, after missing a couple weeks, but he was still limited and a good candidate to be left inactive on Sunday. Maybe the same can be said for Martin. There was nothing written, at least that I read, about Woodson's injury, so it's apparently not serious and he should start on Sunday. Again this week, Finley, Nelson, and Spitz are all out.

For the Bucs, their starting WR Antonio Bryant is likely to miss the game due to the knee injury he aggravated while flying coach. Maybe they'll be without 2nd year CB Elbert Mack, but since he's only started 1 NFL game, he's probably not a key part of their defense.

The complete injury lists, for both teams, are after the jump.

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Jake Allen	WR	Quadricep	Limited Participation	Questionable
Brandon Chillar	LB	Hand	Out	Out
Chad Clifton	T	Ankle	Limited Participation	Probable
Donald Driver	WR	Neck	Full Participation	Probable
Jermichael Finley	TE	Knee	Did Not Participate	Out
Korey Hall	FB	Calf	Limited Participation	Questionable
T.J. Lang	G/T	Oblique	Limited Participation	Questionable
Derrick Martin	S	Concussion	Limited Participation	Questionable
Jordy Nelson	WR	Knee	Did Not Participate	Out
Aaron Rodgers	QB	Feet	Full Participation	Probable
Jason Spitz	C/G	Back	Did Not Participate	Out
Charles Woodson	CB	Hip	Full Participation	Probable


Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Antonio Bryant	WR	Knee	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Michael Clayton	WR	Wrist	Full Participation	Questionable
Elbert Mack	CB	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Aqib Talib	CB	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Jeremy Zuttah	G	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable

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.

Bills vs Buccaneers: Five questions with Buc 'Em

Brian Galliford — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:30:16 -0000

Last week in our pre-game preparations, we spent an entire six days interviewing the folks at Pats Pulpit about the then-upcoming Monday Night Football game. For the rest of the season, we'll be doing interviews in this format - five questions on Thursdays, and predictions on Saturdays.

The Buffalo Bills have a massively important rebound game - it's also their home opener, by the way - coming up this Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs opened their season with a 34-21 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and are making the trip to Ralph Wilson Stadium for the first time in franchise history this week. Here to help us understand a bit more about the Bucs are Buc Wild and Niko521bucs, big dogs at SB Nation's Buccaneers blog, Buc 'Em. Our conversation with these two Bucs bloggers are after the jump, and make sure you drop by Buc 'Em for the reciprocating Bills-centric interview/conversation.

The Bucs gave up three touchdown passes of 40+ yards to Tony Romo and the Cowboys this past Sunday. What happened on those plays?

Niko521bucs: It was a combination of inexperience in Jim Bates' new defense and inexperience on the part of safeties Sabby Piscitelli and Elbert Mack - two young guys in our secondary. Another major contributor to the problem is free safety Tanard Jackson, who is suspended for the first four weeks.

Buc Wild: He's right. Sabby Piscitelli got caught out of position on two of the big plays. It's a case of a young player not being disciplined enough in coverage. The other long TD came from a missed assignment by Elbert Mack, as he whiffed on the bump at the line of scrimmage.

Dallas did a great job of neutralizing DE Gaines Adams, who did not record a stat in Week 1. Beyond Adams, how does Tampa's pass rush look?

Niko521bucs: Not really that good. Honestly, neutralizing Gaines is not as hard as it sounds. Head Coach Raheem Morris has told him straight up that anything less than double digit sacks will label him a BUST. As for the rest, they did an adequate job against the run, but we have to improve against the pass.

Buc Wild: I hate to keep echoing Niko's thoughts here, but our pass rush is just not very strong right now. We have no premier pass rushers, and in Jim Bates' scheme, pressure comes from the DEs and LBs while the DTs clog the middle. This leaves it up to Adams, Jimmy Wilkerson and the linebacking crew. While they are young and talented, you just can't count on all the pressure coming from linebackers in a 4-3 scheme.

Byron Leftwich was efficient in Week 1, and the offense as a whole was excellent, picking up 450 total yards. How confident are you that that production will continue?

Niko521bucs: The biggest worry we have is losing Jeff Faine, center. But free agent pickup Jonathan Compas played in his absence pretty well. Left guard Jeremy Zuttah can play center, too. The trend should continue somewhat, especially once Faine returns in about four weeks.

Buc Wild: I'm confident that the offense can remain efficient; not so much in the 450 yards. I'm hoping our defense can cut some of the mistakes, thus allowing our offense to grind out some more yardage and clock. Leftwich shouldn't be throwing 40 times a game.

If you had to game plan against the Bucs, give us your brief strategies on offense and defense.

Niko521bucs: The Bucs like to run the ball, and will run with three if not four running backs, and then throw the ball on play action fakes.

Buc Wild: There are two ways to beat our offense - you either pressure Leftwich and force him off his spot, or you put eight in the box and stop the run. We're a pretty balanced offense, and throwing that balance off will kill us. On the defensive side, you beat the Bucs by throwing. I think we can stop the run fairly well, but with three young members of the secondary and Ronde Barber, there are holes to be had.

I'll admit that I was, and remain, a huge fan of Raheem Morris and his potential as an NFL head coach. But he's made some controversial moves early in his stint. How do you think Morris is coming along as a head man?

Niko521bucs: You will get different answers from different people, even probably within our site. I like Coach Morris, and do not feel he has really done anything all that crazy. Warrick Dunn, Derrick Brooks, Alex Smith, and Ike Hilliard are all still looking for work.

Buc Wild: My opinion is still being shaped, but as of now, I'm not sold. I think he's done some good and some bad, but he's making rookie mistakes. Problem is, we have no seniority to help him lead the team.

Bucs start strong, limp home in loss to Cowboys

Buc Wild — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:00:33 -0000

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In the season opener for both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys, youth lose to experience as Dallas stomped into Raymond James Stadium and beat the Bucs 34-21. It was certainly a tale of two halves, with the Bucs hanging tight at halftime only down 13-7 at the break.

The game opened up with a decent kickoff return by the Cowboys. The defense had the typical bend don't break philosophy and tightened up once in the red zone and held Dallas to a field goal from 50 yards. The Bucs would counter with a strong running attack and work there way down to Cowboys territory and stall. The Bucs lined up for a field goal just to see it blocked.

The Bucs D would again have to defend a short field, and did so nicely holding Dallas to another field goal, putting them up 6-0. The Bucs offense would take the same approach and ran the ball well, ultimately capping a long drive with a Cadillac Williams one yard TD run. After the extra point, it was 7-6 Bucs.

The teams would trade a few punts until the Bucs got the ball with two minutes remaining deep in their own territory. Rather than run the ball a few times and go into half up 7-6, they threw a pass, attempted another pass where Leftwich ran out of bounds, and then ran the ball on third down. Dallas called a timeout and would get the ball back with just over a minute left.

The Bucs poor clock management would come back to haunt them as Romo connected with Miles Austin who beat Elbert Mack and eluded Jermaine Phillips to make it 13-7 Dallas. The Bucs would get the ball back and still were looking to put points on the board. Leftwich hooked up with Michael Clayton on a huge 47 yard pass play to get in field goal range, only to see Mike Nugent miss just before half, leaving the score at 13-7.

Somewhat encouraged, but surely deflated, the Bucs looked to start the second half. The Bucs opening drive stalled and after a punt, chaos ensued. In a coverage mix up, Sabby Piscitelli was left to cover Roy Williams, who took a pass 66 yards from Romo to put the Cowboys up 20-7. This was the start of a bad half for both the Bucs and the Cowboys.

Both defenses held tough as each team punted 2 times, leading to the Bucs getting the ball back. Working mostly through the air, the Bucs were able to dodge an interception on an illegal contact call and connect with what looked to be a touchdown for Sammy Stroughter. After review, he was ruled down just short of the goal line, where Derrick Ward came in to clean up the mess and score. 20-14 Bucs.

On the second play after the kickoff, Patrick Crayton would take Sabby Piscitelli to school, scoring on an 80 yard pass from Romo. 27-14 Bucs. The Bucs would mount a 5 minute drive that ended on a 4th and 7 pass that fell incomplete as Kellen Winslow bobbled a wide open pass.

The Bucs were deflated at this point, and Dallas just marched down the field, capping the drive with a 6 yard Marion Barber TD. 34-14 Bucs. Trying to salvage some momentum, the Bucs would move down the field and score a garbage TD with Leftwich hitting Kellen Winslow for the late score. 34-21 Cowboys. The game would end after an unsuccessful onsides kick.

The Bucs running game was particularly impressive, with Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward combining for 25 carries, 159 yards and 2 scores. Leftwich was efficient, going 25 of 41 for 276 yards and 1 TD. The Bucs did not turn the ball over.

With the loss the Bucs fall to 0-1 and now are 0-4 in home season openers. They travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills, who have New England on Monday night.

Grading out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Defense

Buc Wild — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:00:11 -0000

Looking back to Thursday's game, it's hard to imagine the way our defense played led to a loss. Granted, allowing 10 points is not bad, but a loss is a loss, or so I've been told. Let's take a gander at each of the units/positions on defense and how they fared.

Defensive Line

To me, this has been the biggest surprise. With a highly touted 3rd year player (Gaines Adams), some re-treads (Hovan and Sims) and Wilkerson, I don't think this group screams trouble. But after three games, they've been pretty stout against the run (though the end of the year isnt here yet) and have generated some pressure on passing downs. Adams hasn't quite made the impact I've expected, but I won't pitch a fit until the regular season comes. Wilkerson showed some nice moves and explosion on Thursday night. The big additions have been mid round picks Roy Miller and Kyle Moore. These guys not only add some depth, they have added playmaking abilities, shown in the game against the Dolphins. Chris Bradwell continues to show up. An interception and a forced fumble were generated by the DL, along with 4 sacks (only one by the first string). Grade: B

Linebackers

A mixed bag on Thursday night. Against the run they appeared to flow to the ball, and make some nice plays. Able to read and react. Against the pass, there a bit iffy. When picking up tight ends or running backs in man to man, they seem to use the trail technique, which is fine. But in zone, they appear lost. Not a good sign. Mystery man Barrett Ruud has yet to do anything in preseason. Count me as concerned. Geno Hayes has stepped up, and I'll admit, as an FSU fan, I'm happy to see him do well, but he was my pick to start all along once we let 55 go. Flip and Hayward are nice players at WLB, but I think Hayes is the right guy here. Quincy Black still hasn't showed that flash that the coaches talked about. Koutouvides and McCoy played well. The touchdown pass by Pennington was a result of too much time in the pocket and getting lost in coverage. All in all, not a bad night, but room to improve Grade: B-

Defensive Backs

If you remove Torrie Cox from the equation, the secondary played pretty well. No big plays, a sack (E.J. Biggers), and though some spotty communication, no real downfield threats. When you put Torrie Cox in, it wasn't pretty. Down the field plays, a few muggings, just not a good night. It's hard to predict how our secondary will do without T-Jack and possibly without Talib. Elbert Mack will need to step up and we will most likely have to count on Cox to some degree if Talib misses game time. If this group can maintain discipline as they did most of Thursday night, should be a decent group. And thus far, Ronde Barber has stepped up. My only question? We haven't played a team with a dominant receiver yet, will have to see how we match up there. But for Thursday night, I'll take the few big plays against Cox with everyone else showing up. Grade: B-

Overall

10 points, thats all that was given up and the touchdown came after undisciplined coverage by Cox, and Pennington playing sandlot football and hitting his tight end. Our first string gave up 3 points over one half of football, and didn't allow Miami to become any kind of threat. That's a pretty darn good performance right there. All in all, 4 sacks, a pick, a forced fumble and recovery, and 10 total points. You hold the opponent to 10 points, I'll take it every week. The defense has progressed and continued to look good in preseason. Though we had 4 sacks, one was by the first team. I'd like to see a bit more pressure generated. Grade: B

Grading out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Defense

Buc Wild — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:45:10 -0000

Continuing on with the "Grading out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers" columns, we'll take a look at the defense.

As usual, we are looking at the previous game (Bucs @ Jags) and how each unit/individual did relative to their position on the team, expectations and other factors. For example (fictitious): Gaines Adams getting 2 hurries against first string opponent is worth more to me than him getting 2.5 sacks against the 4th string JV team. When looking at a player/unit, we take into account what they did at their position. If McCown delivers a strike to a WR but the WR tips it to a defensive player and it gets picked, I'm not holding that against McCown.

To check out the grades, click the jump and read on.

Defense

Defensive Line

Gaines Adams - Perhaps it just took me calling him out in an open game day thread. Was non-existant for most of his playing time until he exploded for two pressures and an almost sack in 4 plays. When he does something other than speed rush, he can be a force. Needs to be more consistent in his play still. Grade: B-

First String - The pressure arrived in Jacksonville. After a week of stellar run play, but no pass rush, the DL added that missing caveat. Consistenly got up field, disrupted the back field on plays. Did show some fatigue, but with some good depth (which we have) may be the biggest improvement on the team from last year Grade: B

Roy Miller - No idea how he lasted to third round if he keeps this up. Was in the backfield, occupying double team (and winning occassionally), hitting runners, providing pressure. I'm pleased with the progress. Would like to see him against starters. Probably needs a bit more size to hold up for 60 minutes against double team. Grade: B

Kyle Moore - Another nice surprise. Pressured the quarterback numerous times. Moved inside and showed he could adapt to play DT or DE, which is HUGE as a defensive lineman. Could easily assume the starting spot opposite of Gaines if he keeps it up. Grade: B-

The Others - While the pressure was there, inconsistency killed this group again. Made some nice edge plays and were able to disrupt a few plays. But allowed Jacksonville to move too freely in two minute drill. Grade: C

Linebackers

Barrett Ruud - If you look at the box score you would think Ruud didn't play as he is listed nowhere, no stats, no tackles, nothing. He was in the game. This is back to back games where he has been average at best. It may be the new scheme but right now, he isn't making plays like he was last year. I don't see him as first to the ball. He did make a nice play in pass coverage on the tight end, but he has to re-emerge and fast. Grade: D+

Quincy Black - Still waiting to see that break out potential. He's around the ball alot but not making too many plays. Again, didn't show up in boxscore. Lined up at end a few times and if he can get soem coachign on some pass rush moves, he looks to be a fit there on 3rd downs. He probably ideally projects to a 3-4 system as the DE/LB hybrid. Grade: C-

Angelo Crowell - Our big defensive free agent acquisition is done for the year. Not the impact he (or we) wanted him to make. Good luck to you Mr. Crowell. Grade INC

The Others - Hayes? Phillips? Hayward? Not much of an impact. Phillips made a nice tackle on the play he got hurt, but missed one prior. Largely disappointing Grade: D

Defensive Backs

Sabby Piscitelli - Showed why coaches and fans are concerned. While he is a ball hawk, shows little discipline in coverage. Was beat 1.5 times (both long plays to Williamson). One he was beat deep, the other he overpursued. Must find a way to remain in position or will hurt us in long run. Grade: D

Tanard Jackson - I give him an A for not coming out stoned. Seriously, played alright, played longer than most starters and made some ncie open field tackles. Looked a step slow at times and missed 2 tackles that he seems to have lwarned from Flip. Grade: C

Elbert Mack - Hisnumber sshow differently, but thought he was more liability in coverage than usual. Was beat on long play to Williamson (the non-TD). Must learn on the job quickly. Grade: C

The Others - Arrington made some nice plays and showed the ability to finish plays and hang in coverage. Nice reaction and tipped pass in the end zone as it looked as if he was in zone and read the sideline pass. Grade: B-

If you take out the first play of the game, the defense played well and played pretty discipliend. The pass rush improved, the run game didn't go anywhere, and though we saw no turnovers, we did see more sacks and hurries. Unfortunately the first play did happen, and it was our starters. A leader needs to step up. Grade: C+

Game Preview (Preseason Game 2): Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

Buc Wild — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:00:13 -0000

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Training camp is over. The first game is under the belt. As we head into the second preseason game there is a lot at stake. Not only the learning and retention of new schemes and systems, but with Coach Morris stating that most of the depth chart (particularly the quarterback position) will be decided by the third preseason game, this is the last chance for players to put together solid film to be considered for any starting position. Both teams are trying to respond to a somewhat poor first outing and get headed in the right direction.

As the Bucs head up to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars, let's take a look at the storylines of the game and a few things to watch for as the game progresses.

Date: Saturday, August 22, 2009

Time: Kickoff at 7:30 PM ET

Where: Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (Seating capacity of 67,164)

Where to Watch: In the Bay area, WFLA-TV - Channel 8 (Brighthouse/Verizon) or 508/608 in HD (Brighthouse/Verizon)

Where to Listen: 103.5 FM or WDAE 620 AM

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags are coming off a down season, mainly due to their inability to stop the run and the loss of half their offensive line to injuries. Their top two picks went towards offensive line in hopes of building some depth and re-establishing the run game and protection of the quarterback. After going 5-11 year, the Jags are looking to get back to being a top tier team in the AFC.

Offense

A new identity should be forming as Fred Taylor is gone, making way for Pocket Hercules aka MJD aka Maurice Jones-Drew. He will be asked to carry the load as "the guy". Backing him up is former 'Nole Greg Jones and Rashad Jennings. The wide receivers are a mainly unknown and young group, with the exception being free agent signing Torry Holt. Holt may not have the YAC ability anymore, but should be a solid possession guy. Running the show is David Garrard. After a stellar 2007 season that had the media praising him and Del Rio (for sticking with Garrard over Leftwich), 2008 was a return to Earth. A slightly better than 1:1 TD to pick ratio won't get it done this year. When Garrard gives way, we'll be treated to Todd Bouman. I think it's safe to say that the Jags need Garrard healthy and upright. The OL had a ton of injuries last year and has to remain healthy for the Jags to have a chance to win a few games this year.

Defense

The defensive unit has seen some slippage. First round pick Derrick Harvey remains an enigma, and Quentin Groves, starting left end may not have the size needed to play with his hand down. Their secondary does have playmakers in Rashean Mathis and Reggie Nelson, and while they have great ballhawking skills, must work on positiong and reading plays and avoiding the mental lapses that plagued them last year. You can run against the Jags, so look for the Bucs to exploit that. The Jags have been seen as a defensive stalwart in the past and look to get back after a slip in 2008. They were 17th in 2008 in total yards allowed, while ranking 24th against the pass and 13th against the run.

Previous Game

The Jaguars lost their first preseason game to the Dolphins in a shootout, 12-9. Jacksonville couldn't find the endzone, relying on 3 field goals for their scoring. While it's early, the turnovers (two picks, neither by Garrard) and penalties (11 for 98 yards) have to be a concern. This will be their second game and first home game. On a side note, will be interesting to see how full the stadium is. In fact, some Jacksonville media are already reporting a full blackout for all 10 home games this year. Yikes!

Top Story Lines - Jacksonville

The most notable is MJD taking over the starting role. While he always was a featured back, this time there is no Fred Taylor to help with the workload. Will he be able to withstand the touches given to him? Garrard looks to rebound, which will depend on how and if the O line can protect him. A lot of hype has been fed to Rashad Jennings, this will give a good glimpse into a potential back up to MJD. Who will catch the passes? Holt is here, but with leading receiver Matt Jones leaving, someone else needs to step up. On defense, can Nelson and company rebound from a down year? For other news on the Jags, head over to Big Cat Country.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

We find the Bucs stumbling into this week on the heels of a suspension and arrest. Getting back on the field should prove to be a good thing for the team. The Bucs will continue with the installation of the new schemes and look to make some progress on that front, as well as solidify the lineup. The rookies and young players know this may be the last chance they have to hit the field and show their worth. The first game really didn't show too much in terms of progress. If nothing else, it created some bigger questions and fueled the pessimism surrounding the team.

Defense

Coming off a better than expected performance against Tennessee, the defense looks to hold serve and continue shutting down the opposing team. The goal for this game should be consistency, particularly from week to week and then from first team to second team. The pressure on the quarterback has to be ramped up, no questions there. The secondary may also be cut in half, as T-Jack and Talib both appear ready to play, but Morris will need to find out what kind of depth we have at those positions as we know Jackson is out the first 4 games and it looks like Talib will miss a game or two. Look for Elbert Mack and Torrie Cox to try and step in to fill the voids left by Talib and T-Jack. I'd like to see some consistency from the linebacking corp also. Quincy Black needs to translate his camp hype to game performance.

Offense

There's just no good place to start here. The offensive line has to block someone and help out the running game. With Faine likely out, Mahan will be the guy again, and that doesn't bode well for the Bucs. Leftwich will get the start against his old team and looks to lock down the starting job. McCown will try to rebound from a pretty bad performance and Johnson and Freeman continue to look for playing time to show their worth. The first string tandem of Ward and Graham need to get going and this looks like the optimal time to do it. At wide receiver, we should have Clayton back, but beyond Stroughter, we have more questions than anything else. Brian Clark could claim the 3rd WR spot this week with a strong performance. It all starts up front, and while many say it takes half a season to learn the new zone blocking scheme, I'd just like to see progress.

Previous Game

The loss to Tennessee seems like a long time ago, but nonetheless, we're 0-1. The Bucs were able to limit the Titans on offense, but their inability to get anything going on the offensive side, coupled with an untimely pick 6 from Freeman cost the Bucs the game. The good news is, the team did show positive signs in the loss. A better than expected defense, and some flashes from all QB's minus McCown

Top Story Lines - Tampa Bay

From a team standpoint, the top story lines are can the offense get going, and will the defense continue. On a player basis, it's the Jackson and Talib story. Who will step in and how much will it hurt us? A fair amount of playing time and starting jobs are on the line as Morris has said and confirmed repeatedly that most of the depth chart will be decided before the first home preseason game. The QB battle should end on Saturday, witha winner declared in the next week. The pressure is on, who will step up?

Players To Watch

- Luke McCown - This may be his last viable chance at winning a starting job here (or anywhere else).

- Bryan Clark - Will he step up and claim the 3rd WR spot?

- Stylez G. White - Had an excellent first performance in the new scheme. Will need to continue it

- Elbert Mack and Torrie Cox - For reasons listed above, will need to show they can fill in when/as needed.

- Mario Urrutia - A late addition to the Bucs, he has a chance to show his size and speed will fit well with the Bucs.

Things to Watch For

- How will Leftwich do in his return to Jacksonville?

- The entire first string offense, but mainly the offensive line with the new scheme.

- Will Jacksonville's OL be able to contain the pass rush?

- How Talib, Jackson and the team handle the latest commotion

- Does Josh Johnson really have a chance at making the team?

- Will there be any fans in the seats for the game?

Injuries

It sounds like Michael Clayton will be able to go, but Jeff Faine may be out. Also mentioned as a possibly injury casualty is Gaines Adams. Will keep you posted on any other injury news.

Update: Dexter Jackson and Will Allen did not make the trip.

Prediction

Always tough to predict who wins these meaningless games, but I think Tampa and it's defense play well and the offense does enough to win. We'll call it Bucs 20 - Jags 17.

(Editor's note: This is preseason for the staff also. If there are other looks, pieces of info or segments you want, let me know. I figure a look at each team, their injuries, stat leaders, team stats, and stories on each side of the ball should work, but as always, I'm open to suggestions).

Cannon Shots: Updates from Tuesday's Practice

Buc Wild — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:10:40 -0000

Pretty eventful day. It's the second to last day of training camp I believe, and with the Tanard Jackson suspension, it adds a few more questions into the mix. You have to wonder where Phillips will end up now. Could mean an extra LB or Safety makes the team initially.

- The big news is T-Jack got busted for his T-crack. Ok, lame jokes aside, it isn't reported what he took, but he said it's been going on for awhile. Pot would be the best guess I could offer, but it's just a guess. With him gone, Will Allen has to step up and Jermaine Phillips did take some snaps at safety today. Keep an eye there.

- I'm sure it was speculated on elsewhere, but I know that it was definitely mentioned here at Buc 'Em that the loser of the McCown/Leftwich battle may get cut. Josh Johnson is seeing a ton of reps in practice and while it may be nothing more than a chance to evaluate the young QB, it could open some eyes.

- In terms of the offensive line, check out this nugget from TBO.com's running update of practice.

11:50: And down goes McCown. The O-line continues to struggle.

Not what we wanted to hear. But this is still with Faine out and Mahan in. Hopefully Faine is the missing link

- No pads in the afternoon practice. Morris and crew rewarded the team with a light afternoon after a brisk morning practice.

- Alot of energy at practice, with the RB's doing a chant aimed at the LB's and Jameel Cook and Elbert Mack having a dance-off. No word on who won.

- Caddy was fielding punts again. They seem determined to get him involved.

- Stovall dropped a TD pass, but made up for it later with a great catch. Bad celebration though. Went to dunk on the goal post and got rejected by the post. Embarrassing.

- The Bucs are still mentioning that Hankton is in the mix for the slot WR position. I will refuse comment on this. If you want to know what I think about that, check either the game thread or my grading out the offense column.

- Injuries: Antonio Bryant is still out, Matt Bryant sat out, Will Allen, Matt McCoy, Dexter Jackson, Stylez and Winslow all sat out one or both practices. If Matt Bryant wants to make the team, he better start kicking. At this rate, Morris has to go with the available guy it seems.

Not how I wanted to wind down training camp. No Bryant (either of them), Clayton not getting a lot of reps, Caddy sitting out two games, a disaster at QB and a suspension. Maybe our adversity this year comes early?

Cannon Shots: A look at Monday's training camp session

Buc Wild — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:53:15 -0000

The players were back at it on Monday. After a pretty light workload this weekend (Friday afternoon off, Saturday afternoon off and a day of rest on Sunday), it was time to get back into gear and get ready for the week build up to the first preseason game. Let's take a quick run through Monday's practice.

- The depth chart was released on Monday, and is available on Buc 'Em, right here.

- Let's get the injuries out of the way. Antonio Bryant will miss the entire preseason with some work to be done on his knee. I've heard reports of meniscus pain, draining fluid, or a torn meniscus. I'll admit I'm no doctor, but it looks like he should be available week 1 at this rate, per Raheem Morris (as interviewed by Steve Duemig).

Other injuries are Michael Clayton, Jeff Faine and Derrick Ward. Matt Bryant was back in action and looked to be healed from his leg injury. Jeremy Trueblood and Sean Mahan were also absent from practice.

- The defense looked to be the sharper of the two units, as during quick change drills, both McCown and Leftwich were picked off. Both Freeman and Johnson got some more reps, but Freeman was put forth a reportedly "Disappointing effort". Leftwich did make some good throws and still is very much in the QB race.

- Elbert Mack continues his hot play, with another interception in camp. Adam Hayward contributed a pick and Ronde Barber broke up a pass on a scenario where the offense had to score from the 20 to win.

Just the one practice session today, but the big news is Bryant being out for a few weeks. Lets hope he gets that cleaned up and can be on the field in Dallas. May be a good thing to get him some rest and allow the young guys a few more reps in training camp.