Game Day Addendum: What to watch for in Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1st Preseason game

Last year I told you not to worry about Pre-Season, that its irrelevant and most of the time what you see in Preseason is usually the opposite of regular season.

I couldn’t have been more  wrong.

At a risk of being sued by Fran Tarkenton for quoting him directly, Josh Freeman was GOD  AWEFUL in PreSeason and he carried that over into the regular season too; at least the three games he had left in the NFL.

But it’s hard not to get excited…football is back, and we get to see our Buccaneers in their new uniforms for the very first time. Sure we’ve seen them in camp, but thats the camp outfit. The Real Uni’s are coming out. Do you remember how you felt when that helmet was released? Now look how good it is on those helmets! Try to look at pics of the old Bucs and that flag looks tiny now!

It’s not only the uniforms that are totally different, there will be at least 50% new starters this year. Not since the 2002 Bucs was there such a major change, when Jon Gruden replaced 5 of 11 starters on offense, 6 of 11 if the Bucs went to a two tight end or 3 WR formation. Lovie Smith will have 8 of 11 new starters, mostly because Jamon Meredith is listed as Tackle, not Guard.

So lets clarify; This year it will be very hard to take away anything from the games because the Bucs will be incorporating a brand new offense all the while trying not to  give away anything.

• We’ve heard Gerald McCoy and Michael Johnson may not play at all, so don’t expect to see the starters for more than 2 series before the back ups are all in.
• Week 3 Lovie Smith says the Starters WILL be playing into the 3rd Quarter. So other than the top rookies like Mike Evans, Charles Simms, Sefarian Jenkins and such, expect to see everyone else.
• If you haven’t noticed, those aren’t FGs the kickers are trying to make in the games after a TD! The first two weeks of the season, the Extra Points will be from the 15 yard line, not the 2. That makes it a 32 yard FG, which NFL kickers miss about 4 times in 230 tries. Kickers miss Xtra points 1 time for every 230 tries, so the NFL is trying to add some excitement to the play, which has turned into a  “Gimme” and one of the rule changes considered was just voiding the play and making a TD worth 7 points.
• Jeff Tedford will be calling plays from the Skybox, not sideline
• Charles Simms has not dropped a single pass this training camp.
• Oniel Cousins has been routinely beaten in camp; if he is listed as a starter on opening day, the Bucs are in trouble. Kadeem Edwards is going to have to step up
• Watch the defensive line to see how Bowers and Clayborn are doing, as well as the rotation of interior linemen.
• Check out the play of Guards; if you hear their names, it may not be a good thing.
• Word is K Connor Barth may not be as fully recovered as originally thought. Bucs are concerned that some of his 50+ yard FG attempts are coming in a little short. Rob Bironas has been brought in for camp fodder,  and coaches are happy with youngster Patrick Murray.
• The Game will be on CH.8 WFLA  NBC affiliate, not CBS Ch 10
• Kickoff and Punt returner jobs are wide open. Even though last years starter Eric Page is back, he is slow compared to what’s been brought in. But remember, Speed is one trait. Hands is another! Doesn’t do you any good to have all that speed if your going to give the ball to the other team with a fumble.
•   Remember the new numbers! Dietrich-Smith wears 62. Mike Jenkins is 24. Verner is 21 while Michael Johnson wears 90. Charles Simms is 34, Earnest Grahams old number. Sefarian-Jenkins has 87 while Brandon Myers is 82, K2’s old #. Mike Evans is 13, Herron is 14, Louis Murphy is 11.

The first depth chart is out, as we’ve learned from history, this is worth more as cat litter liner paper than anything else. Week 3’s D.C. will be worth a little more.

OFFENSE

• QB Josh McCown
• WR Vincent Jackson
• WR Chris Owusu
• RB Doug Martin
• FB Jorvorskie Lane
• TE Brandon Myers
• 2nd TE Timothy Wright
• LT Anthony Collins
• LG Oniel Cousins
• C Evan Dietrich-Smith
• RG Jamon Meredith
• RT Demar Dotson

DEFENSE

• LE Adrian Clayborn
• DT Gerald McCoy
• DT Clinton McDonald
• RE Michael Johnson
• SLB Jonathan Casillas
• MLB Mason Foster
• WLB Lavonte David
• CB Alterraun Verner
• CB Mike Jenkins
• NB Leonard Johnson
• SS Mark Barron
• FS Dashon Goldson

SO…does it matter if the Bucs win or lose?

No,Just watch the game, because the coaches are not game planning anything, no defensive mismatches, Zero, NADA. Just enjoy that football is back, I personally like to see if the Bucs can win because its more enjoyable, but other than watching individual battles, you won’t get anything out of football preseason games until Week                                     3 when coaches DO construct a basic game plan for the players.

Week 3 will be a road game on TV, a national telecast on Fox against Buffalo.

Note: renovations to Raymond James Stadium should be completed for this year. Next week we’ll get to see if the new stadium food has been updated.