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

QUESTION: Has there been a better rookie year for a third-round defensive draft pick in franchise history? I’m referring to Tykee “Dawg” Smith, of course.

Bucs DB Tykee Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

ANSWER: Yes, there has certainly been a better rookie season for a Bucs third-round pick before. Donnie Abraham, a third-round pick in 1996, was a starter at nickel cornerback for Monte Kiffin’s defense, which was tough to do. Kiffin didn’t like to play rookies unless they were really, really good. Abraham was so good I dubbed him “The Iceman” because he played so calm, cool and collected it was like he had ice in his veins. In fact, Abraham, who is a defensive coordinator for Anthony Becht’s St. Louis Battlehawks team in the XFL, still uses The Iceman nickname in his X handle – Iceman__21.

Abraham had five interceptions during his rookie year, which set a rookie single-season record that still stands today in Tampa Bay. Abraham went on to set the Bucs’ career interception record with 31 picks from 1996-2001. That beat Cedric Brown’s previous record of 29, which was set in 1984. Ronde Barber broke Abraham’s record and finished his Hall of Fame career with 47 interceptions. But Abraham averaged five interceptions per season in Tampa Bay, which is a record that still stands today. Abraham had fewer than five interceptions only once in his Tampa Bay career when he had one in the 1998 season.

Tykee Smith got his first career interception last week at New Orleans and also forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Antoine Winfield Jr. in the team’s 51-27 win over the Saints. I absolutely loved the selection of Smith by Bucs general manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles, and he was one of Pewter Report’s Bucs Best Bets prior to the draft. Smith is a very promising rookie who is off to a good start, but he’ll need at least four more interceptions this year to be in Abraham’s class as a rookie playmaker.

QUESTION: Is Tykee Smith a legit candidate for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year?

Bucs DB Tykee Smith – Photo by: USA Today

ANSWER: Yes, Tykee Smith is definitely in the running for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and if he has a great game on Monday Night Football against Baltimore before a nationally televised audience, it will only strengthen his candidacy. Smith got his first career interception last week at New Orleans and is tied for second on the team with four pass breakups in addition to posting 33 tackles, which is fifth on the team. He also forced a fumble versus the Saints, which was his second of the season.

A few more interceptions and he’ll be in the thick of the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation for sure. The fact that Smith is on a winning team also helps his cause. The Bucs have three nationally televised games coming – two on Monday Night Football versus Baltimore and at Kansas City, and a Sunday Night Football game at Dallas. So the better he plays in primetime, the better his chances. Smith is Pro Football Focus’ 11th-ranked cornerback this year with a 76.1 overall grade. Smith ranks ahead of Kansas City’s Trent McDuffie (12), Denver’s Pat Surtain (15), Miami’s Patrick Ramsey (16) and Green Bay’s Jaire Alexander (17).

As of right now, there are probably a few rookies ahead of Smith in the running. Indianapolis’ Laiatu Latu is the 17th-ranked edge rusher according to Pro Football Focus with a 78.1 overall grade. That ranks ahead of the likes of Maxx Crosby (18) and Yaya Diaby (24). Latu has 14 tackles, two sacks, which is tied for the most of any rookie so far, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

There are also a pair of rookie defensive backs who have more interceptions than Smith. Houston’s Calen Bullock has three interceptions, five pass breakups, 20 tackles and a fumble recovery, while Los Angeles Rams safety Jaylen McCollough has three interceptions, including a pick-six, three pass breakups, and five tackles. New York Giants cornerback Andru Phillips is the No. 6-ranked cornerback, according to PFF with 80.6 overall grade. So Smith has plenty of competition right now.

QUESTION: Might the next four games define the rest of the Bucs season? Bucs could go from 4-2 to 4-6 in no time.

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

ANSWER: Yes, there is a chance that the Bucs succumb to the toughest part of their schedule with games coming up against the Ravens, Falcons, Chiefs and 49ers. The good news is that three of those games – with the exception of the Chiefs game – are at home. Tampa Bay is 2-1 at home this year with wins against Washington and Philadelphia and a loss against Denver.

I don’t see the Bucs losing all four games unless they really get hit hard with more injuries. Tampa Bay should be able to split these games or go 1-3 at the very least. Heading into the bye week 5-5 isn’t ideal, but the post-bye schedule should set the Bucs up for another successful season. Every game is winnable down the stretch, and the team should finish with at least 10 wins – even if it falls to .500 at the bye.

The flip side of the coin is if Tampa Bay rises up and upsets Baltimore and gets on a roll. That would give the Bucs three of the most impressive wins of the year against some of the best teams in the league against the Commanders, Lions and Ravens. And it could give Tampa Bay even more confidence heading into a must-win rematch against Atlanta next Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. The Bucs’ best chance at winning the division is splitting the series with the Falcons. If Atlanta sweeps Tampa Bay, it makes it an uphill climb for the Bucs to keep their NFC South crown with them needing help from even more losses from the Falcons.

Winning in Kansas City is just about next to impossible, especially on Monday Night Football where Patrick Mahomes thrives. But San Francisco looks mortal this year and that game is in Tampa Bay. The Bucs would love some revenge after losing to the 49ers the last two years on the West Coast. I could see the best-case scenario being a 7-3 record heading into the bye and a worst-case scenario being a 5-5 record after 10 games.

QUESTION: For as good as the Bucs offense has been, I can’t remember us connecting on any deep shots. Do you think it’s more due to scheme or Mike Evans’ injury? And do you think we’ll get one against the Ravens?

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

ANSWER: Liam Coen’s offense is not very vertical based. Tampa Bay’s longest pass play of the year was Chris Godwin’s 55-yard catch-and-run at New Orleans last week. But that pass was in the air less than 20 yards. Coen calls for the ball to be out of Baker Mayfield’s hands as quickly as possible. This is a yards-after-catch-based attack that is similar to what the Los Angeles Rams run.

Mike Evans is one of the best vertical receivers in the league as he’s a long-strider by nature at 6-foot-5. When healthy, Evans can still get the YAC yards, evidenced by two catches of 70 yards last year, including a touchdown versus Carolina. But he’s not going to get the vertical shots that he has in the past. Evans’ longest catch of the year was a 24-yarder.

That will change as the season progresses, but don’t expect deep shots against teams that play a lot of Cover 2 or quarters defense with four defensive backs playing deep. Mayfield likes to target Evans downfield in one-on-one coverage, preferably down the sidelines. Those shots will happen this year, but probably not with the regularity they did last year under offensive coordinator Dave Canales.

QUESTION: As I type this I believe Sean Tucker has broke into the Saints second level yet again. Do you think we need to pump the brakes on Tucker a bit? He did most of his damage against a defense that quit. Or has the team been expecting a breakout like this from him?

Bucs RB Sean Tucker – Photo by: USA Today

ANSWER: Actually, the Bucs weren’t too surprised by Sean Tucker’s big day in the Big Easy. Tucker won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award for amassing 192 yards of total offense in addition to his first rushing and first receiving touchdowns. Tucker has been flashing behind the scenes since training camp, and he did have some nice big runs in the preseason, too.

This is the type of speedy, urgent runner the team was hoping to get when they signed him as an undrafted free agent last year. Sometimes it just takes time for rookies to develop behind the scenes. Tucker spent most of his rookie year on the inactive list, but broke out when given an opportunity against the Saints when Rachaad White missed the game because he was injured.

I agree that Tucker did most of his damage against a tired Saints defense in the fourth quarter – a defense that looked like it had some quit in it as Tampa Bay rolled up 27 points in the second half and took back the lead. I still think Tucker is capable of having 100-yard days against other defenses this year. If he happens to have another 100-yard game against a very stout Baltimore defense – the No. 1 rushing defense in the NFL – it will be even more impressive than what happened a week ago in New Orleans. I think the Bucs uncovered a real gem in Tucker.