Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3 Insights Learned from a Week 2 Win

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans were in for a wild ride Sunday as their team took on Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings. After the Vikings shut out the Buccaneers for the first half, 17-0, Josh Freeman and the Buccaneers played a much better second half to prevent opening the season with back to back losses.

There are three attributes about the Buccaneers that stood out during the game that fans and players can takeaway as an example of what to expect in the 2011 season.

Josh Freeman Thrives in the 4th Quarter

In both games of the 2011 season, Josh Freeman has put up better stats in the 4th quarter than he has in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarter combined.

So far this season, in the first three quarters Freeman has thrown for 242 yards and two interceptions with a 67.1% completion rate. However, during the fourth quarter of the two games we've witnessed this season, he has thrown for 260 yards and two touchdowns with a 70.3% completion rate.

Now sure some of this is because the Buccaneers have been playing from behind in both games, but Freeman is a quarterback who thrives under pressure. So many quarterbacks get so frazzled during the 4th quarter when their team needs them the most, but Freeman is not one of those guys which is comforting to Buccaneer fans around the world.

LeGarrette Blount and Balance Are Key

If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers plan to keep improving, they must keep to the approach that lead them to success last season. When LeGarrette Blount plays well, the entire team operates at a much higher level. Surprisingly in the Buccaneers week one loss to the Detroit Lions, Blount ran the ball only five times for 15 yards. His 3.0 average per carry proves that he didn't do a whole lot with the opportunities, but he has got to carry the ball more than five times in a game.

During the Buccaneers week two win against the Minnesota Vikings, Blount ran 13 times for 71 yards and two touchdowns. While 13 rushing attempts still isn't close to a full load, he got the ball a great deal more in week two which resulted in a victory. He even showed us some flashes of his hurdling skills during this game, that he liked to show off last season.

Bottom Line: When Blount gets the ball and does something with it, the Buccaneers should be successful.

Arrelious Benn Will Have to Step Up

Last season, Mike Williams emerged onto the scene as a premier threat at the wide receiver position and no one saw it coming. However, so far this year he is definitely being treated as a premier receiver, with much more attention focused on stopping him. Williams will still have a successful season as we have already seen his toe tapping specialty twice in the end zone this season, one of which was unfortunately called back because of a penalty.

He's a force to be reckoned with and defenses are doing just that which leaves open more opportunities for other receivers on the field like Arrelious Benn, another young second year player. This season Benn needs to prove what he's made of.

With Kellen Winslow also receiving a lot of attention from the secondary, I am looking forward to seeing what Benn does with the opportunities he will be given from some more relaxed coverage in his direction.