These Buccaneers are going to be all right

Posted Aug 22, 2010 by Tribune Sports

Updated Aug 22, 2010 at 06:51 PM

Sat in the press box for the Buccaneers’ lightly attended 20-15 win against Kansas City at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday night with former Tampa Bay quarterback Parnell “Pay Dirt” Dickinson and former Bucs All-Pro linebacker David Lewis. It was a win the Bucs preserved in the game’s last seconds on a slick strategy by Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris, when he chose to take a safety, then kick the ball away to preserve the win. It was a nice maneuver, nicely executed by Tampa Bay punter Brent Bowden. It was a win, in a game that could have been lost, just as the loss at Miami in the opener that could have been won —  thus squaring the Bucs preseason record at 1-1.

“The 1-1 record so far is about right,” Dickinson said. “The Bucs could have won or lost either of these games so 1-1 record is OK. The Bucs have not yet demonstrated what can be expected this year, but my guess is they seem to be headed for a 50-50 season with new quarterbacks, Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson, I think they have a chance to break even or have a winning season, depending on the play of those two quarterbacks as the season rolls on.”
Freeman fractured the tip of his thumb on his throwing hand and left the game, but he will be OK.

“I think the Bucs are going to play hard this season and their progress will depend on the maturation of prime rookies,” Lewis said. “As you know, nine of their first-year men were on the field in these first two games to give them experience for the season ahead. I like it. The Buccaneers showed me new talent.”

The Bucs did that all right and now with their 1-1 standing seem ready to start genuine preparation for the regular season ahead. These Buccaneers look now as if they are about a break-even team that could go either way, up or down, depending on coaching and performances of new players, notably quarterbacks Freeman and Johnson. In truth, these Buccaneers seem to be coming along well for a rebuilding club with so many new key players plus the newish coach, Morris, a fast talking, confident man who has the self assurance he will need to take him through this season.

The schedule is not that tough, not that easy. The team is getting a break on scheduling. However, the smallish crowd at this opening home game reflects the economy and the wait-and-see attitude of Buccaneer fans. Pro football has gotten costly for the fans and the Bucs have a hard sell season ahead, which they can make easier only with a strong season. They seem to have the talent for the fulfillment of this opportunity. The young quarterbacks performed well enough and the Buccaneers have a potential star at wide receiver in Sammie Stroughter, who has breakaway speed and good hands. He is a good fit and he can be a genuine star. These Buccaneers are in need of offensive stars.

The Buccaneers’ defense was predicted to be strong and it has been, with corner Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib the keys. They are leaders and are gifted, and the defensive front appears to be a work with successful progress. Notably, punter Bowden and place-kicker Connor Barth are solid in these two key roles, as is Mark Dominik as the Bucs’ general manager. These Buccaneers, early as it is, seem to be performing well for the season ahead. Now the front office will have to go about the business of putting the fans back in Raymond James Stadium. NFL football is no longer the easy sell in markets such as Tampa.

However, there is no state of emergency in Tampa — or with pro football in Tampa — that a winning streak of three or four games can’t cure. No panic here, just a reminder that sports needs a nudge or two now and then or a winning streak now and then.

“The team is going to be all right,” said Lewis, who at 6-foot-4 and 247 pounds during his playing days was as good a linebacker as this franchise ever produced, just as the NFL in Tampa is going to be as good as ever.