Studs and duds from Buccaneers-Dolphins

Could the quarterbacks have played any better? Will Ryan Smith make the team? It’s the first studs and duds of the 2018 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season.

For a preseason game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins was dramatic.

After Bryce Petty gave the Dolphins a one-point lead with just under two minutes remaining, the Bucs drove down the field to set up Chandler Catanzaro for the game-winning field goal.

There was plenty to like about Thursday’s performance. The Bucs offense couldn’t be stopped and young players stood out in their first games in red and pewter.

At the same time, some bad habits resurfaced during the game. The lack of running game and subpar defensive effort raised familiar red flags.

With jobs on the line, here are the studs and duds from the Buccaneers first preseason game:

Stud: Ryan Griffin

Not only did Griffin lead the game-winning drive, he put together a terrific performance throughout the second half. Griffin went 20-for-26 for 179 yards and a touchdown.

It’s hard to not root for Griffin. He went down early in the preseason with a shoulder injury in 2017 just as he started to gain some steam.

Although he won’t be anything more than the third-string quarterback for most of the season, he will be the backup for three weeks while Jameis Winston is suspended. There’s certainly confidence among the Bucs faithful that Griffin could be a viable option in emergency situations, especially following a performance like this.