Moves for Buccaneers to make during the bye to win out
By Rob Leeds
The Buccaneers were able to get hot and string some wins together at just the right time. Now, here is how the team can do the same after the bye.
As tough as this season has been for the Buccaneers, the good news has always been that the regular season record does not matter.
Sure, that record may be indicative of how ready the team is for the playoffs and the post-season overall, but teams getting hot or cold at just the right (or wrong) time has a way of equalizing all.
The Buccaneers are one of those teams that is just trying to get hot at the right time, and it looks like that is already starting to happen after their two most-recent wins heading into the bye.
The goal now is to extend that winning streak out and through the rest of the season. That starts with some very simple moves:
Leave Rachaad White as the RB1
Everyone on the planet saw this in the last game; Rachaad White is the best running back on the roster for Tampa. Switching him out at this point is an easy way to mess up the mojo that helped get the run game back on track.
All of this extra time is a perfect opportunity to get the rookie back more in tune with the first team and the happenings there.
Leave Luke Goedeke on the bench
Goedeke might be good down the road, but the rookie guard is struggling hardcore. He needs time to grow before he won’t be a liability on the field.
Nick Leverett has been an excellent change of pace, and keeping him in at starter and increasing his reps with the starters is critical for keeping this offensive line in the right standing.
Focus on the play-action
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers are dominant on play-action passes. The team running so few confounds the mind, but it is clear that Byron Leftwich still has the misguided thought that the run sets up play-action. It doesn’t.
If the Bucs really want to be good and get a chance at winning out, Leftwich has to bring his thinking into the 21st century.
Keep Akiem Hicks healthy
Akiem Hicks hasn’t been healthy for much of the season, but he and the defense have looked dominant in their four games this season. One player may not make all the difference, but it is clear that Hicks plays a huge role for this group, and the team needs to do everything in its power to keep the veteran tackle ready for the rest of the season.
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