The Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened up the preseason on Saturday night, beating the Tennessee Titans 27-7, and looked good in the process.
I had a couple of questions before the game.
How would the new offense flow under new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard? Would the defensive scheme improve from last season? How would the rookies on both sides of the ball perform? How would the offensive line play with the injuries that have come up during training camp?
After watching the Bucs dismantle the Titans 29-7, I can say that the Buccaneers passed the eye test in their first outing of the season.
The flow of the offense was very good with Josh Grizzard calling the plays. There was a good mix of run and pass, and the Bucs look like they will be in the top five once again running the ball.
Sean Tucker and Owen Wright had excellent games running the ball, as they combined to average over 4.0 yards per carry. Wright ran 87 yards for a touchdown, while Tucker ran 60 yards on 13 carries in the win. Tucker looks like he will be the number three back this year behind Bucky Irving and Raachad White. The way Tucker makes cuts, his overall vision to see the play develop in front of him, and his overall speed, this may be Tucker’s year to make a significant impact. Free agent Owen Wright may have some value to add to the running back room.
The Buccaneers were able to run the ball with authority when needed, which they have not always been able to do. “I was especially pleased in the second half when they know you’re going to run it and you can still run it,” said Todd Bowles. “That says a lot about those guys grinding in there. “
Kyle Trask was sharp in his first outing at quarterback, going 12/16 for 129 yards. He did not throw a touchdown but made good reads, completed passes into tight spots, and had good command of the offense all night.
Todd Bowles talked about Kyle Trask’s play: “I thought he played very well. He made some timely throws down the field. He was poised in the pocket. Practice wasn’t as sharp the past week, but he played well in the game.”
Outside of the penalties and the errant snap, the O-line looked to be in synch and was able to open holes for the running backs.
Ryan Miller was the go-to receiver for Trask, catching six passes for 66 yards, officially putting his name in the running for the number six receiver spot on the roster.
Rookie Emeka Egbuka excited the fans with a nice catch in the first quarter. That would be his only catch of the night, as he was sidelined before he even had a chance to break a sweat.
Jalen McMillian had one catch that went for 25 yards.
Defensively, despite missing all of the starters, the Bucs defense was able to get in the passing lanes and disrupt the Titans’ pass game. Third-round rookie CB Jacob Parrish, safety J.J. Roberts, and rookie LB John Bullock each had two passes defensed as the defense interrupted 10 of Tennessee’s 33 passes.
Jackson also recorded a sack, had two tackles for a loss, and a quarterback hit. Linebacker Warren Peeples also contributed a sack.
Roman Parodie, Tyrek Fuderbuk, and Nick Jackson all had interceptions for the Bucs, with Parodie’s pick going 39 yards for a touchdown.
Rookie safety Shilo Sanders had one tackle and was pleased overall with his NFL debut. “First game as a Buccaneer felt good. Just getting my feet wet,” he said.
Running back Raachad White left the game with a groin injury after carrying the ball six times for 28 yards. Wide receiver Dennis Houston also left the game with a groin injury and did not return.
In his professional debut, Tennessee rookie quarterback and former Hurricane Cam Ward completed five passes for 67 yards.
The Bucs also announced that second-round pick Benjamin Morrison will be out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.
The Bucs travel to Pittsburgh next Saturday to play the Steelers in a 7 PM start.