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Bucs finish a bend but don’t break preseason

Posted Sep 3, 2010 by Ira Kaufman

Updated Sep 3, 2010 at 12:28 PM

By IRA KAUFMAN

TAMPA—If the preseason is any indication, yards will be a lot easier to come by against the Buccaneers than points.

While fashioning a 2-2 exhibition slate, Tampa Bay yielded 80 first downs and the Bucs were outgained by 306 yards as opponents averaged 19 more snaps per game. Still, Tampa Bay allowed only five TDs in the four games, leaving Coach Raheem Morris encouraged.

And when it came to defending in the shadow of their own endzone, the Bucs proved particularly opportunistic.

Tampa Bay averaged 32.5 yards in returning six interceptions, including an 80-yard return by MLB Barrett Ruud against the Jaguars and Corey Lynch’s 91-yard TD dash at Houston Thursday evening. The Bucs finished the preaseason with a plus-3 turnover ratio, offsetting an erratic ground game that averaged only 3.6 yards per carry.

Take away the darting runs of Kareem Huggins and Tampa Bay’s average would have plunged to 2.9 yards per rushing attempt, suggesting the offensive line has plenty of room for improvement heading into the Sept. 12 opener against Cleveland and veteran QB Jake Delhomme.

Delhomme had flourished as a Buc-killer during most of his career in Carolina before signing with the Browns as a free agent in March.