Bucs Bears preview
Finally the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to have a game to play this Sunday. For some players it has been over a month sice their last game action. Thanks to Hurricane Irma, the Bucs have had 3 practices in the last two weeks as they get ready for their first game this season.
The Chicago Bears will be in town and last year over 63,000 attended the Bucs-Bears game in Tampa, which was the largest crowd of the season at Raymond James Stadium.
The Bears have finished last three years in a row in the NFC North and this could be the last season for current HC John Fox if the Bears do not show some improvement.
The Bears have two new QB's in place. Former Buccaneer Mike Glennon is the starter for now signing a contract that will pay him 17 million a year. Glennon beat out the rookie from North Carolina St. Mitch Trubisky to win the starting job. Last week against the Falcons a 23-17 loss for the Bears, Glennon was 26/40 for 213 yards and one TD. Glennon was sacked four times and had the Bears in position to win the game.
The Bears will bring a revamped offensive line to Tampa, as well as new faces in the defensive backfield. The Bears also have one of the most exciting rookies in Tarik Cohen out of North Carolina A@T. Cohen is a dual threat as he ran for 66 yards and had 12 catches for 47 yards and a TD. Jordan Howard remains the No. 1 back in Chicago. Howard had 47 yards rushing and a TD against the Falcons last week.
The Bucs defense will have to find a way to contain Cohen and Howard in order to keep the Bears offense in check. The Bucs D-line will also need to be in Mike Glennon's face all day, get him to hurry his throws and keep him on edge. I think the Bucs defense will be up to the challenge and put a lot of pressure on Glennon.
The Bucs OL will be challenged as the Bears front seven are very formidable and could present some problems for the Bucs. This will be the first game that we have seen the revamped OL with Ali Marpet moving to center and JR Sweezy stepping into the RG position. The Bucs OL will line up Smith, Pamphile, Marpet, Sweezy, and Dotson left to right.
The Bears did bring in Marcus Cooper and Quentin Demps to try to improve the seconadary but is still mediocre at best and Jameis Winston should be able to pick this secondary apart. It will be the first chance to see DeSean Jackson and OJ Howard in action.
Some key things to watch in the game on Sunday:
How will the addition of Chris Baker to the DL and the return of Jacquies Smith improve the DL and specifically the pressure on the QB?
Will a healthy Noah Spence begin to have the Breakout season we are all expecting?
How will TJ Ward fit into the secondary and who gets booted to the bench Tandy or Conte?
How will the Bears defense cover the three headed monster of MIke Evans, DeSean Jackson and OJ Howard?
There are so many other storylines that will come to fruition in this game. I am expecting big things form the Bucs this season and it will all start Sunday with a 27-10 Bucs win.
