Live Blog: Buccaneers 30, Patriots 28 — FINAL

Welcome to The Pewter Plank’s live blog for the Buccaneers third preseason game. The game might be blacked out locally but we here at The Pewter Plank never black out the Bucs. Editor Josh Hill will be live blogging right here for your convenience, and be sure to interact with him on Twitter through by tweeting your questions or comments to either his twitter account or the official Pewter Plank twitter account.

Live Blog: Buccaneers vs. Patriots

11:00pm: The Bucs have beaten the New England Patriots, but that’s not what is the big story here. The Bucs All-Pro offensive line is down a man as Davin Joseph is likely lost for the season. That pretty much puts a damper on the evening. Until next time, have a week folks.

10:55pm: Here comes the onside kick for the Patriots….Bucs recover. That about does it tonight. Solid game for the Bucs but that is vastly overshadowed.

10:52pm: Patriots score another touchdown in garbage time.

10:45pm: The Patriots have theball back but even if they score, it’s unlikely that they will win. That doesn’t matter to Bucs fans, who are focused on the health of Davin Joseph.

10:34pm: Touchdown Patriots on a Ryan Mallett pass to Jeremy Ebert, making it a 9 point game with 4:13 left to go in the game.

10:31pm: Wow! Jeff Demps sighting ladies and gentlemen and that kid is fast! Busts out a 29-yard run, setting the Patriots up nicely.

10:25pm: Word out of the Bucs locker room is that Joseph is out for the season. Not the official word, but that’s the feeling right now and that’s not good.

10:21pm: Touchdown stands, it’s officially and 8-yard pass from Orlovsky to Stroughter. Bucs take a 16 point lead.

10:20pm: The previous touchdown catch is under review.

10:19pm: FIRE THE CANNONS!!! Touchdown Buccaneers on a Sammie Stroughter catch from Dan Orlovsky.

10:17pm: Madu comes in and makes a mark taking it up the gut for a gain of eight. Offense is looking pretty good, which is frustrsting the Pats defensive coordinator.

10:11pm: Bucs are now driving with Orlovsky leading the offense. Michael Smith is in at running back but Mossis Madu is likely to get some reps here soon.

End of Third Quarter: Buccaneers 23, Patriots 14

10:01pm: Tom Brady get his first touchdown pass of the game and it goes to (who else but) Rob Gronkowski. Pats cut the Bucs lead to 23-14 near the end of the third.

9:55pm: Kai Forbath hits another field goal to make it a 23-7 game as we near the end of the third. Bucs backups now rotating in.

9:49pm: Josh Freeman finishes the night 10 for 19 with 102 yards.

9:38pm: It’s a five-yard punt return for Shipley, looks like the reserves are heading out as Dan Orlovsky is strapping his helmet.

9:36pm: Jordan Shipley is out to return this punt, thus making his Bucs debut.

9:28pm: Looks like the first team offense is going to start the third quarter. Really risky given the slew of injuries to starters thus far.

End of Second Quarter: Buccaneers 20, Patriots 7

9:17pm: As we approach halftime, Kai Forbath nails a field goal for the Bucs to make it a 20-7 game. Despite the score, the Bucs are losing badly here in the worst possible way.

9:10pm: Joseph was just carted off the field. This looks really serious. If he’s lost that’s more than just a huge blow for the Bucs.

9:07pm: Their brining out the cart for Joseph. First guess is that he tore something as that’s usually the case when a guy rolls over himself. Hopefully that’s not the case.

9:06pm: Davin Joseph is now down on the field. It appears he rolled himself up on the last play which was a 19-yard gain by Doug Martin. This has been a brutal night for injuries thus far for the Bucs.

9:01pm: Both Adrian Clayborn and Gerald McCoy have returned to the Bucs sideline. Still no word on their injuries at this time.

8:54pm: Preston Parker just fumbled his second punt of the preseason. Time to bust out newly acquired Jordan Shipley. Can’t imagine Parker stays out for another punt after that.

8:52pm: The ruling on the field was that it was indeed a fumble but the Bucs didn’t get possession until after the ball was out of bounds. Schiano loses his first coaches challenge.

8:50pm: The Bucs have challenged the ruling on the field that Aaron Hernandez fumbled the ball. First coaches challenge of the year. Looked like the ball may have rolled out of bounds first. We will see.

8:48pm: Eric Wright forces what appeared to be a fumble, but the refs have ruled otherwise. Schiano looks like he might challenge here.

8:42pm: Connor Barth nails a 56-yard field goal to extend the Bucs lead to 10 points. The offense looks sluggish though, which isn’t a good sign. Starters probably won’t play too much longer.

8:34pm: The Bucs offense doesn’t look nearly as solid as it did in the first. LeGarrette Blount is in the game and is underwhelming to say the least.

8:26pm: Adrian Clayborn is in the Bucs locker room getting his left arm x-rayed. Gerald McCoy and his left knee are being examined as well.

8:22pm: Patriots cap off their third drive of the game and rebound from the pick-six by driving 81 yards for the score. Just a touchdown’s difference now.

End of First Quarter: Buccaneers 14, Patriots 0

8:16pm: That’s the end of the first quarter in Tampa. Bucs score twice and lead the Patriots 14-0. New England will begin the second quarter in the middle of this drive that looks like promising.

8:12pm: Roy Miller getting in on the action too, thumping Shane Vereen in the backfield for a loss. This is just incredible.

8:12pm: Bucs defense continues to devour this Patriots team. I know it’s just the preseason but still, this better not be some sick twisted tease.

8:10pm: Barber was actually playing slot corner on that play but he was instrumental on the blitz package that forced the Brady fumble by Bennett.

8:08pm: Ronde Barber was the one to tip the pass into Barron’s hands. From one safety to another, this Bucs team is inspired tonight. I have no idea what it is but I’m not complaining.

8:07pm: Mark Barron intercepts a deflected pass from Brady and returns it for a touchdown! Adrian Clayborn appears to be injured on the play however.

8:05pm: Michael Bennett just blasted Tom Brady and forced a fumble. Patriots recovered though, but this defense isn’t taking any crap from New England.

8:03pm: V-Jax just tried to short arm a pass and he dropped a money ball. That’s troubling to see and now the Bucs have to punt. One good sign though: McCoy looks to be coming back on the field t=with the defense.

8:00pm: Who is this Bucs offense? Williams takes a pass over the middle and the Bucs continue to drive. This is awesome to see, hopefully it continues.

7:57pm: McCoy is looking to be okay on the sideline, could have just been a bad scare. Meanwhile Dallas Clark gets a pass over the middle from Freeman. Bucs offense looks hot.

7:56pm: It was clear McCoy was cut block at the line but he is walking off under his own power now. Will keep you posted.

7:55pm: Great defensive stand by the Bucs. They force the Patriots to a three-and-out on their first drive and turn the ball back over to the Bucs offense.

7:54pm: Gerald McCoy had his legs cut out from under him and is down on the field.

7:50pm: Brady and the Pats start at their own 13.

7:47pm: The Bucs put together a brilliantly fluid first drive here, capping it off with a touchdown. Big credit to Michael Smith for setting it all up with a 40-yard kick return. Let’s see how the defense does against Tom Brady now.

7:46pm: FIRE THE CANNONS!! Touchdown Bucs! Doug Martin punches it in up the middle.

7:45pm: The Bucs are driving hard here. V-Jax already has 3 catches an close to 50-yards. Bucs inside the Patriots 10 and are trying to run it in with Martin.

7:44pm: Freeman just hit V-Jax on a third and long for a 14-yard gain. That’ something Bucs fans want to see consistently all season long. Third downs were killers last year.

7:43pm: Nicks was just called for a penalty but the Bucs are driving on their first series of the game, now deep in Patriots territory and banging on the door.

7:41pm: Vincent Jackson with is first catch of the ball game. It’d be nice to see the Freeman-Jackson connection heat up tonight. Haven’t seen that yet all preseason long.

7:41pm: Martin gets the start at running back and he takes the first carry for a short gain. 2nd Down for the Bucs.

7:41pm: Michael Smith takes the kickoff and returns it 40 yards.

7:40pm: He’s not ruled as inactive tonight, but Mason Foster is going to get the night off.

7:40pm: The Buccaneers have won the toss and they will be receiving the kick. It’s almost game time!!

7:03pm: We’re about 30mins away from kickoff and so far it appears there are no inactive players for the Bucs. Yes, that means LeGarrette Blount and Donald Penn are active and likely to play.