Buccaneers: Offense looks better, still has work to do

In their 12-8 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense looked better but still have improvements to make.

One of the biggest standouts from Thursday night’s game was the play of Buccaneers running back Doug Martin. Yes, I’ve been extremely critical of Martin this off-season and my feelings on the running back situation in general, but Martin played like the guy so many of us know he can be.

Even in a limited work load – five carries for 30 yards and a touchdown – the offense was overall more effective with Martin on the field. He was moving the chains, eluding defenders, and making plays. In addition to his 30 rushing yards, he had two receptions for 11 yards, giving him almost six yards per touch in the game.

That’s the Doug Martin we need to see all season in order for the Bucs to fulfill their potential.

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On the flip side, Jameis Winston started off 11/13 but finished 21/29 for 196 yards. We saw him throw a terrible pass in the red zone where he threw it up for grabs while being tackled to the ground which resulted in an interception in the end zone. Luckily for the Bucs, Winston was ruled down and the Bucs were able to kick a field goal.

Those kinds of passes are the biggest knock on Jameis. Yes, it’s great to have a quarterback with the kind of confidence he does, where he believes he can make every play there is, but there are some passes no one in their right mind can make and that was one of them.

As we saw Dirk Koetter tell Winston in the opening episode of “Hard Knocks”, Jameis is the only one that can lose a game for them. It’s turnovers like that – that aren’t only terrible decisions but that occur within striking distance of the end zone – that will lose games. Now, does Jameis throw that pass in a regular season game? Maybe not, but with Jameis, you never know.

There is plenty to be excited about and Winston is certainly at the top of that list. That being said, the Buccaneers will go as far as Jameis takes them. To get them where they have the talent to go, he has to cut down on making decisions like that one.

But it sure will be entertaining to see the exchange he has with Koetter after that pass on Hard Knocks, won’t it?

Next: Hard Knocks Episode Two Recap

The next preseason game will be in Raymond James Stadium against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, Aug. 26.