Tampa Bay Buccaneers: What They Need to Do to Have Success Up to Halfway Point

The first quarter of the season is in the books, and your Tampa Bay Buccaneers are an admirable 3-1.

Fine, good work—but the fact is that things get hairy over the next four games.

These Bucs will have to play better and work harder, and some MIA players will have to show up.

Two of those three wins were against teams who, for lack of a better word, are simply horrible—that would be Minnesota and Indy.

The quality win was the victory over Atlanta, while the loss was to the undefeated Lions.

Overall, we're giving the boys a first-quarter score of B+.

Our preseason predictions had them exactly where they are (3-1), although we had a win over Detroit and a loss to Atlanta.

Fresh off the Monday Night win over Indy, the Bucs head to 'Frisco to take on a team very much like themselves, a bunch of upstarts with a young head coach. The 49ers are 3-1, and this is a very important game for the Bucs.

Why?

This next quarter, this next stretch—is brutal.

They're going to the West Coast on a short week. Not good.

They're taking on a bunch who got a great win last week over the Eagles. Suddenly, this is looking like a very tough game.

After that, the Saints come marching into Ray-Jay. They're considered one of the top two teams in the league, right behind the Packers when you peruse the Power Rankings of your choice.

Then comes the dreaded trip to London, where the Bucs rank high on the misery index.

Their bye week follows the trip across the pond, then they play at New Orleans, facing the Saints for a second time in just four weeks.

It's simply wishful thinking to believe this team can go 3-1 over the second quarter of the season.

With the competition level turned up, some things have to happen for this team to succeed. Let's take a quick look at the list.

Josh Freeman

Josh Freeman needs to ditch the stupid mistakes and start looking like an All-Pro.

We've seen both sides of Freeman, saw both sides of him in the win against Indy. He can look oh-so-good and oh-so-bad, all within the confines of a 60-minute game.

This team is all about Freeman and, as he goes, so go the Bucs. The "good" Josh Freeman needs to step up in the second quarter.

Where's Mike Williams?

Talk about MIA. Last year's Mike Williams is hiding out somewhere—surely that's an impostor who has taken his place this year.

He had two drops last week and hasn't looked anything like the player who made us "ooooh and ahhhh" last year. Raheem Morris needs to send out a search party and bring the real Mike Williams back.

Wake Up Rejus

Arrelious Benn needs to step up as well. Instead of Williams and Benn, it's been other receivers like Dez Briscoe and Preston Parker stepping up.

Thank goodness they have taken their turns. But Benn needs a swift kick in the butt.

Offensive Line

O-line needs to keep doing what it did Monday night—it was marvelous Monday.

It was a tough task blocking Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, but they did a good job, and they opened holes for LeGarrette Blount, which brings us to No. 5.

Feed the Beast

Just give Blount the damn ball. We need the LeGarrette Blount who showed up on Monday night. Total beast.

He wore down the Indy defense, and that's a great formula for the Bucs—keep the defense rested and feed the beast!

Young Defenders

The young defenders need to keep improving. If you want to give the "most improved" award to a particular unit, it would be the offensive line and linebackers.

Up front, Tim Crowder, Brian Price, Adrian Clayborn and Gerald McCoy are coming on.

Sacks! They're getting sacks, they're pressuring quarterbacks, they're tackling ball carriers.

These guys need to keep ramping up. You can add Mason Foster in there as well—he's better each week. Dekoda Watson's looking good.

Raheem, Please Wake Up Aqib Talib.

Speaking of swift kicks in the can, Aqib Talib is totally in need of one.

Talib looked pathetic against Indy, and his play has been spotty at best this season. He needs to get it in gear.

Michael Koenen

 Michael Koenen has been excellent. The Bucs knew what they were doing when they signed this guy.

All you clowns who were screaming for that Nnamdi guy, yeah, Asomugha—well, he's been a total flop in Philly, kind of like the Eagles as a whole.

Koenen has been a great addition to this team.

Safety First

Need better play from the safeties, but that's an area that is talent-deficient right now. Raheem may think they are "wolves," but right now they look more like sheep.

Whewww.

That should just about cover it.

At 3-1, it's been a nice start, and it's certainly better than what it could have been. Losing to Detroit was not shameful, as no one else has beaten those guys.

The heat is about ready to be turned up. Way up.

These Bucs had better be ready.