The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trying to shake off their 0-1 start, and Sunday’s home opener against the Cleveland Browns should give them a chance to do it. Cleveland comes in after getting routed 34-10 by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, but there’s still enough here to make Tampa Bay uneasy.
The biggest concern starts in the middle of the field. In Week 1, the Buccaneers never really solved Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki, who finished with 78 yards on five catches and kept the chains moving as the Bengals offense rolled. That matters now because Cleveland has its own tight end to feature in Harold Fannin Jr.
Fannin had an excellent rookie year last season, and even though he was held to 21 yards on two receptions last week, the threat is still obvious. He can make explosive plays, and Tampa Bay has to know where he is at all times if it wants to keep him from becoming the difference-maker. The middle of the field was open against Cincinnati, and it cannot be that way again.
There’s also the Todd Monken factor. The last time Browns head coach Todd Monken matched up with Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, Monken was running the Baltimore Ravens’ offense, and Bowles’ defense didn’t have an answer.
Baltimore had far more talent, with Lamar Jackson at quarterback, but it still hung 41 points on Tampa Bay. Monken will remember that game, and he may have a few wrinkles ready for Bowles this time around.
Then there’s the pass rush, or more accurately, the lack of one. Tampa Bay barely bothered Joe Burrow in Week 1, making him the least-pressured quarterback in the NFL after he felt pressure on only seven of his dropbacks.
Deshaun Watson can be affected by pressure, as Jacksonville showed, but that edge disappears fast if the Buccaneers can’t get near him. Yaya Diaby and Rueben Bain Jr. have to generate heat on Sunday, because if they don’t, it becomes more than a Browns problem - it starts looking like a season-long issue.
In Other News...
Warren Sapp Lands In An Awkward Off-Field Tampa Scene
Warren Sapp found himself in an uncomfortable off-field scene in Tampa this week, drawing attention at a City Council meeting tied to a flood-prevention project. Council chairman Alan Clendenin and Tampa Police intervened after Sapp was allegedly causing a disturbance, and the council asked that he be trespassed for the day.
Sapp said he was at City Hall only to pick up paperwork and disputed the authority to remove him from the public building. It was the sort of public dustup that has little to do with football, but for a former Buccaneers star still known around Tampa, it was enough to put his name back in the local spotlight for all the wrong reasons. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Head Into Home Opener With One Lineup Concern Still Lingering
The Buccaneers are heading into their home opener with a little more clarity on the roster, thanks in part to another look at safety Ifeatu Melifonwu. Tampa Bay elevated Melifonwu from the practice squad for its Week 2 matchup, giving the secondary another option as the team sorts through a handful of injury questions on the eve of its first game at Raymond James Stadium.
Miles Killebrew, Jacob Parrish and Jalen McMillan all landed on the questionable list, leaving at least one lineup spot worth watching as kickoff approaches. Sean Tucker is expected back after sitting out Week 1, but Melifonwu remains part of the subtext here too: he was active last week without getting into the game, and this elevation also leaves Tampa Bay with one more practice squad call-up available later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Rookie WR Suddenly Has A Week 2 Opportunity Fans Will Notice
Ted Hurst III made a quiet but useful first impression in his debut, catching all three of his targets for 36 yards and showing the kind of steadiness Tampa Bays staff has already noticed in practice. General manager Jason Licht has also pointed to Hursts consistency behind the scenes, a sign that the rookie wideout is not just hanging around for developmental reps but is already carving out a place in the Buccaneers plans this season.
Now comes a chance to turn that early trust into something more visible. With Week 2 bringing Cleveland to town, Hurst is positioned for another opportunity to contribute, and it will be worth watching how the Bucs continue to work him into the offense as the year gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]