The Pewter Plank
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Buccaneers keys to victory against the Falcons in Week 15

By David Harrison

TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 3: Running back Antone Smith #36 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finds room to run between free safety Ricardo Allen #37 of the Atlanta Falcons and defensive back Brian Poole #34 during a carry in the first quarter of an NFL game on November 3, 2016 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 3: Running back Antone Smith #36 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finds room to run between free safety Ricardo Allen #37 of the Atlanta Falcons and defensive back Brian Poole #34 during a carry in the first quarter of an NFL game on November 3, 2016 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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GREEN BAY, WI – DECEMBER 03: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drops back to pass during the first half against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 3, 2017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WI – DECEMBER 03: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drops back to pass during the first half against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 3, 2017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

2. Spread the Ball

A lot of us have voiced our displeasure in play-calling and design over the course of the Buccaneers season. This isn’t just a comment on the current year though, it’s an important feature of the future as well.

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With Ryan Fitzpatrick in at quarterback, there looked to be a bit of an increase in short passes and check-downs. When Winston returned from his shoulder injury, he mentioned learning a lot from watching Fitzpatrick, and naturally most of us thought it would be in that area of the game.

In the beginning of the Green Bay contest, we saw some of this, and at moments since we have too.

This week, it’s going to be even more important to see an increase in dispersing the ball between the short, intermediate, and deep levels.

We already know this team cannot survive going for fifteen-yard completions on every play. There needs to be better attention paid to keeping Atlanta’s secondary spread out and guessing.

If the passing game gets predictable and one dimensional, then the offense can do the same. This leads to turnovers as Winston tries to make something out of nothing.

At the end of the day, the team can’t ask him to run on every pass call, and he can’t be expected to throw the ball away every time the defense plays the offense perfectly.

Mix it up, spread it out. Not just among receivers, but among the levels of the defense.

"Check out the Locked on Bucs final look at tonight’s Monday Night Football action with The Pewter Report’s own, Mark Cook!"

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