Gameday Tampa Bay
August 18th, 2018
Preseason Game 2
Bucs at Titans
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
TV: WFLA-TV, Channel 8. (Game will rebroadcast on NFL Network Sunday at 4 a.m.) All NFL preseason games are available via NFL Game Pass.)
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (WXTB-FM 97.9 in the Tampa-St.Petersburg region; 97.9 FM ESPN Radio in Tallahassee).
Weather: Better be ready to get wet. While tailgating in Smashville should be fine under partly cloudy skies and mid-80s temperatures, per AccuWeather.com, that is expected to change. Thunderstorms are expected roughly to begin in the second quarter which may last into the second half. Once the storms are passed it should be fine with the temperature hovering around 80 the rest of the game.
Odds: Per FootballLocks.com, Tennessee -3.
Outlook: Once again, the game doesn’t mean a damn thing. How guys perform means a great deal. Joe already covered Eight Things to Watch tonight. Some other things Joe wants to see in addition to expanding on previously covered items:
* Who is going to be the fifth (sixth?) receiver? The first four are locks to return. The Bucs are very, very deep at receiver and if a couple of receivers shine tonight, who knows, maybe it will set up the Bucs to make a trade? It’s not like the Bucs don’t need players at other positions (coughcornerbackcoughrighttacklecough).
* Right tackle: While Bucs coach Dirk Koetter is insistent Demar Dotson should be ready to go by the regular season, color Joe skeptical. It’s not that Joe believes Koetter is conning people, but let’s just say Joe has heard too many times the team is “hopeful” a player is expected back (insert date) and either that player has surgery or said player is cut. So Joe is very much in the boy-who-cried-wolf mode with Bucs projecting when hurt players return. Therefore, Joe really wants someone to stick out at right tackle not named “Demar Dotson.”
* Have the Bucs already determined who their four running backs are? There had been initial hype over a couple of undrafted rookie free agents. Even Koetter seemed to be a bit excited over Shaun Wilson. Joe is of the mind a running back will really have to blow up in the next two weeks to unseat Jacquizz Rodgers and/or Charles Sims. (Yeah, Joe typed that.)
* Punt coverage team: Former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi said a tip to find out who a team is leaning towards keeping for the final-53 man roster is to monitor the punt coverage team. Lombardi said on a recent edition of “The Ringer” podcast that most teams rarely monkey with the punt coverage team in preseason. Therefore, the players on the punt coverage team in preseason games are likely to return when the final-53 is set. If there is a undrafted rookie free agent on the punt team, he is a favorite to return.
* Hello, M.J. Stewart. Joe would love to see this guy ball out. Sadly, the Bucs have put their rookie corners in a pinch. One of the two rookies (Carlton Davis or Stewart) will have to be NFL ready immediately since the Bucs will face Drew Brees, Carson Wentz and Ben Roethlisberger in succession to open the season. God forbid if Ryan Smith is starting Week 1 (don’t @ Joe about this — Smith has shown no reason to be an NFL starter at corner. AAF? Maybe). Welcome to the NFL guys.
* Can this celebrated, rebuilt Bucs defensive line stop the run? After the Miami game last week, Bucs stud Gerald McCoy specifically said the run defense on the line was bad and the team needed to work on it. Joe will be interested to see that.
* More Will Gholston. The Bucs’ defensive end, who had just as many sacks last year as a starter as both you and Joe did (zero), has been having a subpar camp. Joe can only remember Gholston flashing once. However, in the first preseason game, Gholston did OK. He had three tackles and a quarterback hit. Joe would sure love to see Gholston have a strong game.
August 18th, 2018 at 2:13 pm
Is Wentz going to be back by week 2? Heard Nick Foles is dealing with a bruised shoulder now as well. Either way our corners are gonna have to be ready to press cuz those guys throw quick passes left and right.
Would like to see our run defense step up tonight as wel.
August 18th, 2018 at 2:32 pm
Can’t wait to watch the rerun at 4 am.
August 18th, 2018 at 3:34 pm
Great comments Joe (I now agree with you about Ryan Smith BTW … he’ll probably make the roster, but he’s not NFL-ready). Also agree with you that “Joe is of the mind a running back will really have to blow up in the next two weeks to unseat Jacquizz Rodgers and/or Charles Sims” (personally do think Bucs will likely keep a 5th RB as a return specialist, but ONLY while Jameis is on suspension).
On looking at the potential 53-man roster (once Jameis is off suspension), I think we’ll keep 26 offense, 24 defense plus 3 S/Ts:
o Offense: 3 QB, 4 RB, 6 WR, 4 TE, 9 OLine
o Defense: 4 DT, 5 DE, 5 LB, 6 CB, 4 Safeties
o S/Ts: 1 K, 1 P, 1 LS (also 1 return man while Jameis on suspension).
August 18th, 2018 at 3:37 pm
I predict Ronald Jones will have a stellar game tonight and have a couple of big plays.
August 18th, 2018 at 3:47 pm
Smith is a good special teams guy. He is just a terrible corner.
August 18th, 2018 at 3:55 pm
I’ve been making $$$$$ Betting on NFL Preseason Games for over 26 Yrs. now folks! Have many contacts in Las Vegas, Including my good friend Dave Tully of VSIN. Taking The Titian’s +3 is a “Real Cheep Number “ for a team that should win at home by at least 14 Points. Final Score Titian’s 24- Tampa Bay 13. Good Luck YUCKS Fans Tonight, you need it. David Corcoran, Winter Park, Florida.
August 18th, 2018 at 4:00 pm
Hopeful that no Bucs suffer any injuries. Hopeful that MM gets sacked.
August 18th, 2018 at 4:24 pm
I think if game one answered anty questions it was our offensive line, especially the right side. Season played very good football and looked more then capable.
The other big factor for that unit was how how big of a role O.J. can be. Based on his game he has taken a huge step forward in the blocking aspect.
August 18th, 2018 at 4:54 pm
Joe!!!!! This one is my favorite one to date. What position does she play? I like her YAC also. She is a Honey Baby!!!MAN
August 18th, 2018 at 4:58 pm
Like to make a correction, earlier I wrote Titans + 3 over Tampa Bay, It’s Titans – 3 vs the Bucs. Still my pick is Tenn. 24 – 13 over the Buccaneers. Thanks, David Corcoran, Winter Park, Florida.
August 18th, 2018 at 5:03 pm
For these reasons and many more, the Bucs are now 200-1 odds — worst in the NFL — to reach the Super Bowl. I can’t remember being as listless as I am today during any preseason in recent memory.
August 18th, 2018 at 5:32 pm
Great job setting the table Joe.
August 18th, 2018 at 5:58 pm
I still can’t understand why we never added a true veteran #2 CB to play alongside Brent Grimes.
Forcing draft picks onto the field, like VHIII and Ryan Smith is killing our defense!!
We need a true #2 to go with Brent Grimes!
Let VHIII, Ryan Smith, MJ Stewart, and Carlton Davis learn from the sideline!
August 18th, 2018 at 6:06 pm
Thanks David.
Buc1987, Port Richey, Fla
August 18th, 2018 at 6:06 pm
777
I expect Licht to make a deal for a CB and a OT via trade as Joe eluded to earlier.
We need to use our surplus of WR talent to our advantage.
August 18th, 2018 at 6:10 pm
Thank you.
August 18th, 2018 at 6:14 pm
Park, Florida.
Buccfan37 Says:
August 18th, 2018 at 4:00 pm
Hopeful that no Bucs suffer any injuries. Hopeful that MM gets sacked.
THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
August 18th, 2018 at 6:16 pm
Well David my prediction is 27-23 Bucs.
GO BUCS!!!!
August 18th, 2018 at 6:27 pm
Teacher man it seems obvisous that the plan was to build the secondary through the draft. Just go back and look the the past few drafts and you’ll see like 6-8 DBs taken.
They used cash to address other areas. You can’t use money to fill every hole.
August 18th, 2018 at 6:31 pm
And I don’t think we have to worry about the CB opposite Grimes if Carlton Davis looks as good as he did last week.
He looks likes he’s ready to go to me.
August 18th, 2018 at 6:34 pm
My father was a bookie. I did not follow in his footsteps. LOL
I’m not a professional gambler and do not wager. But if I did it would NEVER be on a preseason contest. Too much going there with the score not being as important as it is in the regular season. Teams are more concerned with learning who is going to make their squad and getting Vets in playing shape.
If I wagered on NFL preseason games I’d never make it through the second half with all the scubbinies in the game and coaches more concerned with seeing what their players can do than in the final score.
August 18th, 2018 at 6:54 pm
Looking to see what our “Young Bucs” secondary can do.
August 18th, 2018 at 6:55 pm
Damn, no Carlton Davis tonight.
August 18th, 2018 at 7:11 pm
Anyone know how to watch game live?
August 18th, 2018 at 7:16 pm
JimmyJack Says:
August 18th, 2018 at 6:27 pm
” You can’t use money to fill every hole.”
Warren Sapp might disagree with that statement!
August 18th, 2018 at 7:18 pm
JJ
You can’t use money to fill every hole.
Warren Sapp disagrees with that statement.
August 18th, 2018 at 7:38 pm
777
Ryan Smith had the best game of the entire secondary last week. Check the numbers.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:50 am
So I had the Titans -3 over the Bucs , Bet the game for a little coin on my Off Shore Account (5Dimes), and lost 👎. Bucs win the game, 30-14. Can’t win them all. However I earlier played the Raiders-Rams game to go the Under 38 ( Win), and The G Men + 3 at Det. on Fri. (Giants won the game), so ended up on the plus side for Week 2 of the 2018 NFL Preseason. Got to get better next week to get at 3-0 ATS folks. But it could be worse. Thanks for the Love, David Corcoran, Winter Park, Florida.