TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The lineup retains altering, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers carry on profitable.
The reigning Tremendous Bowl champions (6-1) are off to their finest begin in franchise historical past, with Tom Brady exhibiting no indicators of slowing down at age 44 and an injury-depleted protection that’s thriving, too, regardless of being with out a number of key gamers.
With out accidents within the secondary to cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting, Carlton Davis and Richard Sherman, unheralded backups such Dee Delaney and Pierre Desir wouldn't be enjoying a lot — if in any respect — on a gifted protection that was a giant a part of Tampa Bay’s championship run final season.
Delaney and Desir each had interceptions throughout Sunday’s 38-3 rout of the Chicago Bears, leaving coach Bruce Arians marveling in regards to the job Bucs common supervisor Jason Licht and vp of participant personnel John Spytek have completed setting up a deep roster.
“It’s the next-man-up mentality. Somebody is going to come in and fill those roles, and we don’t plan to drop off if somebody goes down. Everyone is expected to play at the same level, no matter who you are,” stated security Antoine Winfield Jr., who returned to the lineup Sunday after lacking two video games due to a concussion.
“It’s always the next man up, and if you don’t believe in it, if you just say it, it won’t happen. We truly believe it and we talk to these guys — when you’re on this team, you have a role. Accept your role. At any point in time, that role’s going to change; the level of play and expectation level doesn’t change,” Arians stated.
“If you’ve got a Buccaneer helmet on, there’s a level of play that’s all that will be accepted,” the coach added, “and these guys have risen to the challenge.”
WHAT’S WORKING
Tom Brady leads the league is passing yards and TD passes, however the Buccaneers are at their finest offensively when the operating recreation is cooking, too.
The Tremendous Bowl champs ran for a season-best 182 yards on 31 makes an attempt in opposition to the Bears, with Leonard Fournette (15 carries, 81 yards, one TD), Ronald Jones (10 carries, 63 yards) and Ke’Shawn Vaughn (5 carries, 27 yards) all averaging greater than 5 yards per try.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
Regardless of scoring 38 factors in Sunday’s victory, Arians was not pleased with the way in which the offense performed, significantly after halftime when the Bucs had been held to a few factors and turned the ball over on downs on one other possession after having first-and-goal from the Chicago 2.
STOCK UP
The offensive line has completed a wonderful job of defending Brady, permitting simply 9 sacks by way of seven video games. The Bucs didn’t yield to the Khalil Mack-led Bears go rush, which entered the sport tied for the league lead with 21 sacks.
STOCK DOWN
Rookie quarterbacks vs. Brady. Since 2014, Brady is 10-0 in matchups in opposition to groups led by rookie quarterbacks. Todd Bowles’ defenses have a fairly good observe report in opposition to younger QBs, too, and sacked Chicago’s Justin Fields 4 occasions and compelled 5 turnovers.
INJURIES
Arians is hopeful that linebacker Lavonte David (ankle), tight finish Rob Gronkowski (ribs) and probably Richard Sherman (hamstring) will be capable to return to follow this week. Gronkowski has missed the previous 4 video games and David the previous two. Sherman sat out in opposition to Chicago after being injured the earlier week. Arians didn't have an update Monday on cornerbacks Jamel Dean (shoulder) and Dee Delaney (ankle), who had been damage Sunday.
KEY NUMBER
Six, as in a franchise-record six victories within the first seven video games of a season. The earlier finest begin in group historical past was 5-1 in 1979, 1997, 2002 and 2005.
NEXT STEPS
Go to New Orleans subsequent Sunday. The Saints swept the 2020 season series between the NFC South rivals solely to be eradicated from the playoffs by the Bucs final January.
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