The Buccaneers played their second preseason game on Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars. What can we decipher from looking at the stat sheet?
While the Buccaneers did pick up their first win, not everything was perfect. The Bucs first team defense played well, but still left something to be desired forcing zero turnovers. The offense looked crisp on the first possession, but as many have pointed out, when Doug left the ball game they struggled.
Offense: The first drive of the game was one of the best drives I have seen from this Bucs team. Winston was accurate, Martin moved the chains and the offensive line was impressive. 11 plays, 6 minutes and 83 yards down the field is exactly what you want to see from an offense with as many weapons as this team.
The Good: 6
Doug Martin rushed five times and ended up with 30 yards on the ground. Along with a much improved YPC (Yards per Carry) for this game, Martin looked like his old self. His cuts were fast and he powered through contact for extra yards several times. The suspension hurts him, but he will be the 1st running back on the depth chart after week three.
The Bad: 33%
The offense only made 3 appearances in the red zone and converted one of those three for touchdowns. Last year, the Bucs were 20th in the NFL in red zone percentage at 51%. this year, the Bucs have to improve. Of course it’s only the preseason, but the first team offense especially needs to finish drives this year. Last year the Bucs were 19th in the NFL averaging 22 points per game.
More from Bucs News
- Devin White posts cryptic message to Lavonte David on Twitter
- Updated Buccaneers depth chart after signing two players from rookie minicamp
- Todd Bowles sends clear message about Baker Mayfield’s role with Bucs
- The Athletic is wrong about Bucs one ‘must-watch’ game in 2023
- Todd Bowles admits he only looks at three things on Bucs schedule
Defense: Judging the defense based on a half is tough. Overall they played well holding the Jags to only 8 points. The first team defense allowed zero points in the first half against the Jaguars starters. The defense seemed a bit faster than week one against the Bengals.
Bad: 0
The defense forced 0 turnovers against the trio Bortles, Henne and Brandon Allen. Of course its preseason and they did hold them to only 8 points (0 against the first team D), but the opportunities to force a turnover were there. Conte almost had a pick on a jumped route and Bortles had several ill advised throws that could have been picked. This team prided itself on forcing turnovers last season, but so far this preseason have only forced one turnover in two weeks.
Next: Bucs Offense Looks Better, Plenty Of Improving Left To Do
What stats jumped off the page for you? What were your takeaways from the win against the Jags? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or in the comment section below!