After a heartbreaking, 37-31 loss at New Orleans in overtime, the Buccaneers are 1-4 on the season heading into a Week 6 clash at Raymond James Stadium against Baltimore. PewterReport.com begins a new weekly series call State of the Buccaneers to inform fans about what is going right and what is going wrong in Tampa Bay.
WHAT?S RIGHT WITH THE BUCCANEERS
Offensive Point Production
After scoring just 38 points on offense through the first three games of the season, Tampa Bay?s offense has ignited under the leadership of quarterback Mike Glennon over the past two games. Glennon has thrown four touchdowns in the last two games and helped the offense score 27 points in a win at Pittsburgh and 24 points in the overtime loss at New Orleans. After averaging just 12.6 points per game over the first three contests, the Buccaneers offense has averaged 25.5 points per game over the last two outings and is now averaging 17.8 points per game through Week 5.
Mike Glennon?s Play At QB
With the Bucs offense moving the chains and putting points on the board with Glennon at the helm, Lovie Smith would be foolish to reinsert Josh McCown as the team?s starting quarterback right now. Glennon has completed 58.2 percent of his passes for 672 yards with five touchdowns and just two interceptions this season. More importantly, Glennon has shown he can rally a team for a win (Pittsburgh) and make some improvisational plays on the move (a 36-yard pass to Vincent Jackson at New Orleans).
The Play Of LBs Lavonte David, Danny Lansanah
David had a season-high 14 tackles with two tackles for loss in Atlanta, while Lansanah had a career-high 10 tackles, two pass breakups and a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown. David has a team-leading 51 tackles, which ranks fourth in the NFC and 10 tackles for loss, which leads the NFL, in addition to two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Lansanah has wrestled the starting strongside linebacker job away from Jonathan Casillas and has 19 tackles, a team-high four pass breakups and two interceptions that he?s returned for touchdowns.
Better Pass Defense From The Secondary ? Finally
Although Saints QB Drew Brees threw for 371 yards and two touchdowns against the Bucs defensive backs, at least the secondary is finally contesting passes ? and picking them off. Through the first four games of the season, the Tampa Bay secondary had just three of the team?s seven pass breakups and no interceptions. Against New Orleans, the secondary woke up and had a season-high seven of the team?s 11 pass breakups. More importantly, cornerbacks Johnthan Banks and Alterraun Verner intercepted a pass apiece for their first picks of the season.
WHAT?S WRONG WITH THE BUCCANEERS
Buccaneers Running Game
Tampa Bay has amassed just 452 rushing yards through the first five weeks of the season, an average of only 90.4 yards per game. The Bucs offensive line hasn?t been physical enough to open holes on a consistent basis, but Doug Martin hasn?t done much to create on his own, either, and has yet to reach 100 yards rushing for the season in his three starts. Martin has just 94 yards rushing and one touchdown on 37 carries (2.5 avg.). Bobby Rainey?s 220 yards and one touchdown on 47 carries (4.7 avg.) lead the team.
Tampa Bay?s Third Down Defense
The Buccaneers defense helped the team win the turnover battle in New Orleans on Sunday, but it didn?t win on third downs, allowing the Saints to convert 6-of-13 opportunities (46 percent). When it mattered in the fourth quarter and in overtime in New Orleans, the Bucs defense couldn?t get off the field. Tampa Bay?s third down defense has been dreadful all season, allowing a 48.4 percent conversion rate, and that has led to the Bucs losing the time of possession in every game this year.
Michael Koenen?s Punting
The veteran punter and special teams captain has had two bad games back-to-back. In his last seven punts against the Steelers and Saints combined, Koenen is averaging just 38.3 yards per punt without a kick past 48 yards. Although Koenen hasn?t allowed a return over the past two games and doesn?t have any touchbacks this season, he has only nailed one punt inside the 20 over the last two games and hasn?t done much to flip the field position with short punts.
NFC South Division Title Getting Out Of Reach
Tampa Bay?s 37-31 overtime loss at New Orleans really stung the team?s hopes of winning the NFC South title ? or at least getting back into contention to win the division. The 1-4 Bucs are now essentially three games behind Carolina (3-2), because they lose the tiebreaker with their 0-3 record in the NFC South. The fact that Tampa Bay is 0-4 in the NFC hurts their chances at a Wild Card berth should the team rally late in the season because they would lose most tiebreakers with other NFC teams because of their conference record.
--pewter report
WHAT?S RIGHT WITH THE BUCCANEERS
Offensive Point Production
After scoring just 38 points on offense through the first three games of the season, Tampa Bay?s offense has ignited under the leadership of quarterback Mike Glennon over the past two games. Glennon has thrown four touchdowns in the last two games and helped the offense score 27 points in a win at Pittsburgh and 24 points in the overtime loss at New Orleans. After averaging just 12.6 points per game over the first three contests, the Buccaneers offense has averaged 25.5 points per game over the last two outings and is now averaging 17.8 points per game through Week 5.
Mike Glennon?s Play At QB
With the Bucs offense moving the chains and putting points on the board with Glennon at the helm, Lovie Smith would be foolish to reinsert Josh McCown as the team?s starting quarterback right now. Glennon has completed 58.2 percent of his passes for 672 yards with five touchdowns and just two interceptions this season. More importantly, Glennon has shown he can rally a team for a win (Pittsburgh) and make some improvisational plays on the move (a 36-yard pass to Vincent Jackson at New Orleans).
The Play Of LBs Lavonte David, Danny Lansanah
David had a season-high 14 tackles with two tackles for loss in Atlanta, while Lansanah had a career-high 10 tackles, two pass breakups and a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown. David has a team-leading 51 tackles, which ranks fourth in the NFC and 10 tackles for loss, which leads the NFL, in addition to two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Lansanah has wrestled the starting strongside linebacker job away from Jonathan Casillas and has 19 tackles, a team-high four pass breakups and two interceptions that he?s returned for touchdowns.
Better Pass Defense From The Secondary ? Finally
Although Saints QB Drew Brees threw for 371 yards and two touchdowns against the Bucs defensive backs, at least the secondary is finally contesting passes ? and picking them off. Through the first four games of the season, the Tampa Bay secondary had just three of the team?s seven pass breakups and no interceptions. Against New Orleans, the secondary woke up and had a season-high seven of the team?s 11 pass breakups. More importantly, cornerbacks Johnthan Banks and Alterraun Verner intercepted a pass apiece for their first picks of the season.
WHAT?S WRONG WITH THE BUCCANEERS
Buccaneers Running Game
Tampa Bay has amassed just 452 rushing yards through the first five weeks of the season, an average of only 90.4 yards per game. The Bucs offensive line hasn?t been physical enough to open holes on a consistent basis, but Doug Martin hasn?t done much to create on his own, either, and has yet to reach 100 yards rushing for the season in his three starts. Martin has just 94 yards rushing and one touchdown on 37 carries (2.5 avg.). Bobby Rainey?s 220 yards and one touchdown on 47 carries (4.7 avg.) lead the team.
Tampa Bay?s Third Down Defense
The Buccaneers defense helped the team win the turnover battle in New Orleans on Sunday, but it didn?t win on third downs, allowing the Saints to convert 6-of-13 opportunities (46 percent). When it mattered in the fourth quarter and in overtime in New Orleans, the Bucs defense couldn?t get off the field. Tampa Bay?s third down defense has been dreadful all season, allowing a 48.4 percent conversion rate, and that has led to the Bucs losing the time of possession in every game this year.
Michael Koenen?s Punting
The veteran punter and special teams captain has had two bad games back-to-back. In his last seven punts against the Steelers and Saints combined, Koenen is averaging just 38.3 yards per punt without a kick past 48 yards. Although Koenen hasn?t allowed a return over the past two games and doesn?t have any touchbacks this season, he has only nailed one punt inside the 20 over the last two games and hasn?t done much to flip the field position with short punts.
NFC South Division Title Getting Out Of Reach
Tampa Bay?s 37-31 overtime loss at New Orleans really stung the team?s hopes of winning the NFC South title ? or at least getting back into contention to win the division. The 1-4 Bucs are now essentially three games behind Carolina (3-2), because they lose the tiebreaker with their 0-3 record in the NFC South. The fact that Tampa Bay is 0-4 in the NFC hurts their chances at a Wild Card berth should the team rally late in the season because they would lose most tiebreakers with other NFC teams because of their conference record.
--pewter report
