Gameday, Tampa Bay!

August 30th, 2018

Preseason Game 4

Jags at Bucs

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.

TV: WFLA-TV, Channel 8. Live stream at Buccaneers.com. Game will be rebroadcast on NFL Network at 4 a.m. Friday morning. 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: The folks at Weather.com are calling for a 30 percent chance of rain at kickoff with 80-degree temperatures following earlier evening rains. Soon after, the rain chance is forecast to drop to 15 percent. Fingers crossed!

Odds: Per FootballLocks.com, Bucs -1.5.

Outlook: It’s a Florida job fair for the AAF — much more than it is a real football game.

(First, for those who complain they were ripped off, charged full price to watch a bunch of backups and soon-to-be limo drivers, grad students and mattress movers play professional football, please remember that nobody forced you to buy your tickets. You knew exactly what was coming and paid for it regardless.)

On the field, Joe will watch for the following as all the Bucs starters sit out, as will backups nursing injuries:

**Talented Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler, Jr. (8 sacks last year, plus two in the AFC Championship game) will play. He missed time earlier in the preseason and is suspended for opening day, so Jags head coach Doug Marrone wants to get him work. Who on the Bucs will block that guy? Fowler often comes off the left edge and the Bucs might go way down the depth chart there tonight because of all their injuries.

**Rookie Shaun Wilson or newcomer Dare Ogunbowale? Which running back will make the team and be the Bucs’ No. 4 RB. Wilson is getting more chatter but he’s not the special teams player Ogunbowale is. Regardless, Joe would bet a few nickels the eventual No. 4 running back is still on another team’s roster.

**Adam Humphries and Russell Shepard are examples of good players who appeared to lock down roster spots with great performances in a Bucs preseason finale. Joe’s wondering whether this year’s late-rising players might come on defense. If DT Jerel Worthy, the former Packers second-round pick, and DE Will Clarke play well tonight, they both might stick. All those injuries on the Bucs defensive line won’t be ignored. Defensive line depth killed this team last year.

**Noah Spence likely plays a lot tonight. Will he look like a man among boys, a starter among scrubs?

**Kicker Chandler Catanzaro could use a perfect night to soothe nervous Bucs fans, who have every right to be nervous.

**Rookie safety Jordan Whitehead has quickly become one of Joe’s favorite players to watch. He’s been banged up a bit through preseason, but he could get extended time tonight and that means a few crushing hits are coming.

**No, you’re not in a bad dream; that really is Donteea Dye back on the field for the Bucs. The former Tampa Bay wide receiver, aka the misplaced Calgary Stampeder, was re-signed to be a live body for this game. Dye started six games as a rookie in 2015, catching just 11 balls on 30 targets. Man, how the Bucs have improved their receiving corps.

8 Responses to “Gameday, Tampa Bay!”

  1. Defense Rules Says:

    @Joe … “Joe would bet a few nickels the eventual No. 4 running back is still on another team’s roster.” I am soooo glad to see you put that on paper Joe. Bucs desperately need a veteran ‘big back’ to complement Peyton Barber. RoJo’s not ready for prime-time, and Jacquizz is adequate but won’t set the field on fire. Wouldn’t mind keeping Wilson as the 5th RB while Jameis is suspended (to return kicks), but I still don’t see him as an answer at RB.

  2. Scotty in Fat Antonio Says:

    Joes, check NFL Network Friday morning (31 Aug 18) around 4 AM your time. I believe I have my DVR set for 3 AM Central Time.

  3. Evolvingbucsfan Says:

    Will be definitely looking at RB and how our depth @ Secondary and D-line does, also Noah Spence and how he preforms. Did he even plat last game? couldn’t tell lol. Just hope the injuries if any are minimal.

  4. 813bucboi Says:

    spence is who i’ll be watching….he should play the entire game…..he should get a couple sacks tonight…..

    #NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!

  5. Blind Melon Says:

    When / Where do they announce (or do they have to) the players who are dressing for tonight’s game?

  6. Joe Says:

    Blind:

    Rules/protocol for preseason bit different. Bucs will announce who did not dress for a preseason game roughly 90 minutes before kickoff.

  7. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Storms are moving from Sarasota to Bradenton right now, and growing in size. So it is possible they will develop more and hit Tampa.

  8. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Channel 8 just said Cappa might get time at Center????

    I would rather him play tackle. Seems like Center would be overloading his plate, seeing as he is learning Right Guard and acclimating to Right Tackle.