Teams Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Pewter Pirates

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Kwon Alexander is challenging Bruce Carter for the Bucs' starting middle linebacker job.

A fourth-round pick out of LSU, Alexander was initially expected to challenge Danny Lansanah for the starting job at strong side linebacker. Lansanah has had a strong camp, however, and Alexander has earned rave reviews for his pass coverage in camp, an important skill for a middle linebacker in Lovie Smith's Cover-2. Carter signed a four-year, $20.5 million deal with the Bucs in March.
Related: Bruce Carter

Source: ESPN.com
 
Jameis Winston completed 9-of-19 passes for 131 yards and an interception in the Bucs' preseason opener Saturday night.

Winston opened the game with an off-the-mark incompletion to Austin Seferian-Jenkins in double coverage. Winston's second throw was well short of Mike Evans, and his third pass was nearly intercepted by Vikings S Robert Blanton. Winston was sacked on his fourth dropback by RE Everson Griffin, who welcomed Bucs rookie LT Donovan Smith to the NFL. The No. 1 overall pick bounced back on his fifth attempt, hitting Vincent Jackson for a 40-yard bomb on third-and-14. Winston went back in the gutter on the Bucs' fourth through sixth drives, where he was picked by Vikings S Antone Exum, sacked twice more, and fumbled a center-quarterback exchange. Winston did settle in to lead a nine-play, 76-yard touchdown drive just before the half, scrambling in from eight yards out. The Bucs' offensive line looked terrible in this game, and may have lost RT Demar Dotson to a year-ending knee injury.
 
Bucs RT Demar Dotson was carted off the field in Saturday night's preseason opener with a potentially severe left knee injury.

Dotson was down on the field for several minutes before being carted away. Bucs beat writers are fearing the worst. The Bucs insisted on playing their first-team offense for the entire first half, and may now lose their best pass protector as a result. Dotson was recently angling for a contract extension.
 

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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports Bucs RT Demar Dotson will miss "roughly six weeks" with an MCL sprain.

He won't be ready for Week 1, and based on the timeline, the earliest possible return for Dotson is probably Week 3. While an MCL sprain is better news than an ACL tear, it's a huge blow to a Tampa Bay offensive line that again projects as one of football's worst. Dotson is the team's best pass protector. Expect sloppy efforts from the Buccaneers' offense early this season.


Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter
 
Bucs coach Lovie Smith will call the team's defensive plays in 2015.

Smith is stripping DC Leslie Frazier of play-calling duties, and putting himself back on the hot seat. It makes sense for a team that went 2-14 in 2014. Smith called his own plays for years in Chicago, and might as well control as much as he reasonably can as he tries to turn things around.


Source: Tampa Bay Times
 
ESPN Bucs reporter Pat Yasinskas said TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins has struggled with drops in camp.

Yasinskas added the Bucs could turn to Brandon Myers as the starter if the drops persist. On a team with not much hope of competing this year, benching a sophomore second-round pick for a journeyman entering his age-30 season would be a bad decision. ASJ should open the season with the first team.

Source: ESPN.com
 
The ankle injury Jameis Winston appeared to suffer in the second preseason game is not considered serious.

Winston appeared to twist his ankle while being sacked by Geno Atkins. He was visibly limping after the sack, but stayed in the game for the last play of the series. Winston did not play another snap after the series, but coach Lovie Smith said he could have if he was needed. He should be good to go for the third preseason game.


Source: Tampa Bay Times
 
Doug Martin rushed for 59 yards on six carries in the Bucs' second preseason game.

Martin owned the Bucs' opening drive with 57 yards on five carries, bringing the offense down to the one-yard line before Jameis Winston capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run on a bootleg. Martin looks faster and quicker this year and is finishing his runs. His big gain Monday night was a 30-yard scamper up the right sideline after burying his head and powering through a couple arm tackles from Bengals defenders. Our own Ray Summerlin has been beating the Martin drum all offseason. He's one of the better value grabs at his fifth-round ADP.
 
Jameis Winston completed just 6-of-15 passes for 90 yards and one interception in the Bucs' third preseason game Saturday night.

It was another ugly night for Winston after he looked impressive in the Bucs' second preseason game last Monday evening. We're not going to overreact, however, as Winston was without No. 1 receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) and playing behind what has the looks of an awful offensive line. Winston's interception was all on him, though; he was under heavy pressure and staggering backward before throwing off his back foot into the middle of the field for an easy pick. After three preseason games, Winston is 23-of-47 for 311 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions.
 
Jameis will be good if he has time to step up into the pocket. If the OL struggle (likely) he will have a much tougher time getting through his progressions.
I can see my beloved Bucs being terrible again. Hope I'm wrong.
 
CoachEmUpChucky said:
Jameis will be good if he has time to step up into the pocket. If the OL struggle (likely) he will have a much tougher time getting through his progressions.
I can see my beloved Bucs being terrible again. Hope I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

Even the biggest pessimist in me can't see us being as terrible as last year. A lot would have to go wrong
 
SUNS said:
Even the biggest pessimist in me can't see us being as terrible as last year. A lot would have to go wrong
Click to expand...

True. Would rather go into the season with expectations tempered and be pleasantly surprised though!
 

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Well. That didn't go as planned.

SUNS said:
Even the biggest pessimist in me can't see us being as terrible as last year. A lot would have to go wrong
Click to expand...

I wanted to believe... wanted to!
Only week 1, but Mariota was out there setting NFL records.
Bleak.
 
Winston struggling is to be expected, the real concern is that a rookie QB completely owned our defense.
2nd year under Lovie, that is unacceptable. He calls the plays, he's responsible.
It was disgusting.
 
CoachEmUpChucky said:
Winston struggling is to be expected, the real concern is that a rookie QB completely owned our defense.
2nd year under Lovie, that is unacceptable. He calls the plays, he's responsible.
It was disgusting.
Click to expand...
I think lovie has been an unmitigated disaster from the get go. Schianco had them on the right path.
 
Pathetic. If Lovie is responsible for that secondary he has to go. Cousins looking like effing Elway out there. Disgusting.

Bring back Schiano.
 
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