Tampa Bay Bucs vs. Washington Redskins: Complete Week 11 Preview for Tampa Bay
Fresh off their eighth loss in nine tries this season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head out on the road this week to face the struggling Washington Redskins.
Sunday's game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. from FedExField and will be aired on Fox.
Tampa Bay is coming off a home loss to the division-rival Atlanta Falcons, despite holding a one-point lead in the fourth quarter. Washington currently sits in the cellar of the NFC East at 3-6, having dropped a nail-biter on the road last week to the Minnesota Vikings, 29-26.
Like the rest of his teammates, Bucs All-Pro linebacker Lavonte David is tired of losing, but he's confident the team can turn things around, according to The Tampa Tribune's Ira Kaufman:
"What keeps me going is just the love of the game. I know we have a lot more opportunities to get victories, and that’s what drives me. I don’t think we’ll be in this situation again. This is just the beginning of something special.
"
Will Alterraun Verner return to the starting lineup after missing last week's game? Will the Bucs' struggling offensive line be able to keep the Washington pass rush at bay? Who is this week's "X-factor" for the Bucs?
Here's everything you need to know heading into this week's game.
*All stats courtesy of NFL.com
Bucs Week 10 Recap
1 of 5
The Bucs avoided a repeat of their 56-14 blowout in Week 3 at the hands of their division rivals, but this game landed in the loss column all the same, as Tampa Bay fell 27-17 at home to the Atlanta Falcons last week.
Despite out-gaining the Falcons in total offense 373-322 and converting 12 of their 17 third-down attempts, the Bucs lost yet another fourth-quarter lead to fall to 1-8 on the season.
Josh McCown completed 27 of his 43 passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, while also leading the Bucs in rushing yardage in his first start since that Week 3 loss in Atlanta. The veteran looked much more impressive than his early season performances, but in the end, the result was the same.
Mike Evans continued his streak of impressive outings, becoming the first rookie in Tampa Bay franchise history to record back-to-back 100-yard games. The Texas A&M product hauled in seven passes for 125 and a touchdown, giving him a team-high five scoring receptions this season.
Julio Jones topped the century mark in receiving yards again, catching eight passes for 119 yards, while veteran Roddy White snagged six passes for 72 yards and Matt Ryan's only touchdown pass of the game. Ryan finished with 219 yards on 21-of-30 passing.
Penalties were a huge problem for the Bucs yet again, coming far too frequently and as the most inopportune times. In all, Tampa Bay was penalized 10 times for 79 yards, compared to Atlanta's five infractions for just 30 yards.
News and Notes
2 of 5
Battle of Dysfunction
The Bucs are 1-8, the Redskins are 3-6 and both teams occupy the bottom slot in their respective division standings.
Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times points out plenty of similarities between the two franchises, and believes this week's game will come down to who wins the pass rush battle:
"Washington has had trouble protecting the quarterback all season and Griffin has a tendency to hold the ball too long, but the Buccaneers weren't able to capitalize on weak spots along the Carolina, Baltimore or Atlanta offensive lines so why should Sunday be any different?
On the other hand, Washington's defense, featuring Jason Hatcher and Ryan Kerrigan, can get after the quarterback. That means Josh McCown, who led the Buccaneers with 39 rushing yards last weekend, better be ready to run again.
"
The Bucs allowed four sacks to a Falcons team that had a league-worst seven coming into last week's game, but they managed just one sack of their own against Atlanta's banged-up offensive line. Winning the line of scrimmage will indeed be a huge key to success for this winner of this week's game.
Purposeful Punting Woes?
Bucs punter Michael Koenen was showered with boos on multiple occasions last week after averaging just over 30 yards per kick for the game.
But Koenen says the fans' reaction didn't bother him, considering it was all part of the plan to keep Falcons return specialist Devin Hester from making a big play, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times:
"I don't get frustrated. People don't know the ins and outs of what we're trying to do. I was actually laughing because one of the fans yelled at me, 'Now that's how you punt!' after the one (Falcons punter) Matt Bosher hit and then we returned it 53 yards on them and I was sitting there smiling, thinking, 'That's why we didn't hit one like that.'
"
Hester broke the NFL record for return touchdowns in a career against the Bucs in Week 3, so it's hard to blame Koenen for doing whatever it took to keep him from a repeat performance.
Too Much Emotion?
Following last week's loss, Josh McCown was fighting tears at his post-game press conference, and lost the battle.
The Tampa Bay quarterback took plenty of flack this week for wearing his emotions on his sleeve, but Bucs quarterbacks coach Marcus Arroyo had no problem with his starter showing such a high level of passion, per Martin Fennelly of The Tampa Tribune:
"I hope everyone who’s this ingrained in something this high a level has that passion. If you don’t, I hope you find it. I hope someone who’s at that type of level ... anyone on our team or the coaches ... at that level, I wish that type of passion on you. That’s what makes it special.
"
McCown helped the Tampa Bay offense out-gain the Falcons last week, throwing for over 300 yards and leading the team in rushing yardage, but it just wasn't enough in the end. Clearly the weight of a disappointing season and another missed opportunity to grab a victory had a huge impact on McCown.
Injury Report
3 of 5
| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Alterraun Verner | CB | Limited Participation |
| Gerald McCoy | DT | Limited Participation |
| Michael Johnson | DE | Full Participation |
| Josh McCown | QB | Full Participation |
| Anthony Collins | OT | Full Participation |
| Demar Dotson | OT | Full Participation |
| Doug Martin | RB | Limited Participation |
| Luke Stocker | TE | Full Participation |
*All injury statuses courtesy of Buccaneers.com, based on participation in Thursday's practice.
This week's injury report looks pretty clean for the Bucs, with all those listed being able to take part in Thursday's practice, at least to some extent.
Verner (hamstring) and McCoy (groin) are obviously the biggest concerns, as both were limited in practice on Thursday. Verner was sorely missed last week, and though McCoy seemed to disappear for the better part of that game, the Bucs still can't afford to be without their defensive captain in the middle.
It looks like Tampa Bay will get back its normal starter at left tackle this week, as Collins (foot) was a full participant in Thursday's practice. The Bucs had been making do with guard Oniel Cousins protecting Josh McCown's blind side, which isn't something too many quarterbacks would want to hear.
Dotson (neck) was also a full participant in practice on Thursday and should start at right tackle on Sunday.
Martin (ankle) has missed the last two games but took part in Thursday's practice on a limited basis. Still, with Bobby Rainey, Charles Sims and Mike James available, there's no need to rush a banged-up and struggling Martin back into the rotation at the moment.
McCown injured his back on a sack late in last week's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, but is just dealing with soreness and should be ready to start this week. Johnson (hand) has dealt with a laundry list of injuries this season, missing last week's game, though he practiced fully on Thursday and should be in the starting lineup on Sunday.
One of the more underrated names on the list, Stocker (hip) practiced fully on Thursday and should be active this week after missing the Bucs' Week 10 matchup. Stocker is listed as a tight end, but had been providing quality snaps as a lead blocker in the backfield over his previous two games.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
X-Factor and Matchups to Watch
4 of 5
Bucs offensive line vs. Redskins pass rush
Despite a complete overhaul in the offseason, Tampa Bay's offensive line continues to struggle. The Bucs have given up 25 sacks so far this season, including four last week to the Falcons, who only had seven coming into the game.
Washington ranks 13th in the NFL with 23 sacks, led by 7.5 from edge-rusher Ryan Kerrigan. It's the same story every week, but the Bucs won't be able to do much on offense if they can't keep the pocket clean for their quarterback.
Mike Evans vs. David Amerson
Tampa Bay spent the seventh overall pick on Mike Evans with the expectation that he would dominate smaller corners with his massive frame, and he's lived up to the billing so far.
This week, however, Evans will face a test from second-year pro David Amerson, who brings his own blend of size and play-making skills to the corner position. Evans (6'5") still has a few inches on the 6'1" Amerson, but he might have to work harder to put up the impressive numbers he's posted over the last few games.
Bucs running game vs. Bucs play-calling
The past two games have featured some extremely questionable play-calling by Tampa Bay's Marcus Arroyo, and the Bucs ground game has suffered the consequences. Despite rushing for 80 yards in the first half against the Cleveland Browns, Bobby Rainey was given just four carries in the second half, despite the game being close down to the end.
Last week wasn't much better, as the Bucs spread just 18 carries amongst their three backs, while quarterback Josh McCown led the team in rushing yards in another close game.
Tampa Bay needs to commit to their running attack and let their backs get into a rhythm. If head coach Lovie Smith wants the Bucs to be known as a running team, he might want to let his play-caller know.
Bucs X-Factor of the Week: DT Gerald McCoy
In the two games immediately following the signing of a lucrative contract extension, McCoy notched three sacks and showed why the Bucs broke the bank to make sure he never wears another NFL jersey.
But McCoy was virtually invisible last week against a banged-up Falcons offensive line, and Tampa Bay's defense as a whole continues to fall short every week, failing to protect fourth-quarter leads and committing costly penalties at the worst times. McCoy himself was called for two offsides penalties on the same drive last week.
The two-time Pro Bowler said after last week's loss that his team is undisciplined. The week before, McCoy said his team just isn't upset enough with losing.
To quote Julius Campbell from the movie Remember The Titans, "Attitude reflects leadership, Captain." McCoy needs to make a statement this week by setting an example with his play to back up his words—and his paycheck.
Prediction
5 of 5
The Redskins have struggled this season, but last week proved that the Bucs are bad enough to make just about any team in the NFL look good, regardless of their record.
Tampa Bay can't seem to get after any opposing quarterbacks, and they're struggling to protect their own. If that holds true again this week, it's going to be another long four quarters for Josh McCown and Bucs fans everywhere.
On paper, this looks like the Bucs' best chance at another win this season. Unfortunately, I'll have to see it to believe it.
PREDICTION: Redskins 24, Bucs 17
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
