Sailing Around the World | Tampa Bay Bucs Franchise

[Mit]

NFC South Preview: New Orleans Saints

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The Super Bowl champs, New Orleans Saints, are back this season and are looking to repeat. They are returning most of their key players, other than LB Scott Fujita and DE Charles Grant, who left the Saints in free agency. The Saints have a ton of weapons on offense, which will make their offense dangerous, again. The Saints picked up CB Patrick Robinson out of Florida State, which will move Malcolm Jenkins to safety. This should improve the Saints secondary a bit. With an excellent offense and a good defense, the Saints should easily win the NFC South.

2009 Record: 13-3 (1st in NFC South)
2010 Projected Record: 12-4 (1st in NFC South)

Key Additions: DE Alex Brown, DE Jimmy Wilkerson, LB Clint Ingram, OG Terrence Metcalf
Key Losses: RB Mike Bell, DE Charles Grant, LB Scott Fujita, DE Bobby McCray

2010 NFL Draft Selections: 1st: CB Patrick Robinson (Florida State); 2nd: OT Charles Brown (USC); 3rd: TE Jimmy Graham (Miami); 4th: DT Al Woods (LSU); 5th: C Matt Tennant (Boston College); 7th: QB Sean Canfield (Oregon State)​

 

[Lumpkin]

some really good writeups so far. When you plan on starting the season?

 

[Mit]

some really good writeups so far. When you plan on starting the season?

Thanks a lot man. I got a pretty busy work schedule these next couple of weeks, so I'm not entirely certain. I'm gonna try to play all the preseason games by the middle of next week, then start the regular season probably a week and a half or two weeks from now.

 

[albidnis]

Nice work so far

 

[Mit]

Bucs Edge Out Dolphins In First Preseason Game

<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyODE5MjI*MzEyODkmcHQ9MTI4MTkyMjQ1MDQ1NiZwPTk1MDcxJmQ9Jmc9MSZvPWJmMzM4MzBlMjVjNTQ*ZWU5OTcx/ZjJkMWM3YzE2ODUxJm9mPTA=.gif" /><object width="640" height="360"><param name="wmode" value="transparent" valuetype="data" /><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.www.easports.com/static/194.19.1/flash/mdMediaPlugin/mediaplayer.swf?file=http://cdn.content.easports.com/media2011/madden11/35699873/551A0001_1_FLV_VIDEO_LQF.flv&link=http://www.easports.com/media/play/video/30751562&linkfromdisplay=true&linktarget=_top&image=" valuetype="data" /><embed src="http://cdn.www.easports.com/static/194.19.1/flash/mdMediaPlugin/mediaplayer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="height=360&width=640&file=http://cdn.content.easports.com/media2011/madden11/35699873/551A0001_1_FLV_VIDEO_LQF.flv&link=http://www.easports.com/media/play/video/30751562&linkfromdisplay=true&linktarget=_top&image="></embed></object><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></div>

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The game started off a defensive battle, as neither team scored a single point in the first quarter. The second quarter rolled around and both teams were able to break through. The first touchdown was scored by Cadillac Williams, who went out on a flat and received a pass from Josh Freeman. Williams outran LB Karlos Dansby for a touchdown.

Head Coach Raheem Morris seemed very happy after the play, as he went for a gutsy fourth down play earlier in the drive to keep it going.

On the ensuing Dolphins possession, they were able to march down the field with ease, as Chad Henne completed a few passes on that drive. It was topped off with a receiving touchdown by Davone Bess from 9 yards out, with only 41 seconds left in the half.

The Bucs started off the second half with the ball and they utilized the possession. They had a 13 play, 85 yard drive, which lasted nearly 8 minutes. The drive was finished by Cadillac Williams, as he ran the ball in from 1 yard out on 3rd and goal

The 'Phins were able to drive the ball up the field on their next possession, but they failed on the 3rd down conversion. Chad Pennington tried to squeeze the ball into the hands of Brandon Marshall, but Aqib Talib stopped the pass. The Dolphins had to settle for a field goal.

Luckily, the 'Phins were only down 4 points and they forced a three and out on the next Bucs possession. The Dolphins got the ball and were able to drive up the field again, but they were hit with penalties when they were in the red zone. They were at the 1 yard line and then Chad Pennington got sacked by Aqib Talib. That forced them back to the 6 yard line and then the Dolphins got a false start penalty, which forced them back to the 11. They had to settle for a field goal and this was the end of their scoring for the day. The Bucs were able to hold onto the ball for the remaining of the game and won a close one 14 to 13.

"This was definitely a great win for us today. I sure as [expletive] didn't play well, but it's all good. We won and that's all the matters", said Cadillac Williams after the game.

 

[Rudi]

Always good to get a W. but everyone knows pre-season doesnt mean poop

 

[Mit]

By ESPN Analyst Adam Schefter

Bucs | Bucs have multiple free agents work out for them
The Tampa Bay Bucs were working out players, who were looking for jobs the day after their win against the Miami Dolphins in their first preseason game. Head Coach Raheem Morris examined the team's needs after the game.

"We are lacking a speed back that can be used on runs to the outside. I feel like there are a lot of teams that have a balance of speed backs and power backs. We already have the power backs, but we need one or two speed backs on the depth chart."

To accommodate for the lack of speed backs, Morris called up long-time veteran, Michael Bennett, to see if he wanted to work out for the Bucs. Along with Bennett, Morris also called up Anthony Aldridge and Chad Simpson.

Head Coach Morris also assessed the QB's on the depth chart and realized that they needed somebody that had experience in the NFL.

"We got Freeman, who's only been in the league on year. Josh [Johnson] has been in the league two years, but he hasn't seen much action. He saw some last year, but he performed poorly. Then, we brought in Snead this year, who we thought could compete with Johnson for the backup spot. We expected Freeman to be our guy for the future. He has yet to make any progress from last year. He has still been making a lot of mistakes and still cannot accurately pass the ball. We're gonna try to get someone in here that can truly challenge Freeman for the starting spot cause Johnson or Snead won't."

Morris decided to contact former 1st overall pick, JaMarcus Russell, to see if he was interested in working out for the Bucs. Morris also called Daunte Culpepper, who Morris thinks can mentor the young guys.

All the players that Raheem Morris contacted came to work out a few hours later, as they were able to catch a plane immediately to Tampa.

Bucs | RB Michael Bennett: Scouting Report
The former 1,000 yard rusher, Michael Bennett, looked like he had a lot of mileage on him. He wasn't running as hard or fast as he was earlier in his career. He definitely failed to impress the coaches today. He was also dropping quite a few passes and there was one time where he was tackled and was down for a little while. He has obvious signs of wear and tear and he is way past his prime. Grade: D+

Bucs | RB Anthony Aldridge
The second guy that worked out was Anthony Aldridge, who is a 3rd year player out of Houston. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2008. Aldridge has had trouble keeping a steady job on an NFL team. The Bucs see a lot of potential in this kid, as he is still only 26 years young. Aldridge was inconsistent today in his workout. He showed flashes of greatness, but there were also times where it was surprising how this guy played football. Aldridge was smooth and quick in and out of his cuts. He also did a few runs to the outside, where he used his speed and acceleration to run past the defenders. Although, Aldridge fumbled the ball on numerous occasions. It just seems like he didn't know how to receive the ball from the QB on a handoff. Grade: C-

Bucs | RB Chad Simpson
Out of the three RB's that worked out today, Chad Simpson wowed the coaches the most. He does not have the explosiveness off the line of scrimmage that Bennett and Aldridge have, but he does have the same sort of speed in the open field. He has all the nifty tricks to break a tackle, but he needs to work on finding where the open holes are. Like Bennett and Aldridge, Simpson showed his problems in holding onto the football, as he fumbled quite a few times. Although, he was consistently breaking tackles and used his speed to get past defenders in the open field. The Bucs coaches were definitely intrigued by Simpson. Grade: B

Bucs | QB Daunte Culpepper
Culpepper has seen it all. He has seen victories. He has seen losses. He has seen injuries, starting roles, and backup roles. He has experience, which is exactly what the Bucs are looking for. They need someone that can mentor the young QB's that they have on their roster, especially Josh Freeman, who they have such high regard for. Freeman has shown little improvement this year and the Bucs need someone to "coach" him. Culpepper played the game with a fiery intensity. Culpepper didn't need to wow the coaches with his passing, as he would not be brought to Tampa for that reason. They only need him to help Freeman improve. Culpepper would not be starting, or even playing for that matter. Freeman can look up to Culpepper, who at the peak of his career, had 39 touchdown passes. Not bad there. Grade: B

Bucs | QB JaMarcus Russell
Coach Raheem Morris wanted to give Russell another shot in the NFL. He realized that players can change, which is one of the reasons why he gambled on WR Mike Williams in the draft. In interviews, Russell has said that he's changed his mentality about football. He wants to improve now and be on the field. He wasn't joking when he said that. Russell still had that cannon arm, but he was quite accurate when he was working out. He wasn't overthrowing the receivers on deep posts and other long routes. More importantly, he was holding on to the ball, which is a good sign. Russell was also working hard on every single play. He was attempting to read the defense before the snap and try to make adjustments. Definitely a good sign here from Russell. Although he doesn't have that much experience, he's been around the block. He was the player that impressed coaches the most today. Grade: B+

 

[Rudi]

Anthony Aldridge was pretty sweet at Houston. You should sign him. And LOL, dont bring that syrup sippin lazy sob to Tampa :shifty:

 

[Mit]

Anthony Aldridge was pretty sweet at Houston. You should sign him. And LOL, dont bring that syrup sippin lazy sob to Tampa :shifty:

Yeah, Aldridge did really well at Houston, but he's got a problem holding on to the football.

And Russell has shown signs of improvement. :smug:

 

[beamerball811]

BOOO Cody and Brent were not bad picks!!!! Sure Dwyer was there, but Bowden is a great punter, Cody is the son of Russ, though 2 totally different players. Cody is electric fast and plays with a lot of heart. With some grooming, he has the work ethic, he can turn into being a very solid OLB

 

[Mit]

BOOO Cody and Brent were not bad picks!!!! Sure Dwyer was there, but Bowden is a great punter, Cody is the son of Russ, though 2 totally different players. Cody is electric fast and plays with a lot of heart. With some grooming, he has the work ethic, he can turn into being a very solid OLB

Haha. I graded the picks on the value of them. I don't think Grimm was a high value pick, as the Bucs are already set at LB. Bowden's not bad, though.

And I would have preferred Dwyer on team cause Cadillac and Ward blow.

 

[beamerball811]

Haha. I graded the picks on the value of them. I don't think Grimm was a high value pick, as the Bucs are already set at LB. Bowden's not bad, though.

And I would have preferred Dwyer on team cause Cadillac and Ward blow.

I understand that, but they both have brighter futures than Dwyer.
He played in a run-only system, Grimm had a phenomenal DC and Bowden is Bowden lol, the name is legendary lol

 

[Mit]

I understand that, but they both have brighter futures than Dwyer.
He played in a run-only system, Grimm had a phenomenal DC and Bowden is Bowden lol, the name is legendary lol

Ehhh. I think Dwyer will be a pretty good back alongside Mendenhall.

 

[Mit]

Dolphins | Dolphins sign veteran LB
To bring more depth to their LB squad, the Dolphins signed OLB Keith Bulluck to a 1 year deal, worth 5 million. Bulluck could earn another 500k in incentives. Bulluck has seen a recent decline in his tackles, but he should be solid for the Dolphins, as he provides an upgrade at OLB.

Eagles | CB Ellis Hobbs out 4 weeks with broken ribs
Starting Eagles CB Ellis Hobbs went down with broken ribs after he attempted to bring down Maurice Jones-Drew in their first preseason game. He is expected to miss 4 weeks and should be back by the first or second game of the regular season.

Patriots | Rookie CB McCourty out for 10 weeks
The rookie first round pick, Devin McCourty, was lost for 10 weeks after dislocating his hip. McCourty said he heard a pop when he was trying to defend Julian Edelman in practice. This is a huge setback for the Patriots, as they were looking for big things out of this guy. He should be missed for atleast half the regular season.

Ravens | Ray Rice only has a dislocated elbow
The life was sucked out of the stadium when Ravens star RB Ray Rice went down in the 1st quarter against the Panthers. Rice was brought down hard by Jon Beason and clutched his elbow. He was able to get up but did not return. Luckily, for Ravens fans, he only had a dislocated elbow and should be back by the start of the regular season.

Redskins | Skins add Atogwe to their team
The Skins signed Oshiomogho Atogwe to their team yesterday, as they signed him to a 1 year, 9.13 million dollar deal. This deal makes Atogwe the highest paid safety in the NFL. Atogwe will provide an immediate improvement at the position, as he will be starting over Kareem Moore and Reed Doughty, who are mediocre players. Atogwe bolsters this already above-average secondary.

 

[beamerball811]

Ehhh. I think Dwyer will be a pretty good back alongside Mendenhall.

I hope so lol. But I think I'd rather have Grimm to play OLB than Dwyer...Dwyer better fit a team need as a backup RB though so idk.

 

[Rudi]

Dwyer was a beast in NCAA 10.

 

[Mit]

Flowers's INT Proves To Be The Game Winner

<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyODI*MzQyODQ2MjcmcHQ9MTI4MjQzNDI5MDcxMCZwPTk1MDcxJmQ9Jmc9MSZvPWJmMzM4MzBlMjVjNTQ*ZWU5OTcx/ZjJkMWM3YzE2ODUxJm9mPTA=.gif" /><object width="640" height="360"><param name="wmode" value="transparent" valuetype="data" /><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.www.easports.com/static/194.20.4/flash/mdMediaPlugin/mediaplayer.swf?file=http://cdn.content.easports.com/media2011/madden11/35699873/551A0001_2_FLV_VIDEO_WQS.flv&link=http://www.easports.com/media/play/video/31860968&linkfromdisplay=true&linktarget=_top&image=" valuetype="data" /><embed src="http://cdn.www.easports.com/static/194.20.4/flash/mdMediaPlugin/mediaplayer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="height=360&width=640&file=http://cdn.content.easports.com/media2011/madden11/35699873/551A0001_2_FLV_VIDEO_WQS.flv&link=http://www.easports.com/media/play/video/31860968&linkfromdisplay=true&linktarget=_top&image="></embed></object><div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.easports.com/" target="_top" shape="rect">EA Sports</a>: <a href="http://www.easports.com/media/play/video/31860968" target="_top" shape="rect">Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight</a></div>​

Brandon Flowers had an interception late in the fourth quarter, which proved to be the eventual game winner for the Chiefs, as Kicker Ryan Succop kicked a field goal that put the Chiefs up. The Bucs weren't able to score on the ensuing possession and gave the ball up. Jamaal Charles got a pass in the flats from Brodie Croyle and was able to scamper 39 yards for the touchdown. That was the icing on top of the cake for the Chiefs, as they were able to win the game 32 to 24.

It seemed as though turnovers was the primary issue for the Bucs in this game, as they had 7 turnovers, with a -5 margin. Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson both got picked off two times each. Freeman also fumbled the ball once and Derrick Ward had two fumbles. This has been a pressing issue for the Bucs all of training camp and through the first two games of preseason. The Bucs have a total of 9 turnovers through their first two games and that must change if they want to win some games.

"I know I did a really bad job of passing the ball today. I just wasn't getting a very good read on the 3-4 D. They sent a lot of blitzes in and it just confused me. I definitely need to start studying the 3-4 a little more", said Josh Freeman after the game.

 

[dMerch]

whys johnson playing?

 

[beamerball811]

I love Brandon Flowers, former Hokie corner! Congrats to him, however tough loss

 

[Mit]

whys johnson playing?

It's preseason.

I love Brandon Flowers, former Hokie corner! Congrats to him, however tough loss

Haha, I like him a lot too. He's an up and coming CB. And yeah, was a tough loss. Couldn't really get anything going.