2-Point Conversion: Growing Pains, Penalties Plague Bucs Offense

It’s time for Scott Reynolds’ post-game 2-Level Conversion column, which options two large statements, two probing questions and two daring predictions. The Bucs rested virtually all of their starters towards the Steelers, and it was a sloppy begin for Tampa Bay’s backups in a 27-17 loss to Pittsburgh. Penalties, rising pains, and missed tackles have been the unlucky theme within the Bucs’ 2023 preseason opener, however there have been a couple of vibrant spots as properly.

2 BIG STATEMENTS

STATEMENT 1: Rising Pains, Penalties Plague Bucs Offense

Let’s begin with the plain. The Bucs performed their backups and rested virtually all of their starters within the preseason opener – a 27-17 loss to the visiting Steelers. In the meantime, Pittsburgh performed their starters within the first quarter, leaping out to an early 7-0 lead.

Bucs TE Ko Kieft – Photograph By: Cliff Welch/PR

In all, 27 Bucs rookies noticed their first NFL motion. On offense, Tampa Bay solely began 4 gamers that may seemingly be within the beginning lineup – proper sort out Luke Goedeke, rookie proper guard Cody Mauch, tight finish Cade Otton and both Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask, whichever one finally ends up beginning below middle. Robert Hainsey began at middle, and he may get that gig once more if Ryan Jensen’s rehabilitated knee doesn’t come round.

What stymied the Bucs offense greater than something was the penalties. Tampa Bay completed with a disappointing 12 penalties for 127 yards – most of which have been on the offense.

The Bucs solely ran for 66 yards on 26 carries for a woeful 2.5-yard common. However three carries totaling 44 yards have been referred to as again attributable to penalties, together with a 20-yard sprint by Chase Edmonds within the first half on a holding name by Goedeke, and a 12-yard landing run by Sean Tucker within the second half that was negated by a holding name on an unnamed offensive lineman.

“We [had] some good runs, and penalties held us again,” Bowles mentioned. “You understand, you possibly can’t run the ball in case you get holding calls, and also you get first-and-20 on a regular basis, in order that has so much to do with it as properly. I believed we have been in step with it. Each time we tried to interrupt one, even with Sean Tucker’s landing being referred to as again, and one other run on the market earlier, there have been holding calls, holding it again. We simply have to chop the holding calls out.”

Add within the misplaced yardage referred to as again attributable to penalties, and the Bucs might have had 110 yards on the bottom if that they had performed mistake-free soccer on Friday night time.

A false begin on Mauch on a fourth-and-1 quarterback sneak try on the Bucs’ first drive of the night time led to a punt relatively than a primary down. The Bucs even had a pair of penalties on broad receivers.

Bucs WR David Moore – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

A horrible offensive move interference name on rookie Trey Palmer erased his personal catch for a primary down within the first quarter, and David Moore had a facemask name on the finish of a giant catch-and-run that turned a 38-yard acquire right into a 23-yard play as an alternative within the third quarter.

“Yeah, that’s a giant factor,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles mentioned. “The penalties [that] we speak about in follow. We solely had 12 drives, so [when] you get 12 – [if] you get 12 penalties, that form of negates all the pieces. We’ve acquired to be higher at that and get extra disciplined.”

Friday night time was offensive coordinator Dave Canales’ first time calling performs in an precise recreation. He’ll solely get higher with extra expertise. As anticipated, it was a fairly vanilla recreation plan, however there have been some efficient, intelligent play calls by Canales combined in.

The hope is that it holds true for the Bucs’ younger gamers too, together with these anticipated to begin, comparable to Mauch and Goedeke. They acquired loads of expertise by taking part in into the third quarter on Friday. Now they should get higher.

And naturally, get rid of the errors and penalties.

STATEMENT 2: Missed Tackles Galore For Bucs Protection

The Bucs’ protection missed a slew of tackles, particularly early on. Within the first interval alone, rookie cornerback Keenan Isaac missed three tackles, whereas cornerback Zyon McCollum, security Nolan Turner, linebacker SirVocea Dennis, and defensive sort out Pat O’Connor all missed one.

Chalk it as much as inexperience, because the Bucs didn’t have a single starter on protection play within the recreation, whereas the Steelers’ first-team offense marched down the sphere to attain the sport’s opening landing with ease.

Steelers WR George Pickens and Bucs CB Zyon McCollum – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

“Sloppy, particularly on the primary drive,” Bowles mentioned. “Verify downs mustn’t go for 10, 12, [and] 18 yards. Sloppy – guys simply leaving their toes too early. We want a whole lot of tackling work. … We are able to work on it extra and get that down.”

On Saturday morning, after watching the movie, Bowles was assured they might enhance the tackling on protection in follow – even with out reside tackling intervals.

“It’s kind of coming to steadiness, so far as the sort out itself,” Bowles mentioned. “We’re uncontrolled once we get there. We’ve acquired to return to steadiness and have our knees below us and our legs below us so we will make the sort out. We’re coming in there flying, head stuffed with steam, and we’re flailing round. We’ve acquired to return to steadiness so much higher – we will follow that.”

2 PROBING QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1: Ought to The Bucs Be Involved About Luke Goedeke?

Sure. Goedeke was in on two of the sacks that Kyle Trask took – each to Steelers rookie edge rusher Nick Herbig on an outdoor rush and an inside transfer. The primary sack was a rep that was almost not possible for Goedeke to win.

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke – Photograph By: Cliff Welch P/R

Tight finish Dominique Dafney pulled to the bottom and acquired in Goedeke’s approach. Then as an alternative of serving to Goedeke block Herbig, rookie working again Sean Tucker determined to not and truly acquired in Goedeke’s approach, too. It was a straightforward sack for Herbig.

On the second sack, Goedeke acquired beat on an inside transfer by Herbig, who additionally beat him on the within on a run stuff. To his credit score, Goedeke did make some good performs within the run recreation, particularly within the first quarter, the place his blocking was comparatively clear.

After watching his efficiency towards the Steelers, I do have some respectable considerations about whether or not or not Goedeke can grow to be a reliable starter at proper sort out with shorter than-ideal arm size. There’s additionally a legit query about whether or not or not he has sufficient athleticism to be an efficient starter out on an island as properly.

This was Goedeke’s second NFL recreation taking part in proper sort out. His first got here in Week 18 final yr in a loss at Atlanta within the season finale. So it’s nonetheless approach too early to tug the plug on the Goedeke experiment at proper sort out.

Subsequent week might be an excellent check for Goedeke, as he’ll face the likes of John Franklin-Myers, Carl Lawson, Jermaine Johnson, and rookie Will McDonald IV in joint practices with the Jets. If he doesn’t present progress within the subsequent two preseason video games, Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport might have an absolute subject day towards him within the 2023 season opener.

And if Goedeke continues to wrestle, the Bucs can’t afford to wait as long as they did last year (Week 7) to strive another person at his place.

STATEMENT 2: Which Bucs Seemed Good vs. Steelers?

About 10 Bucs gamers had a very good displaying on Friday night time, beginning with Baker Mayfield, who acquired the beginning at QB. He protected the soccer, took what the protection gave him, and acquired a landing on the board early for the Bucs.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: USA At the moment

Mayfield was an environment friendly 8-of-9 passing for 63 yards and a TD, whereas backup quarterback Kyle Trask completed 6-of-10 passing for 99 yards with one interception.

“I felt good,” Mayfield mentioned. “Clearly, I’m certain Coach [Bowles] hit on it: a whole lot of issues to wash up, offensively. We have been fairly sloppy. A couple of unlawful formations – it’s the little stuff – simply getting lined up proper. You possibly can’t have a very good play in case you’re already hurting your self. I felt good for essentially the most half, however simply operationally, we should be much more clear on the offensive entrance.

“There [were] a pair run checks that I positively might have gotten us into a greater play, particularly on the short-yardage stuff. We’ll watch the tape and we’ll get higher from it. That’s why it’s preseason. Like I mentioned, a whole lot of issues to wash up, however we be ok with the place we’re at.”

Rookie receiver Trey Palmer caught all 4 of his targets for 39 yards, together with a nifty 8-yard landing within the again nook of the top zone from Mayfield. Fellow receiver David Moore, a veteran, led the Bucs with 66 yards on three catches with a protracted of 38 yards. Tight ends David Wells and Tanner Taula every made large performs with good points of twenty-two and 20 yards, respectively.

Working again Chase Edmonds confirmed loads of pace, speeding for 18 yards on six carries, however having a 20-yard jaunt referred to as again attributable to a questionable holding penalty.

Bucs QB John Wolford – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

John Wolford is one of the best third-string quarterback I’ve seen in Tampa Bay since I started masking the crew 28 years in the past. He accomplished 11-of-17 passes for 111 yards with one landing and led the Bucs on a pleasant, 95-yard scoring drive within the fourth quarter.

On protection, outside linebacker Cam Gill had 1.5 sacks, whereas rookie edge rusher Markees Watts had a strip-sack. YaYa Diaby, a third-round exterior linebacker, additionally made his presence felt with a few pressures and by setting the sting within the working recreation.

Inside linebacker J.J. Russell helped his trigger with a pleasant interception throughout the center, and cornerback Zyon McCollum additionally got here up with a decide. However McCollum additionally missed a couple of tackles and took a poor angle on Anthony McFarland’s 12-yard landing run the place he gave up exterior containment. Sadly, these poor performs in run protection negated any potential good sentiments about his improved move protection.

2 BOLD PREDICTIONS

PREDICTION 1: Bucs Received’t Play A Lot Of Starters (Once more) vs. Jets

Proper or mistaken, the Bucs will use the preseason video games to play a whole lot of rookies and younger gamers to make choices on which guys to maintain on the 53-man roster. Which means one other preseason recreation subsequent week with out seeing a whole lot of Bucs starters as Tampa Bay travels to New York to face the Jets in joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday after which a recreation subsequent Saturday.

Bucs C Ryan Jensen, WRs Mike Evans and Russell Gage and RB Rachaad White – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

“If they’ll get a whole lot of reps in [during joint practices with the Jets], yeah,” Bowles mentioned. “These [starters] who don’t get a whole lot of reps in will play within the recreation. If we will get the reps that we have to get in in these two practices – which they may take the majority of – we’ll consider that in all probability that Thursday or Friday.”

Bowles mentioned he plans to get his veterans and starters extra reps towards the Jets within the joint practices.

“It’s good for the veteran guys to go up there as a result of, in preseason, you hardly present something,” Bowles mentioned. “It’s fairly vanilla. You may get your entire stuff in through the week in follow. It’s actually performed like a recreation – that’s why you’re allowed to relaxation these guys come recreation time. The practices aren’t on movie, so you possibly can actually run your protection and your offense they usually can run their protection and their offense. You may get a have a look at reside stuff full pace.

“Come preseason video games, all the pieces could be very vanilla. That’s when the youthful guys normally get their expertise to fly round and play. The practices for us are like video games for the veterans, and the sport itself is absolutely for expertise for the rookies.”

PREDICTION 2: Baker Mayfield Will Be The Starter In Week 1 vs. Vikings

Bucs OC Dave Canales and QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Friday’s night time efficiency towards the Steelers was a very good begin for Mayfield. As I alluded to in Friday’s SR’s Fab 5 column, it could take a whole lot of guts for Todd Bowles to call the inexperienced Kyle Trask the starter over Mayfield for the season opener at Minnesota.

Trask actually regarded higher and extra snug in his 2023 preseason debut than he did final preseason, however he didn’t assist his trigger by throwing an ill-timed interception and never main the Bucs on any scoring drives. Though he didn’t begin towards the Steelers, Trask performed with the identical offensive line and threw to the identical receivers and tight ends that Mayfield did.

“Yeah, they each performed with the identical offensive line, so that you consider them accordingly,” Bowles mentioned. “I believed Kyle made some good throws as properly. He commanded the offense simply the identical. They each had the identical sort of performs, they each had the identical guys – receivers and offensive line smart – so we’ll proceed that subsequent week.”