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Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds answers your questions from the @PewterReport Twitter account each week in the Bucs Monday Mailbag. Submit your question to the Bucs Monday Mailbag each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag. Here are the questions we chose to answer for this week’s edition.

QUESTION: What happened to the Bucs’ awesome red zone offense from last year?

ANSWER: Well, it’s only Week 1, so keep that in mind. The Bucs did have one of the best red zone offenses in the league last year, converting 65.8% of trips into touchdowns. That ranked second in the league behind Buffalo (66.3%). Tampa Bay ranked 11th in 2020, converting 64.6% of their red zone trips into TDs. In a 19-3 win over the Cowboys, the Bucs converted just 1-of-3 (33.3%) red zone trips into touchdowns. The other two drives stalled on third down due to sacks by Pro Bowl pass rusher Micah Parsons.

Left tackle Donovan Smith was injured after giving up one sack to Parsons. His replacement, backup left tackle Josh Wells, surrendered the other sack to Parsons. On the second sack, Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa also beat left guard Luke Goedeke and prevented Tom Brady from stepping up into the pocket. Tampa Bay also had a couple of drives stall just outside of the red zone. As a result, Ryan Succop trotted out for five field goal attempts, making four of them to help the Bucs build a 12-3 lead at halftime.

Mike Evans finally ended the red zone drought with a 5-yard touchdown catch. It was a beautiful back shoulder fade pass that Evans grabbed with one hand over Cowboys Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs. Evans led the Bucs with a franchise-record 14 touchdowns last year. He’s already got his first one of the season.

If the Bucs had turned two of those field goals from Succop into touchdowns, they would’ve scored eight more points. Then, it’s a better-looking 27-3 win, right? Convert Succop’s miss into a made field goal and then the final score climbs to 30-3, which is more indicative of how Tampa Bay played. But give Parsons and the Dallas defense for putting the clamps down inside – and outside – of the red zone on third down. The Bucs converted just 5-of-14 third downs on the night.

QUESTION: Any update on injuries to Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith and wide receiver Chris Godwin?

ANSWER: The Bucs did lose two key starters to injury on Sunday night when left tackle Donovan Smith and wide receiver Chris Godwin were injured just before halftime. Smith was trying to block Dallas Pro Bowl pass rusher Micah Parsons when Parsons his his right forearm and elbow. Smith walked to the sidelines with the assistance of team trainers and was in obvious pain just after the injury occurred.

Bucs LT Donovan Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Pewter Report is told that x-rays came back negative, so there is no fracture. The Bucs are cautiously optimistic that it could be a slight hyper-extension or perhaps a bone bruise. Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles might know more on Monday during his post-game press conference. If there is a chance Smith can play next week at New Orleans, he will. He’s one of the toughest and most durable Buccaneers on the team.

As for Godwin, he suffered a hamstring strain on his third catch of the night, which came in the second quarter. He walked gingerly toward the bench after it happened and did not return. Godwin’s status for the Saints game is up in the air right now, but one has to assume with a hamstring injury that he would be out of action in Week 2.

There were some questions on social media after the game about the health of running back Leonard Fournette, who was pulled from the game in the fourth quarter. Fournette was the Bucs’ workhorse back on Sunday night, rushing for 127 yards on 21 carries (6.0 avg.). Once the game was well in hand, up 19-3, Fournette was given the rest of the night off and the team turned to rookie Rachaad White to close out the game. White finished with 14 yards on six carries (2.3 avg.).

Fournette also stepped up in pass protection during the game, as this knockdown block on Parsons illustrates.

QUESTION: Should the Bucs consider firing the strength and conditioning coach? What’s up with all these hamstring injuries the last couple of years?

ANSWER: Hamstring injuries are going to happen in football. Every team winds up with a couple of players each year that have hamstring strains. While the Bucs have had several during training camp and the preseason – not all hamstring injuries are the same. And sometimes, they just can’t be prevented. Hydration is part of the equation, and the Bucs training staff preaches fluid intake all the time.

But training in a tropical, hot and humid climate like the Bucs do in Tampa Bay, cramping and dehydration will occur in some form. It’s just bound to happen. And some players, such as Mike Evans, are susceptible to hamstring injuries, especially when it’s so hot and humid in August. Wide receivers Breshad Perriman and Russell Gage and cornerback Zyon McCollum also succumbed to hamstring injuries this summer.

Yet, the hamstring injury to Chris Godwin in Sunday’s 19-3 win over the Cowboys likely occurred due to one of two things. The amount of training and rehab that Godwin did for his injured knee may have weakened his hamstring just a bit to allow it to be tweaked in the game. Or, it could have been the awkward way in which he caught the ball. That could have strained his hamstring, too. If anything, the Bucs’ training staff should be applauded for getting Godwin ready to return to action after having ACL surgery nine months ago,

QUESTION: Which Saints team do we play next week? The one that was losing by two touchdowns to the Falcons? Or the one that scored three times in the final quarter to win the game?

ANSWER: Great question – and one that I’m not sure of right now. Remember, some crazy things happen in the NFL in Week 1. Last year, Saints QB Jameis Winston threw five touchdowns for New Orleans in a huge 38-3 rout of Green Bay. But by the end of the season, the Saints finished 9-8 and Winston was on injured reserve after tearing his ACL on Halloween against Tampa Bay. The Packers wound up finishing 13-4 and had the top seed in the NFC.

Bucs QB Tom Brady and Saints DE Marcus Davenport – Photo by: USA Today

This year, the Packers, who the Bucs play in their home opener in Week 3, got blasted by the Vikings, 23-7. And, as you alluded to, the Saints stormed back from a 26-10 deficit in the fourth quarter to rally for a 27-26 win. Should the Saints get credit for the comeback win? Or was this another choke job by the Falcons? It seems like Atlanta has mastered the art of the choke. Perhaps it should be Mylanta, rather than Atlanta, due to heartburn (or is it heartache?) that the Falcons cause their fans.

Either way, the Saints are still formidable. Winston shook off a horrid start to throw for over 200 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. Whether it’s a sigh of relief for New Orleans or sign of confidence, the Saints will return home to the Superdome next week to face the 1-0 Bucs. New Orleans is not afraid of Tampa Bay. And why should the Saints be? They’ve won the last seven regular season meetings dating back to 2018.

Regardless of if the Saints were 0-1 or 1-0, they will still be a formidable foe for the Bucs in Week 2. The Bucs will need another great defensive effort from Todd Bowles’ unit and better red zone play from Tom Brady and Co. to snap the losing streak.

QUESTION: How sustainable is this Bucs O-line, and can it hold up for Tom Brady all year? I thought Robert Hainsey and Luke Goedeke did a solid job. Thoughts?

ANSWER: I think rookie left guard Luke Goedeke and center Robert Hainsey played decent in their first NFL starts. Goedeke struggled at times against quick Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa in the run game and in pass protection. It wasn’t a perfect game by any means, but it was a good start to the second-round pick’s NFL career.

Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich played to Goedeke’s strength, which is run blocking, and called for a healthy dose of running the ball to start the game. Tampa Bay began the game running the ball 11 times and throwing it just six. Goedeke helped Fournette rush for 127 yards on 21 carries and held up fairly well in pass protection. The rookie was flagged once for a false start.

Hainsey might have played even better. The second-year center didn’t have any errant snaps and finished with no penalties. He was effective in the run game and showed off his mobility and athletic ability pulling and getting to the perimeter on a big run from Fournette.

The key for the Bucs is not sustaining anymore injuries to their offensive line. After losing Pro Bowl left guard Ali Marpet to retirement and Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen to a knee injury, as well as reserve guard Aaron Stinnie, the Bucs’ depth along the O-line is being tested. Losing left tackle Donovan Smith to an elbow/forearm injury didn’t help. The Bucs need Smith back as soon as possible and can’t afford to lose anyone else. If Tampa Bay’s offensive line can stay healthy, I think it can improve as the season goes on and turn into a team strength.