Buccaneers: 6 Storylines to Watch during the Third Preseason Game

Play of the Defensive Line

Through two preseason games against the Bengals and the Jaguars the defensive line has been very ineffective at getting to the quarterback or getting to the ball carrier at all making just three total tackles, three quarterback hits, but zero sacks in the two games combined.

Again … yes I know its preseason and teams don’t usually open their full playbooks or play as hard as they would in a regular season game, BUT in the previous two games the opposing starting quarterbacks had completed 70.8% of their passes and Dalton would have been perfect if not for a great interception near the goal line by Vernon Hargreaves.

Granted the quarterbacks completion percentage numbers are not all about the defensive line but it would make it tougher for them if the defensive line gave them some pressure. The two sacks the starters have gotten were from linebacker blitzes by Kendell Beckwith and Lavonte David.

Last seasons “Dress Rehearsal” game the Buccaneers defense came out firing on all cylinders against the Browns with eight total sack three by the starting defensive line, granted the Browns were a much different team than compared to this preseason, but it will be interesting to see how the Buccaneers defensive line plays in this years “Dress Rehearsal” game.