The Buccaneers are 2-0, on a 10-game winning streak, and still polishing the fingerprints off of their second Lombardi trophy. The defense is streaking to the ball. The Buccaneers offense is humming like a fine-tuned engine. Now a cross-country trip. A week three-stanza at SoFi against the 2-0 Los Angeles Rams. What could go wrong?
Running On Empty
The Atlanta Falcons got back into Sunday’s game quickly. A Buccaneers punt sandwiched between two Atlanta touchdowns on Sunday made it a three-point game, 28-25. If you were holding your breath there for a minute. You are not alone.
Fresh off a Monte Kiffin Ring of Honor induction. On a steamy, cloudy, Tampa Bay afternoon. It became painfully obvious what a lack of a running game can mean to a team. Even one with such a solid returning cast and defending Super Bowl champion. Football has always been a game of momentum. And for a couple of minutes on Sunday. The Falcons were finding that Mo.
Don’t Rush To Judgment
If we learned anything in 2021, the makeup of this team’s offense is not to be ignored. With Tom Brady at quarterback. The most talented, and deep receiving corps in Buccaneers history. Yes, it seems most of the time they can score a literal will. They can also score very fast. And therein could lie a problem.
For as long as the points are rolling in, the defense can feed on the other team’s necessity to catch up. They are also back onto the field, at times, very fast. When things are going well, this is fantastic. But it also allows the other team to find their rhythm. Which is exactly what you don’t want a Sean McVay coached offense to do because they will be searching for that rhythm all day. The Buccaneers will do everything in their power to not allow this to happen.
The early season observations are still being observed. Two games in is such a small sample size. Bucs fans would be remiss to make too many assumptions at this point. Plus, it feels good being undefeated. It feels every greater being the defending Super Bowl champions. But there were a few good breaks in week one that kept the Cowboys in check. The defense turned on the afterburners this past Sunday, quashing the Atlanta momentum. Securing a 2-0 start. The Los Angeles Rams will not go as quietly into that good night.
Keeping the Rams off the field would be a good start. A solid performance from the Buccaneers’ running backs would go a long way in silencing a sold-out LA stadium and lifting the Buccaneers to 3–0. A more balanced offensive attack for Tampa Bay in week three, would mean more good and defend against anything bad.
