Buccaneers have plenty to prove
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of the “it” teams this year. Tampa Bay, which has not made the playoffs in a decade, was a trendy pick to reach the postseason this January.
Through two games, the results are uneven. The Buccaneers trounced an overmatched Chicago Bears team, 29-7, before a non-sellout crowd at Raymond James Stadium. Last Sunday, Tampa Bay took its show on the road to Minnesota, but found life much tougher. The Vikings beat the Buccaneers 34-17 behind Case Keenum, who threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Jameis Winston tossed three interceptions.
This week, the Buccaneers return home to take on the winless New York Giants, but the chore ahead isn’t as easy as it sounds. Tampa Bay is going to be playing without a trio of defensive stars including linebackers Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander, and strong safety T.J. Ward. Without them, the Giants will try to get their offensive attack going. New York has struggled mightily on that side of the ball due to a bad line and no ground game, although it did explode for 24 points in the fourth quarter last weekend.
With so many players injured on Tampa Bay’s defense, Winston and his mates have to step up, something that has been an arduous task at times for them.
Many see the Buccaneers as an offense-first team, but that simply isn’t the case. The Buccaneers have been one of the league’s best defenses over the past 10 weeks (dating back to last year), allowing fewer than 20 points per game. There are stars on every level, ranging from Gerald McCoy, to Alexander and David, to Vernon Hargreaves and Brent Grimes.
The issues have stemmed mostly from an offense that is very much Jeykll and Hyde. Winston is in his third year and perhaps has the most tantalizing skill set of any young quarterback in the league. The problem is turnovers, something we’ve seen far too often from the strong-armed, and strong-willed, former national champion.
Winston has thrown 53 touchdowns in his NFL career, but that goes alongside 36 interceptions and 11 fumbles. The Buccaneers are never going to win big with that type of ratio, and certainly won’t beat the Giants with it, even if New York has scuffled to this point.
If Tampa Bay is going to compete in the tough NFC South, it has to take care of business at home against the Giants, who haven’t been able to get out of their own way. A loss in this game would be crushing, especially with the New England Patriots coming to town next Thursday night.
