Bucs defense had its moments, and its failures. Dashon Goldston needed to come down with that football and he knows it. The team needs to get off the field on 3rd downs, and it knows it, and improved in the second half.
If this were last year, the disappointment would have come with a 400 yard effort by the other team. Instead, 334 yards was respectable for the Panthers, and most of those were in the first half as Panthers had 109 second half yards. Adjustments for made for the half, something that rarely if ever happened last season.
The Bucs held Carolina to 230 yards of passing, one of the top performances in the league this first week. Leading rusher for the Panthers was DeAngelo Williams who had 72 yards on 14 carries.
The worst part is the Bucs defense had zero turnovers by their defense, even though it had the best opportunity to get one, a chance that would have won them the game, which would have been one of the most incredible comebacks in Bucs history.
With the improvements made in the second half, the outlook is still good for a defense learning a new system. Some players need to really step their game up, because only Gerald McCoy made enough of a splash to get noticed.
GRADES
- F Clinton McDonald had as many tackles as WR Mike Evans! One.
- F Adriane Clayborn had as many tackles as Logan Mankins; One !
- D Casillas? 2 tackles. Lansanah sightings in practice this week?
- C+ Michael Johnson had 6 total tackles, 3 of them solo.
- B- Verner and Barron had 5 solo tackles each.
- B+ Gerald McCoy had the lone sack, and was out tackled only by Foster and Goldson.
- B+ Lavonte David had 10 tackles, 9 of them solo.
The defense knows it has to build on this event, and under Lovie Smith, Im sure it will.
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