It’s time for Scott Reynolds’ 2-Point Conversion post-game that features two big statements, two probing questions and two bold predictions. Todd Bowles got his first win as the Bucs head coach on Sunday night, as Tampa Bay won at Dallas, 19-3.

And he did it his way, playing “Bowles Ball.”

2 BIG STATEMENTS

STATEMENT 1: Bucs Win Playing “Bowles Ball”

NBC is rebooting the popular TV show Quantum Leap, which was a hit from 1989-93. The show featured Dean Stockwell and starred Scott Bakula as a time-traveling adventurer.

Well, we saw another reboot on NBC on Sunday night, as the Bucs traveled back in time to 1999 when Tampa Bay won with dominant defense and a strong running game.

Back in the day, that was called “Dungy Ball,” which was an ode to former Bucs head coach Tony Dungy’s philosophy.

Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The 2022 version of that should be called “Bowles Ball” because new head coach Todd Bowles shares a similar philosophy.

We told you during training camp that the Bucs were going to run the ball more and have a more balanced attack in 2022. And that’s exactly what is happening.

Running back Leonard Fournette ran for 127 yards on 21 carries (6.0) and the Bucs totaled 153 yards on the ground. Excluding two QB kneel downs in the victory formation, Tampa Bay ran the ball 31 times and Tom Brady only dropped back to throw the ball 29 times.

After finishing in the top three in scoring in each of the last three seasons, averaging around 30 points per game, Tampa Bay put up just 19 points in a 19-3 victory at Dallas. But Bowles isn’t infatuated with lighting up the scoring board with an aerial attack.

He’s more interested in lighting up the win column by any means necessary. Even if it’s a good, ol’ fashioned low-scoring game that more closely resembled a Bucs win under Dungy – rather than a victory under Bowles’ predecessor, Bruce Arians.

“We started running the ball a little more,” Bowles said. “We were having success. We were eating the clock, so they stayed with it.

“We were trying to take what they gave us. They gave us some things up front. Lenny did a heck of a job running hard, physical, finding the holes. The offensive line did a great job blocking. It was a total team effort tonight.”

After Week 1, Brady, who led the league in passing attempts, passing yards and passing touchdowns (43) last year, was ranked No. 22 out of all the QBs in terms of passing yards with just 212. Brady won’t stay near the bottom all season. He’s still too prolific of a passer not to pass for 4,000 yards this year – even at age 45. But Brady might not pass for 5,000 yards this year given Bowles’ commitment to the running game

Bucs S Antoine Winfield, Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bowles believes a more balanced attack will help the Bucs in their quest to end a three-game losing streak to the Los Angeles Rams and a seven-game losing streak in the regular season to the Saints. Tampa Bay travels to New Orleans to face the 1-0 Saints next week and must have continued success running the ball and playing great defense to prevail.

Bowles’ defense was stifling on Sunday night in Dallas, holding Dak Prescott under 50% passing (14-of-29 for 134 yards), sacking him three times and intercepting him once. Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was targeted 11 times, but was held to just two catches for 29 yards.

The Bucs run defense got off to a great start, allowing just 71 yards on the ground to the Cowboys. After one week, Tampa Bay’s run defense ranks sixth in the league. But more importantly, the Bucs are atop the league when it comes to scoring defense.

Just like Dungy back in the day, Bowles knows that if teams can’t score, they can’t win.

Welcome to Bowles Ball.

STATEMENT 2: Will Fournette Become Pro Bowl Lenny?

Running back Leonard Fournette had a great year for the Bucs last season, rushing for a team-high 812 yards and averaging 4.5 yards per carry. A late-season hamstring injury caused Fournette to miss three games. He could’ve had a 1,000-yard season if he stayed healthy.

But that 1,000-yard season might come this year, as the Bucs plan on featuring the run more than they did under Bruce Arians. Last year, Fournette averaged 58 yards per game. In Week 1, he ran for 127 yards on 21 carries and a healthy 6.0-yard average. Fournette ripped off a pair of 17-yard runs to wear down the Dallas defense.

Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs paid Fournette handsomely this offseason with a three-year deal that averages $7 million per year. Head coach Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich seem set on getting their money’s worth from Fournette this year. The big, 240-pound back touched the ball 23 times and totaled 137 yards.

Fournette won’t maintain his 127-yard rushing average all season. That would put him on pace for 2,057 rushing yards. But it wouldn’t be far-fetched to see Fournette average 80 yards on the ground per game. That would give him 1,360 yards rushing over a 17-game season. If he seems healthy, that seems doable – as long as Leftwich and Bowles seem committed to the ground game.

And keep in mind that Fournette is also capable of racking up yards through the air. Factoring in his 454 yards and two touchdowns on 69 receptions last year, Fournette totaled 1,266 yards and 10 touchdowns from scrimmage. If he were to total 1,600 yards this season and top one dozen combined TDs, Fournette could make his first Pro Bowl.

But before Fournette starts making reservations for accommodations in Las Vegas next February, there are 16 games to go and both he and the Bucs offensive line has to stay healthy. That’s something that has been problematic, dating back to the end of last year.

Of course, having a big game on national television on Sunday Night Football on opening weekend only help’s Fournette’s Pro Bowl cause around the league. And having his knockdown block on Micah Parson going viral on social media after the game doesn’t hurt, either.

2 PROBING QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1: Who Were The Bucs’ Unsung Heroes In Dallas?

For as much as the Bucs’ coverage units on special teams struggled during the preseason, Tampa Bay did one heck of a job neutralizing Dallas’ star return specialist KaVontae Turpin. The Bucs bottled Turpin up, holding him to three kick returns for a 19.3-yard average and a long of just 22 yards.

“I thought the special teams did a great job in setting us up with some things and not letting that returner out because I was definitely scared of him,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said after the game.

Bucs P Jake Camarda – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs were even better covering punts, which was a sore spot back in August. Rookie punter Jake Camarda blasted a 63-yard punt into the end zone on his first attempt. The other two were nailed inside the 20, and Turpin only had one return for three yards. Camarda averaged 50.7 yards per punt with a 43-yard net in his first NFL start. Just a fantastic effort by the rookie.

Linebacker K.J. Britt had two tackles on the night, as did rookie tight end Cade Otton. And Otton also performed well as a blocker in his first NFL start. He and Ko Kieft really helped propel the Bucs’ ground game. Not including a couple of kneel downs by Tom Brady in the victory formation to end the game, Kieft helped account for 62 yards rushing on the night.

Kieft played fullback and tight end and helped spring Leonard Fournette for one of his 17-yard runs and Julio Jones’ 12-yard end-around. The only problem was that every play Kieft was in the game for was a run play. That’s a tell for opposing defenses and a tendency the Bucs will have to break in Week 2 at New Orleans.

QUESTION 2: Why Did The Bucs Run The Ball So Much With Brady And All The WRs?

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich wanted to establish the running game early to get rookie left guard Luke Goedeke and center Robert Hainsey, who was making his first NFL start, comfortable. Both are better run blockers than pass protectors at this stage of their careers and it showed in the Pro Football Focus grades from Sunday night.

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

C Robert Hainsey PFF run block grade: 72.6
C Robert Hainsey PFF pass block grade: 36.8
 
LG Luke Goedeke PFF run block grade: 66.7
LG Luke Goedeke PFF pass block grade: 31.8
 
LT Josh Wells PFF run block grade: 80.6
LT Josh Wells PFF pass block grade: 59.3
 
LT Donovan Smith PFF run block grade: 83.3
LT Donovan Smith PFF pass block grade: 5.4

Leftwich was wise to play to Hainsey and Goedeke’s strength and not expose them to too many passing plays in their first NFL start. It was the right game plan and executed well up front by the offensive line and tight ends.

The Bucs targeted the right side of the Cowboys defensive line, which featured undersized defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (6-2, 280) and undersized defensive ends Dorance Armstrong (6-4, 255) and Tarell Basham (6-4, 266), in the running game. While Smith struggled early on with Pro Bowl pass rusher Micah Parsons before leaving with an elbow injury, he dominated in the run game (83.3). Even Wells, his replacement, picked up where Smith left on in the rushing attack (80.6).

Fournette had 16 carries for 111 yards on the left side and five carries for 16 yards rushing to the right against the Cowboys.

2 BOLD PREDICTIONS

PREDICTION 1: Britt Winds Up As Bucs Special Teams Captain

Bucs ILB KJ Britt – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles announced the team’s captains last week, including a pair of linebackers in Pro Bowler Devin White and Lavonte David. The one captainship he’s holding back is one for special teams. Bowles said he would wait a couple of weeks before that captain is announced.

With two special teams tackles in the season opener at Dallas, second-year linebacker K.J. Britt may have taken the early lead for the role of special teams captain. Former linebacker Kevin Minter was the special teams captain from 2020-21, so Britt taking over makes sense. Plus, he’s one of Bowles’ favorite players, always drawing praise for his football I.Q.

PREDICTION 2: Bucs Lose To The Saints – Again

Sorry, I hope I’m wrong for the sake of Bucs fans – and the team. But in order for me to pick the Bucs to beat the Saints … they need to beat the Saints in the regular season first. I’ve picked the Bucs to beat the Saints too many times over the past couple of years – only to be let down repeatedly.

The Saints are riding high after a come-from-behind win at Atlanta against the best choking team in the NFL – the Falcons. New Orleans is not afraid of Tampa Bay, and why should it be? Dennis Allen’s defense has consistently stymied Tom Brady and the Bucs offense. The last time these two teams met was a 9-0 Saints win at Raymond James Stadium. It was a blood bath. New Orleans beat – and beat up – the Bucs, knocking wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans out of the game, in addition to running back Leonard Fournette and linebacker Lavonte David. We’ll see if the Bucs can flip the script and beat the Saints by playing some Bowles Ball in Week 2.