Last week: 22 (-5)

Record: 1-0

Before the season started, I picked the Buccaneers as an underrated team for several reasons. I’m not going to repeat myself completely, but basically free agent additions, new coaching staff, fewer turnovers, 3 starters through the draft, and guys coming back from injury and having bounce back year. Basically, I picked the Buccaneers somewhere in between the 4-12 they were last year and the 10-6 they were in 2010 and I settled on 7 wins. That might have been a little low. The defense looked night and day better from last year (thanks to a finally healthy Gerald McCoy) and they keep that up, 9 or 10 wins or more seems about right. The Buccaneers will put themselves to the test this week against the Giants and go into the game 3-14 over the last 2 years against teams that finish .500 or better.

Studs

C Jeremy Zuttah: 0 sacks, quarterback hits, or quarterback pressures allowed on 31 pass block plays, run blocked for 23 yards on 4 carries

RB Doug Martin: 95 yards (63 after contact) on 24 carries, 4 broken tackles, 4 catches for 23 yards on 4 attempts, 0 sacks, quarterback hits, or quarterback pressures allowed on 5 pass block plays

DT Gerald McCoy: 1 sack, 1 quarterback hit, and 2 quarterback pressures on 36 pass rush snaps, 1 tackle and 1 stop on 12 run plays

CB Aqib Talib: Allowed 3 completions for 63 yards on 5 attempts, 2 pass deflections, 4 solo tackles and 2 stops on 14 run plays

LOLB Lavonte David: 1 quarterback pressure on 8 blitzes, 3 solo tackles, 1 assist, 3 stops, 1 missed tackle on 14 run snaps, allowed 1 completion for 4 yards

P Michael Koenen: 5 kickoffs, 4 touchbacks, 74.6 yards per kickoff, opponent’s average starting position of 20.4 yards

Duds

RG Ted Larsen: 1 quarterback hits, 1 quarterback pressure allowed, 2 penalties, run blocked 6 times for 23 yards

RE Adrian Clayborn: 0 sacks, 0 quarterback hits, 0 quarterback pressures on 35 pass rush snaps, 1 solo tackle, 1 missed tackle, 1 stop on 13 run snaps

FS Mark Barron: Allowed 5 completions for 91 yards and 1 touchdown on 7 attempts, 1 pass deflection, 3 solo tackles on 14 run snaps

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]