Bucs lose ugly preseason game to Titans

by Gary Shelton on August 21, 2022

in general

Sunday, 4 a.m.

There were a few ways to look at the ugliness of the Tampa Bay Bucs' latest preseason humiliation.

One: You can be thankful this was preseason, and as such, their 13-3 loss to Tennessee can be forgotten immediately.

Two: They're going to need more time.

Three: What time does the Masked Quarterback get back into town?


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What it often entails is defeat.

Other than that, the night was a challenge to everyone who thinks of the Bucs as a deeply talented contender. The Bucs were awful. They didn't tackle. They didn't block. They were lost on special teams.

Just asking: They charge for these games, right?

The Bucs laid an egg Saturday night in Nashville. Yeah, it was a glorified practice game. On the other hand, is this team really ready to open its season in two weeks? And speaking of their vacationing quarterback, could anyone blame him for not coming back until the blocking gets a little better?

Some observations:

-- Rookie Luke Goedeke had a tough night at guard, drawing two penalties and allowing pressure. One of the players he's competing with to start, Aaron Stinnie, was injured.

"It didn't look like we could move the ball no matter who was in there," Bucs' coach Todd Bowles said.

-- Is Logan Hall off somewhere with Brady? Have you noticed him in two weeks?

-- Kicker Ryan Succop hit a 52-yard field goal, which might give him an edge in his kicking competition against Jose Borregales.

-- It's hard to to get a read on how well rookie punter Jake Camarda is doing because the Bucs' special teams haven't tackled anyone yet.

-- Everyone swears Tom Brady is coming back. If he does, this is still a top five team. If he doesn't, it's a bottom five team.

-- If the Bucs could tackle the quarterback, they would have had an eight-sack night.

-- Kyle Trask isn't ready to be a No. 2 quarterback in the NFL. On the other hand, neither is Blaine Gabbert. Trask took such a large step backward it was amazing he wasn't called for a safety.

-- I don't believe the Masked Singer rumors either, but if they're true, could Brady and Gronk do a rendition of "I Got You, Babe?"

--  Criminals should be forced to watch preseason games like this one. Hardened criminals should have to watch them twice.

The Bucs finish out the preseason Saturday night in Indianapolis.

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