It’s time for PewterReport.com’s 2-Point Conversion post-game column, which features two statements, two questions and two predictions based on the latest Bucs game. Tampa Bay remains winless in the preseason, falling 13-3 at Tennessee. Bucs quarterback Kyle Trask took a step back against the Titans, throwing an interception and getting sacked four times while completing just 45.8% of his passes. While the defense played well, the Bucs left their offense back in Tampa Bay, generating just 174 yards and converting only 2-of-13 third downs.

2 BIG STATEMENTS

STATEMENT 1: Bucs’ Trask Experiment Is All But Over

With just one preseason game to prepare for Dallas and the start of the 2022 season, the Kyle Trask experiment is all but over. With the majority of two preseason games to prove he’s a starting-caliber quarterback who can avoid turnovers and elevate the play of those around him, Trask failed to just beat out Blaine Gabbert for the backup quarterback job.

After a somewhat promising showing against Miami where he completed 75% of his passes with a touchdown and interception along with 258 yards passing, Trask took a step back against Tennessee. He completed 11-of-24 passes (45.8%) for only 105 yards with one interception. He was sacked four times and fumbled once in a 13-3 loss to the Titans.

Bucs QB Kyle Trask and RT Fred Johnson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Once again, Trask played all but the first two series of the game and he didn’t get a lot of help from a shaky Bucs offensive line. Through two preseason games, Trask has completed 36-of-57 passes (63.1%) for 343 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He’s been sacked six times – partly due to poor pocket awareness and also poor protection.

If Tom Brady returns and plays against Indianapolis next Saturday and Gabbert gets a series or two, that will only leave Trask to get a half’s worth of playing time at the most. That’s unlikely to be enough time to make a late push to unseat Gabbert for the No. 2 spot behind Brady.

Outside of a handful of nice throws, Trask just doesn’t look like an NFL starter. At least not yet. That’s what the Bucs wanted to find out this August. Can he compete for – and possibly win – the starting QB job once Brady leaves?

After what we’ve seen this preseason, if you think the answer is “yes,” you are either a die-hard Gators fan or you’re related to the Trask family. That’s not to say that Trask is trash and should be discarded. He’s made some strides this year in practice and in the games from a year ago. Maybe next year he can win the backup job.

But the Bucs have to realize that he’s not the answer at quarterback for the future. Trask doesn’t have great pocket awareness, holds on to the ball too long and just doesn’t have the “it factor.” It took him a while to win the starting job both in high school and in college.

But in the NFL, coaches and general managers can’t afford to wait. Just ask Todd Bowles, who was fired in New York because he wound up starting five different quarterbacks in four years with the Jets.

Bowles has to focus on the 2022 season and realize he has Brady for one more season, but general manager Jason Licht has to be concerned about the future. And he’ll have to work on finding another quarterback in free agency, the draft or the trade market to replace Brady as soon as 2023.

STATEMENT 2: Bucs Are Woefully Thin At Guard

The Bucs started five different players at left guard during training camp in an effort to find a replacement for Pro Bowler Ali Marpet. Robert Hainsey was quickly removed from that battle because he had to start at center once Ryan Jensen suffered a serious knee injury. In Saturday’s 13-3 loss at Tennessee, Aaron Stinnie suffered a serious knee injury of his own. He was carted off the field and is likely out for some time – if not the entire year.

Bucs LG Luke Goedeke – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

No single player has distinguished himself enough to win the job. As a result, Stinnie was likely going to be the opening day starter by default because of his experience. Now that he’s out, Nick Leverett will likely get the job over second-round pick Luke Goedeke and Brandon Walton, who has played guard and left tackle in the preseason. Leverett has only seen action at guard in just one game, which was at Indianapolis last year.

Goedeke got his first start with the first team in practice on Thursday, and also in the game against the Titans. He played okay until midway through the second quarter when he was flagged for two holding calls and helped give up a sack of Trask.

The scouting report on Goedeke revealed that one of his weaknesses was poor hand placement, and that led to the two penalties. He has shown some promise, especially in the run game. But he’s making the move from the right side to the left side, from tackle to guard and from Central Michigan to the NFL. Those are three big hurdles to jump over for the rookie.

Goedeke might wind up as the starting left guard at some point this season, but it shouldn’t be against Dallas on Sunday Night Football in the season opener. Leverett has had an up-and-down camp and preseason, but has more experience and gives the Bucs the best chance out of the players on the roster. But because Leverett is also the backup center, it would behoove Licht to bring in an experienced veteran free agent to bolster the depth in the meantime.

2 PROBING QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1. Were There Any Bright Spots In The Loss To The Titans?

Yes, defensively the Bucs played very well. The defense only surrendered 13 points, and one field goal came on a turnover on the Bucs’ end of the field on a drive that didn’t gain a single yard in three plays. Tampa Bay’s defense, which only played four starters at the beginning of the game, held Tennessee to only 245 yards. More importantly, the Bucs held the Titans to just 20% (3-of-15) on third downs and 1-of-3 (33.3%) on fourth downs.

Bucs LB Olakunle Fatukasi – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs defense had four sacks, led by Olakunle Fatukasi’s 1.5 sacks. One of those sacks was set up by a great pressure from Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who was very active in the first quarter with three tackles, including a tackle for loss. Seventh-round draft pick Andre Anthony also had a nice sack late in the game. And rookie cornerback Don Gardner, who nearly had a pick in last week’s loss to Miami, got an interception at Tennessee.

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles wants more takeaways from his unit, but the defense did a fantastic job of harassing rookie quarterback Malik Willis. He completed just 7-of-17 passes for 80 yards and one touchdown and was pressured most of the night. If not for Willis’ speed and escapability he would have been sacked more than three times.

QUSTION 2: Did Any Bucs Players Step Up On Offense Or Special Teams?

We’ll have to watch the tape to truly evaluate the offensive line play up front, but it looked rough initially for the most part. The Titans mostly whipped the Bucs in the trenches during the joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday. That seemed to continue on Saturday night.

Last week, the Bucs receiving corps stole the show against the Dolphins. But there wasn’t much to highlight in the passing game outside of a nice 34-yard catch by undrafted rookie receiver Deven Thompkins. He led the Bucs with two receptions for 38 yards.

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Rookie running back Rachad White ran for 19 yards on six carries, but had a big run wiped out due to a Goedeke holding call. White did have a nifty 16-yard catch-and-run, but fumbled at the end of the play.

Third-string running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn was the Bucs’ best player on offense in Nashville. He ripped off a 17-yard run in the second half and finished with 54 yards on 10 carries.

Surprisingly, the Bucs had two good kick returns. The first was a 25-yard return by Jaelon Darden, followed by a 33-yard return by Rachaad White.

The only other bright spot for the Bucs’ special teams was a 52-yard field goal from veteran Ryan Succop. The veteran is in the lead for the field goal duties once again after a strong week of practice in Tennessee. Jose Borregales needs to rebound in Indianapolis and make all of his kicks if he wants to steal the job from Succop.

The Bucs’ gunners really struggled against the Titans and ruined a good night from rookie punter Jake Camarda. The Georgia product might have out-kicked his coverage once on a 65-yard punt, but averaged 50.4 yards on the night. Yet, Tampa Bay’s poor coverage team caused his net average to be just 33.4 yards.

Rookie receiver Kyle Phillips fielded a punt one yard inside the Titans end zone, but returned it 27 yards. Phillips also had a 35-yard return after Kyler McMichael whiffed on a tackle. Phillips averaged 25.7 yards on three punt returns. Terry Godwin averaged 11 yards on two returns in the second half, including a 21-yarder.

Scotty Miller was targeted three times in the game and only came up with one catch for 15 yards. He got a step on a Titans defender in the second quarter, but dropped a catchable ball from Kyle Trask that would have been a big play. Miller hasn’t helped his cause much in the preseason so far.

2 BOLD PREDICTIONS

PREDICTION 1: Brady Is Not The Masked Singer

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

Speculation has run rampant about Tom Brady’s extended absence for a personal reason. It got to the silly stage this week when rumors that he might be The Masked Singer on the Fox music show ran wild on social media. The prediction is that Brady returns to practice this week and gets a series or two with the starters against Indianapolis in the preseason finale.

Even if the Bucs hold Brady out of the Colts game, don’t fret. Neither Brady nor the Bucs played a single preseason game in 2020 due to COVID-19 and still wound up winning Super Bowl LV. And that’s when Brady didn’t even know the offense like he does now. Brady has had back-to-back seasons with 4,500-plus passing yards and at least 40 touchdowns. Preseason or no preseason, he’ll be fine and ready to roll in Week 1 against Dallas.

PREDICTION 2: Fatukasi Will Make The Team

While there has been more buzz about the undrafted free agent receivers this summer, the best undrafted free agent has been a linebacker. Olakunle Fatukasi has made a big splash on defense in both preseason games. The Rutgers product led the Bucs with six tackles and a pass breakup in a 26-24 loss to Miami. Against Tennessee, he led Tampa Bay with nine tackles, including 1.5 sacks.

Fatukasi has more speed and playmaking ability than fellow backup inside linebacker K.J. Britt. It’s just that Britt, a second-year player, knows the defense better. Will the Bucs keep five inside linebackers again as they did a year ago? Or will Fatukasi beat out Grant Stuard? The Bucs might have to keep Stuard, a special teams ace, if their coverage units continue to struggle. But Stuard is a liability on defense, and that’s where Fatukasi has shined this August. Either way, Fatukasi will make the team.