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It’s week three in the NFL Preseason, time for the starters to play a bit 
longer, and time for coaches and fans alike to hold their breath hoping Bucs players can avoid any serious injuries. Every season someone gets hurt in a preseason game and its always a shame, and usually unavoidable.
Coaches have been trying for years to find the right combination of time in vs safety. Starters will be donning their ball caps and street clothes in week 4, which is only in 5 days.
In between then, some Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be Bucs no more. They will be released, some resigned to the practice squad, make it to other teams just as the Bucs will surely pick up an offensive lineman or two from NFL clubs who are Guard rich. While the Bucs need guards, Tampa Bay has depth in other areas that teams will be looking to pick off us.
Defensive Backs for starters, several will put their careers on the line today, but its time to look at the starters and see if they are ready. We know Gerald McCoy is, he was ready for Sept. 7th two weeks ago! What about Michael Johnson? Da’Quan Bowers?
The offense, you can forget what you see pretty much, except the way its handled. Look for offsides or holding calls, which will not be a good sign at this stage in the game. Don’t worry about results, the Bucs will not tip their hands to the Carolina Panthers by showing any of their offense. So far probably only 10% of the playbook has been revealed, and its unlikely much more will follow.
Just look for effectiveness, what are the Bucs getting out of these plays? Positive yards? Thats a plus. As long as we don’t pay for any good plays with an injury!
AGAINST THE OPPOSITION
Below are highlights of how selected Buccaneers have performed during their careers against the Buffalo Bills.
CB Johnthan Banks: Tallied his third interception of the season in a victory over the Bills (12/8/13)…
S Mark Barron: Registered his first full sack of the season, dropping Bills QB E.J. Manuel in a
Buccaneers win (12/8/13)…
LB Lavonte David: Helped lead a Buccaneers defense that recorded five takeaways and seven sacks against Buffalo (12/8/13), finishing the game with nine tackles, one sack, two interceptions and two passes defensed…
LB Dane Fletcher: Recorded his first career interception at Buffalo (12/26/19), while playing with the New England Patriots… Also added a fumble recovery and a pass defensed, as well as one special teams tackle… In the final game of the 2011 season, started for New England against Buffalo (1/1/12), tying a season high with six solo tackles…
LB Mason Foster: Tied for a game-leading nine tackles, while adding an interception and a pass defensed in a Tampa Bay victory (12/8/13)…
DE William Gholston: Recorded a career-high 1.5 sacks in Buccaneers victory (12/8/13)… QB Mike Glennon: Threw two touchdown passes in a Tampa Bay win (12/8/13)…
S Dashon Goldson: Has recorded a fumble recovery in each of the two games he has played against Buffalo, both wins (10/7/12 with San Francisco; 12/8/13 with Tampa Bay)…
WR Vincent Jackson: Led all receivers with 70 yards on three catches, including a 38-yard touchdown reception in a Buccaneers win over the Bills (12/8/13)…
DT Gerald McCoy: Tied a season high with six tackles, and added a sack of Bills QB E.J. Manuel in a Tampa Bay victory (12/8/13)…
RB Bobby Rainey: Posted his second career 100-yard rushing game, finishing the contest against Buffalo (12/8/13) with 127 rushing yards and one touchdown… On the second play from scrimmage, Rainey ran for an 80-yard touchdown, the longest rushing play in team history and, at only 18 seconds into the game, the fastest score in Buccaneers history…
TE Tim Wright: Caught two passes, including a touchdown, in a Tampa Bay victory (12/8/13)…
ALL-TIME SERIES
This marks the fourth preseason meeting between the two teams, with Buffalo winning the first two contests, 17-6 in 1977, and 14-7 in 1988 (played in Nashville, Tenn.). In 1993, the Buccaneers posted their first preseason victory over the Bills, topping Buffalo, 32-12, in a contest played in Orlando, Fla.
The Buccaneers lead the all-time regular-season
series, 7-3, winning the most recent contest, 27-6,
at Raymond James Stadium last season. Five of the
first six contests between the two teams were
decided by seven points or less, while the last four
meetings have all been decided by double-digit
margins, with Tampa also winning in 2000, 31-17,
and in 2005, 19-3. The Buccaneers made their first
trip to Buffalo in 2009, losing 33-20. In 1991, Buffalo
broke a four-game losing streak with a 17-10 win in
Tampa. The two teams first met in 1976, with
Buffalo claiming a 14-9 victory. The Bucs won each of the next four meetings, starting with a 31-10 win in 1978. Tampa Bay also posted wins in 1982 (24-23), 1986 (34-28) and 1988 (10-5). Tampa Bay’s .700 winning percentage against the Bills is tied for their best against any opponent.
LAST MEETING (REGULAR SEASON)
Tampa Bay 27, Buffalo 6
Sunday, December 8, 2013
TAMPA – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won for the fourth time in the past five games with a 27-6 Week 14 victory over the Buffalo Bills, aided by a team defensive performance that included seven sacks and five takeaways. Buffalo won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, giving Tampa Bay the game’s opening drive. The Buccaneers made quick work of it, as running back Bobby Rainey broke free of defenders and rushed 80 yards – the longest run in franchise history – to the end zone for the 7-0 lead a mere 18 seconds into game play. The Bills were forced to punt on their first drive, and though a roughing the kicker penalty on the punt extended the drive, the Buccaneers defense held strong and forced a second three-and-out. Following a punt by Tampa Bay, Buffalo put its first points on the board with a 40- yard field goal by kicker Dan Carpenter. Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson was the star of Tampa Bay’s next drive, making a leaping 22-yard reception on third down to move into Buffalo territory and then, three plays later, hauling in a 38-yard touchdown pass under heavy interference after quarterback Mike Glennon scrambled to evade pressure on third-and-14. Up 14-3, Tampa Bay forced another Buffalo punt after quarterback E.J. Manuel was sacked twice in a single series, which was followed by a Buccaneers punt. Manuel was then picked off by linebacker Lavonte David, but the ball returned to the Bills after cornerback Jairus Byrd intercepted Glennon. However, Manuel threw a second interception, this time nabbed by cornerback Johnthan Banks. Tampa Bay made the score 17-3 with a 53- yard field goal by kicker Rian Lindell four plays later. The teams then traded punts, but Bills returner Leodis McKelvin muffed the punt and the ball was recovered by the Buccaneers at the Buffalo 21. Buffalo cornerback Stephon Gilmore prevented a Tampa Bay score with an interception of Glennon on the ensuing drive, but the Bills offense was unable to move the ball and once again punted. With five minutes left in the first half, the Buccaneers took possession of the ball at their own 43. This time, Tampa Bay was able to capitalize on a costly roughing the passer penalty on third-and-15, extending its drive which ended with a five-yard pass from Glennon to tight end Tim Wright, making the score 24-3 at halftime. The Bills scored with a 52-yard field goal on the first drive of the second half, bringing the score to 24-6. After a Buccaneers punt, Manuel and the Bills drove to the Tampa Bay 31, but linebacker Mason Foster became the third Buccaneer of the day to record a Manuel interception. Following another punt by Tampa Bay, the defense recorded its fifth takeaway, as cornerback Darrelle Revis hit wide receiver Robert Woods to allow David to scoop up the pass for the interception. Four plays later, the Buccaneers added a 32-yard field goal by Lindelll for the 27-6 score upon which the game would end.
REGULAR SEASON SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
Tampa Bay rolled to a 31-10 rout (11/19/78) behind the rushing of RBs Johnny Davis (73 yards, 1 TD) and Ricky Bell (54 yards, 1 TD)… QB Mike Rae added two touchdown passes and Cedric Brown added two interceptions… Lee Roy Selmon forced a fumble with 36 seconds remaining to preserve a 24-23 Bucs win (12/19/82)… Tampa Bay rookie RB Melvin Carver rushed for a career-high 89 yards and scored on both a rushing and receiving touchdown… The Bucs turned two fumbled kickoff returns into touchdowns and held on for a 34-28 victory (11/2/86)… RB James Wilder ran for 97 yards on 20 carries, including a 45-yard TD run… Tampa Bay held an opponent without a touchdown for the first time since 1986 as it downed Buffalo 10-5 (12/4/88)… Bills QB Jim Kelly finds TE Keith McKeller for game-winning TD with less than six minutes remaining for 17-10 Bills win (9/22/91)… Bucs RB Reggie Cobb rushes for a game-high 70 yards in the losing effort… In their 31-17 win over Buffalo (11/26/00), Tampa Bay’s defense collects six sacks, including two by DT Warren Sapp… Sapp’s two sacks gave him 13.5 for the year, breaking Lee Roy Selmon’s franchise record for sacks in a single season… RB Warrick Dunn posted touchdown runs of six and 39 yards in the contest…. Rookie RB Carnell “Cadillac” Williams rushed for 128 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries, LB Shelton Quarles forced Bills QB J.P. Losman out of the back of the end zone for a safety, and FB Mike Alstott added a one yard touchdown run as the Bucs won 19-3 (9/18/05)… TE Kellen Winslow caught seven passes for 90 yards and one touchdown in a losing effort (9/20/09)… The Buccaneers scored on just the second play from scrimmage, with RB Bobby Rainey running 80 yards for a score, the longest run in team history and the fastest score in team history, helping jump-start the team en route to a 27-6 victory (12/8/13)… In a strong defensive performance, the Buccaneers recorded five takeaways (four interceptions, one fumble recovery), including two picks by LB Lavonte David… Tampa Bay kept the pressure high on Bills rookie QB E.J. Manuel, sacking him seven times, with seven different players each recording at least a half-sack, led by DE William Gholston’s 1.5…
BUFFALO BILLS HEAD COACH DOUG MARRONE
Marrone was named Buffalo’s 16th head coach on January 7, 2013. He enters his ninth season in the NFL coaching ranks and second as a head coach.
In Marrone’s first season with the Bills, the team finished second in the NFL in rushing yards and led the lead in red zone efficiency. On the defensive side do the ball, the team finished second in the NFL in both interceptions (23) and sacks (57) – setting a new team record for sacks.
Marrone spent the previous four years as the head coach of his alma mater’s football program at Syracuse University, from 2009-12, leading the team to consecutive 8-5 campaigns in his final two seasons.
Prior to his Syracuse tenure, Marrone spent seven years in the NFL. From 2006-08, he served as the offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints. From 2002-05, he was the offensive line coach of the New York Jets.
Before arriving in New York, Marrone coached the tight ends and tackles at the University of Tennessee in 2001. He spent the 2000 season at the University of Georgia as the program’s offensive line coach after spending the previous five years at Georgia Tech. In 1995 at Georgia Tech, Marrone was the director of football operations before coaching the tight ends in 1996 and offensive line from 1997-99.
Marrone’s coaching career began in 1992 at Cortland (N.Y.) State University as the schools’s tight end coach before stints as the offensive line coach at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (1993) and Northeastern University (1994).
Marrone’s was drafted in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Raiders. He played two years in the NFL, first with the Miami Dolphins in 1987 and then with the New Orleans Saints in 1989. He also had playing stints with Pittsburgh, Dallas and Minnesota before closing his playing career with the NFLE London Monarchs (1991-92).
Marrone was a three-year letterman at Syracuse University as an offensive lineman. He earned a degree in liberal arts in 1991. Marrone and his wife, Helen, have two daughters, Madeline and Anne, and a son, Mack.
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