Buccaneers vs. Browns: Offense lays egg in snoozefest win

In the so called “dress rehearsal” game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not put out a strong showing offensively, leaving doubt of this team’s potential.

Three weeks of the preseason have come and gone as the NFL regular season is now just two weeks away. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they have yet to put together a complete game, and as a result have many feeling quite cautious of this 2019 squad heading into the regular season.

In a 13-12 defeat of the Cleveland Browns, the first team offense laid a dud, and that is putting it mildly. The first team offensive line surrendered five sacks of quarterback Jameis Winston to the strong Browns’ defensive line, and managed just six points as a starting unit.

Winston threw for just 88 yards on 9/19 passing, finishing the game with a passer rating of just below 61. He looked rough throwing the ball deep once again, a struggle he has had throughout his career; at one point he could not keep a deep ball in bounds as he had an open Breshad Perriman streaking down the field.

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Running backs Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber combined for just 11 yards on seven carries; last night’s performance was eerily similar to the 2018 season a year ago. Dare Ogunbowale once again led the Buccaneers in rushing with just three yards per carry on seven carries.

If there was a solid takeaway from last night’s game against the Browns, it is that the Buccaneers have yet to turnover the football through the first three games of the year. However, the neglect of the offensive line is coming back to bite the Buccaneers, and if this unit does not turn it around as a whole quickly.

Defensively the Buccaneers looked good as Browns’ quarterback Baker Mayfield did not look as sharp as he has shown the capability to be. Jordan Whitehead intercepted Mayfield to end the half as the Browns were hoping to get into field goal range, and edge rusher Carl Nassib added a couple pressures, including a near sack that Mayfield shook free of.

Special teams wise, rookie Matt Gay missed his first kick of the preseason, but rebounded by hitting a game winner from 21 yards out. As the so called kicking competition carries on, Cairo Santos made his only kick of the game from 23 yards out.

The Buccaneers have one more opportunity to tune up against the Detroit Lions next week before they head to face off with the San Francisco 49ers in week one of the regular season. The offensive line and the whole offensive unit as a whole have to step up or it is going to be a long season moving forward.