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Extra Point: Top Takeaways From Bucs' Preseason Win Over Bengals

Breaking down the top takeaways from the Bucs preseason victory over the Bengals.

JC Allen

Aug 10, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) catches a pass against Cincinnati Bengals safety Vonn Bell (24) in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 10, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) catches a pass against Cincinnati Bengals safety Vonn Bell (24) in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers football is back! The Bucs took on the Cincinnati Bengals Saturday night to kick off their first of three preseason games. It came down to the wire, but the Bucs left "The Jungle" with a 17-14 victory. There was plenty to like about the win, especially with the way the run game performed and the run defense excelled. The Bucs boasted a balanced attack on offense that showcased new offensive coordinator Liam Coen's system while playing sound defense behind mostly rookie and young players, as most of the starters sitting out.

Here are my top takeaways and three up and three down from the Bucs 17-14 win over the Bengals.

Rushing Game Looks Rejuvenated

Is the Bucs running game back? After the first preseason game, it appears so. The Buccaneers finished with 136 yards on the ground on 32 carries for a healthy 4.25 yards per carry average in their first preseason contest. The run game was also responsible for the only touchdowns of the game. With Rachaad White sitting out of the game, Bucky Irving was first in to show what he could do and the rookie running back did not disappoint. Irving carried the rock six times for 28 yards and opened the scoring for the Bucs' offense with a five-yard touchdown.

Second-year back Sean Tucker entered the game and picked up where Irving left off with 10 carries for 68 yards, breaking off a huge 26-yard run in the third quarter that helped set up the go-ahead field goal. Undrafted free agent D.J. Williams picked up the running game from there, picking up 29 yards of his own before giving way to fellow UDFA Ramon Jefferson who would make some nice grabs through the air, including an 18-yard catch and run, before driving his way in for the game-winning touchdown. It was a solid all-around effort for the Bucs running game with the offensive line generating plenty of push and the back taking care of the rest.

Rookies Show Up

Besides the Irving as mentioned above, who displayed his pinball-like running style bouncing off of would-be tacklers, the rest of the Bucs rookie class also stood out. Center Graham Barton rotated with incumbent Robert Hainsey for most of the first half and displayed his power and athleticism on several occasions — particularly on Irving's touchdown run, where he knocked his man on the ground before wiping out the linebacker at the next level deep into the endzone.

Wide receiver Jalen McMillan also stood out in the limited time he was in the game, pulling in two receptions for 23 yards, including a 19-yard catch and run coming over the middle of the field. Tykee Smith got the start at the nickel and looked sound throughout the game, playing 20 snaps and finishing tied for second on the team with four tackles. He did commit pass interference on Tee Higgins that was credited to Josh Hayes and led to the Bengals' first touchdown, but it was an easily correctible rookie mistake.

Devin Culp was targeted four times and twice over and underthrown by Kyle Trask, but showed off his speed getting reps early on in the game. Chris Braswell played a ton with 30 snaps, fourth most on defense, and showed good power to get pressure into the backfield. Elijah Klein tied for the most snaps played on the team with 64 and didn't look out of place showing promise for the future. Of the UDFAs, Jefferson and Tanner Knue showed the most on offense, while Marcus Banks, four tackles, and Tyrek Funderburk impressed on defense.

Coen's Offense Looks Promising

Besides getting a look at the new players on the Bucs, it was also an opportunity to get a look at the new coaches as well, specifically new offensive Coordinator Liam Coen. Players have raved and ranted about how Coen likes to use motions and shifts and "window dressing" to show one thing to make the defense think they know what's coming, only for it to be something they're not expecting. That was on display several times throughout the evening even with the playcalls being fairly vanilla.

Here is a good example of how Coen used certain looks creatively to set things up later in the game.

Coming back to the same look later, This time with a play-action pass to set up a nice gain of 12 yards and a first down.

The way Coen called the hurry-up offense in the two-minute drill to put the Bucs in position to score was also interesting to see. There is a lot to be excited about with the Bucs' new offense, whether it's the balance we saw on offense and the resurgence of the running game or the way he uses motions and sets up things for later in the game. We still haven't seen what this offense looks like with the starters at the helm, which should build to the excitement. Though it's one game, and a preseason game at that, there is plenty to be hyped up about for when the regular season rolls around.

READ MORE: Buccaneers Run Game Shines in Preseason Debut

Three Up, Three Down

UP

S Kaevon Merriweather

Merriwether played the most snaps on defense, 38, and made some big plays early on. He had a crucial pass breakup on what could've been a touchdown on a deep pass from Joe Burrow to Tee Higgins. He then followed it up with a safety blitz to cause a throwaway and then took down Chase down for a tackle for a loss of two yards. He looks a lot more comfortable back there and should be the top reserve at strong safety for the Bucs.

RB Sean Tucker

While Irving looked great, perhaps no one helped raise their stock more than Tucker. The forgotten man in the backfield, Tucker went from RB2 to the bench last season and was left of some people's 53-man roster predictions. But the second-year running showed up and showed out with his opportunity, running to the tune of 68 yards for a healthy 6.0 yards per carry average and a long gash of the defense for 26 yards displaying power, patience, and speed.

LB J.J. Russell

Just when you forget about Russell, he shows up to remind you. Getting the start, the third-year linebacker racked up a team-leading seven tackles in Saturday's win over the Bengals. He tied Merriweather for the most snaps played and continues to show his feel for finding the ball. If the Bucs were thinking about keeping just four linebackers on the roster with rookie Kalen DeLoach impressing in practice, Russell's performance has certainly made them rethink that. He also tied DeLoach with a team-high 10 snaps on special teams.

Down

CB Andrew Hayes

It's hard to think who had a worse night than Hayes. First, he slipped in coverage with the Bengals backed up on their own 1.5-yard line to allow an easy seven-yard completion to dig themselves out of a hole. Then he not only gave up a 37-yard touchdown to Jermaine Burton, but was also flagged on the play for illegal contact. On the last drive of the game with the Bengals threatening a comeback, he allowed a 38-yard catch to Burton to bring them across mid-field. Hayes signed on as a tryout player after rookie minicamp but may have played himself off the roster in this showing.

CB Josh Hayes

Another Hayes, another issue. Hayes was out of position on the Bengals go-ahead touchdown to Higgins not even in a place to attempt a tackle. He was also called for a pass interference call that was more so on Tykee Smith, but he could've had better positioning on the ball. There's a little bit more leeway with Hayes, who has looked good in camp as he transitions from a safety nickel role into an outside corner.

OL Avery Jones

Another guy who made it tough to stick around. Jones was constantly bullied on the line of scrimmage and was responsible for two of the Bengals sacks on Wolford. One came on a straight bully from Travis Bell and the other was when he failed to pick up a looping Shaka Heyward. The Bucs might want to keep a backup center on the practice squad with Hainsey and Bredeson, who can also play center, becoming free agents next season, but Jones made a difficult case for it to be him.

READ MORE: 3 Key Takeaways From Day 12 of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp 2024

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JC Allen
JC ALLEN

JC Allen has been covering the Bucs since 2020. He is credentialed reporter and writer for Sports Illustrated’s Bucs Gameday and is the VP of the PFWA Tampa Chapter. A transplant to the area, he offers unparalleled views and insights on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.