Buccaneers Keys: Start Fast, Start Cean
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After a deep playoff run last season, Tampa Bay comes in to 2024 with huge goals. The path towards those goals begins on Sunday against the inferior Washington Commanders. Despite what looks like a massive advantage on paper, Tampa Bay will needs to play like the team they intend to be. Sharp and prepared should get the job done in week one. Here are our keys to coming away with an opening victory.
Start Fast
It’s hard to know exactly what to expect from new offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s offense. That’s what happens when your starters play exactly one(albeit very impressive) drive during the preseason. What we do know is that Coen wants to get out of the gate strong.
“It is very important for us to start fast,” Coen said. “We’ve got a top-five defense in the NFL, so if we can start fast and get ahead and play from ahead, typically good things happen. In the style of play that we want to play with, that helps when you can jump out and play fast and get ahead early.”
Music to the ears of Buccaneers fans who watched the team fail to score a single touchdown on an opening drive last season.
“We’ll try to be creative within the first 15 or 20 calls,” Coen said. “Those are specific plays that we kind of talk about as a staff to kind of group together and get the defense on their heels a little bit and throw different looks at them to just give yourself an advantage and be able to see what they’re presenting, as well, with some of those plays.”
Words are just words and Sunday we will see if Coen can live up to his, but for a team that lacked aggression and execution last season it’s nice to hear the preferences of the coordinator.
A Lot Of Evans
A big part of getting out the gate quickly will be continuing to build on the Baker Mayfield to Mike Evans connection. Last season Mayfield and Evans recorded 1255 yards. This year Evans thinks it can be better.
“Last year was our first year together.” Evans said. “This year, I expect us to take it to that next level. I’m the ‘X’ receiver, so it’s a little easier for me because I’m going to be singled up a lot, so he can just know how they’re playing me, and I’ll know the coverage as well and it’s things we have worked on in practice so it’s just timing and being together for a little while.”
With Coen in charge and timing improving, the sky is truly the limit in 2024 and the Commanders are a great place to start. Washington’s defense ranked 32nd last season in pass yards given up. It’s imperative for this game that Evans goes hard at the Commander secondary and sets the tone early. Coen certainly can’t wait to use him.
“He’s just a guy that you don’t really realize how good he is until you get with him in person, then you realize how smart he is.” Coen said. “The guy calls out coverages before the snap happens. He’ll say it aloud. He calls out coverages all the time. He has seen so much because of how people have to play him… we have to figure out how teams are going to play him, which then is a little bit of a different weapon for us to be able to, A) use him to win, and B) use him to decoy.”
Play Clean
The NFL has a new rule with illegal procedures and as we saw on Thursday they intend to call it.
“No.” Head coach Todd Bowles replied when he was asked if he was surprised to see the amount of illegal procedures. “We’ve been made very aware of that since the beginning of the preseason. We understand they’re going to call it. We’ve talked to our guys about it countless times.”
With the team aware of the situation and a desire to start fast, you can’t shoot yourself in the foot. The Buccaneers had very few penalties in the preseason and they need to extend that into game one to not give an inferior team any extra opportunities. “We’ve just got to be smart and we’ve got to try to be penalty free.” Bowles said.
For a team that has the sort of goals Tampa Bay has, getting a strong statement win in week one against an inferior opponent is a must. If they can start fast, find their big-name playmaker, and play disciplined, this one should go Tampa’s way.
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