Grading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers After Defeating the Atlanta Falcons
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers put together their first back-to-back wins of the season on Sunday after trouncing the Atlanta Falcons 41-28. Dominating every phase of the game, the Bucs took advantage of a slumping Atlanta Falcons team with an explosive run game and a suffocating defense.
On Sunday, the Bucs looked like the team everyone was expecting to see before the start of the season. Bucs general manager Mark Dominik assembled a formidable roster.
It may have taken half-a-season, but head coach Greg Schiano is finally realizing this team's potential. Here is how the Buccaneers graded out in their win against Atlanta:
Quarterback
1 of 9
Mike Glennon: B+
Quarterback Mike Glennon played very well on Sunday, throwing for 231 yards and two touchdowns. He was as accurate as he has ever been, completing 20 passes on 23 attempts.
Glennon's numbers look very good, but he wasn't very prolific. Of Glennon's 231 passing yards, 163 of them were produced by passes to wide receiver Vincent Jackson. He took advantage of the tremendous mismatch Jackson gave him against an undersized and seemingly apathetic Atlanta secondary.
Glennon is giving the Bucs brass every reason to start him next year, no matter who ends up coaching the team. However, Glennon has yet to win a game on the merit of his arm. Until he can lead the Bucs to a victory himself, expect the Bucs to be on the lookout for an upgrade.
Running Backs
2 of 9
Bobby Rainey: A+
Where in the world did Bobby Rainey come from? The 5'8", 212-pound running back announced his arrival by carrying the ball 30 times and running for 163 yards and two touchdowns. Rainey also caught a touchdown pass.
The Falcons had no answers for Rainey's cutting or his confidence hitting holes. The second-year runner out of Western Kentucky demonstrated vision that took advantage of the best game the Bucs' offensive line played all season.
While the Bucs will certainly look forward to getting Doug Martin and Mike James back next year, Bobby Rainey ensures the Bucs running game will never skip a beat.
Brian Leonard: B+
Brian Leonard started the game for the Bucs and ran for 16 yards on four carries. Once Bobby Rainey hit the field, the Bucs stuck with the hot hand.
Leonard did play a factor in the pass game, catching four passes for 21 yards. He also looked solid in pass protection. Despite suffering a slew of injuries at the running back position, the Bucs have shown remarkable depth with Rainey and Leonard.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
3 of 9
Vincent Jackson: A+
Like Bobby Rainey, WR Vincent Jackson was a one-man wrecking machine, catching 10 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. As with the Bucs' previous matchup with the Falcons in Week 7, Jackson just abused the Atlanta secondary, particularly cornerback Asante Samuel.
Jackson's size and athleticism makes him a nightmare for defensive coordinators. While he has not been very consistent this year, Jackson came to play against the Falcons and carried the pass offense.
Tiquan Underwood: B
Underwood caught only one pass for 20 yards. He didn't contribute much, but he didn't have to with Jackson and Bobby Rainey playing like men on fire.
Tom Crabtree/Tim Wright: B-
Like Underwood, tight ends Crabtree and Wright were afterthoughts in a day belonging to Jackson and Rainey. However, it's hard to ignore Crabtree and Wright's lack of impact in the run game.
Yes, Wright is a converted wide receiver, and Crabtree is coming off an injury, but as tight ends, they need to contribute both as receivers and blockers. It limits the Bucs offense when tackle Gabe Carimi comes in as a tight end, telegraphing exactly what the Bucs plan to do.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Offensive Line
4 of 9
Donald Penn: A-
No touchdown this week but Penn is the model of consistency for this Bucs offense. Penn leads an offensive line that dominated Atlanta's defensive front and opened holes for Bobby Rainey to run wild.
Jamon Meredith: A+
Why did it take the Bucs so long to insert Meredith into the starting lineup? Since Meredith become the starting left guard, the Bucs running game has been near unstoppable. He gets an "A+" not only for his individual play but also for the spark he brings to the rest of the line.
Jeremy Zuttah: A-
While the entire line gets an "A" for dominating Atlanta, Zuttah gets a slight downgrade for once again drawing a holding call. It seems the Bucs can expect at least one yellow flag to be thrown in Zuttah's direction every game. While Zuttah brings continuity and versatility to the line, he too often kills drive with this lack of discipline.
Davin Joseph: A
It should be apparent that right guard Davin Joseph is not yet over the hill. He continues to improve each week. Every time the Bucs ran their power-O running play, there was Joseph manhandling the Falcons' defensive linemen.
Demar Dotson: A
Like the rest of the line, right tackle Demar Dotson was nigh unstoppable in the run game. General manager Mark Dominik deserves a lot of credit for finding and sticking with guys like Dotson, who was undrafted and only played one season of college football.
Defensive Tackles
5 of 9
Gerald McCoy: A+
Who's a bust? Not Gerald McCoy, who recorded three sacks against Atlanta QB Matt Ryan, two of which were back-to-back. The only other Bucs to notch three sacks in a game were Warren Sapp and Brad Culpepper.
McCoy owned Atlanta's offensive line, particularly center Peter Konz. Finally, Schiano and defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan allowed McCoy to simply rush the quarterback, and it paid off with McCoy's best stat line of his career.
Akeem Spence: B
Nose tackle Akeem Spence didn't have much of an impact on the stat sheet, but he was solid against Atlanta. He showed strong, consistent effort but was beat a few times as Atlanta rushed for 152 yards.
Defensive Ends
6 of 9
Adrian Clayborn: B
The former first-round pick was sound in the run game and got some pressure on Matt Ryan. However, he needs to get on the stat sheet with some sacks. There are some expectations of a former first-rounder, and he needs to start making good on his potential.
William Gholston: B
Gholston didn't record a sack, but he gave former Buc and current Falcons right tackle Jeremy Trueblood all he could handle. With Da'Quan Bowers out with concussion-like symptoms, Gholston gave the Bucs reason to put him on the field more often.
Linebackers
7 of 9
Mason Foster: A
Middle linebacker Mason Foster recorded his second pick-six of the year on a Matt Ryan throw. Foster has a knack for making big plays, and Sunday was no exception. Though he is more and more overshadowed by the excellence of fellow linebacker Lavonte David, Mason Foster deserves more appreciation for his ability to change a game.
Lavonte David: B+
LB Lavonte David was relatively quiet on Sunday, notching only five solo tackles and four assists. David's pass-coverage abilities were more on display against Atlanta. He did not disappoint.
Jonathan Casillas/Dekoda Watson: B+
Casillas and Watson are not the playmakers Foster and David are, but they were very active on Sunday, especially on special teams. Watson blocked a Matt Bosher punt that was recovered by Casillas. Their special teams play led to a quick touchdown by the Bucs offense.
Cornerbacks
8 of 9
Darrelle Revis: A
Revis was a little quieter this week, but that's how Revis Island tends to be—lonely and uninviting.
Johnthan Banks: B
Rookie Johnthan Banks drew another pass-interference call, but he was otherwise solid in coverage. He is showing improvement each week, sticking closer to his receiver and reading routes better. He just needs to catch those errant passes that ought to be interceptions.
Leonard Johnson: B
Johnson is proving to be little more than a stopgap, but he was solid against Atlanta. His lack of speed will continue to limit him, but he played his receivers close on Sunday.
Safeties
9 of 9
Dashon Goldson: A
The free safety earned his paycheck on Sunday, picking off Matt Ryan and forcing a fumble. While he was called for yet another personal foul, Goldson played to his hawkish ways and flew around the field, blowing up ball-carriers. Still, he needs to play like this more often to earn the money the Bucs paid him this offseason.
Mark Barron: B+
At the rate he is improving, strong safety Mark Barron will soon be one of the best safeties in the NFL. He was solid in pass coverage and recovered the fumble forced by Barron. His instincts served him well as he was usually in or near any play made by the defense.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
