As training camp and the preseason comes to a close, the Bucs travel to Houston for their final matchup with the Texans. It will be the team’s first and only road game this preseason before kicking off the regular season in just 12 days against the Cowboys. With the starters expected to play significant snaps, it will be a great chance to see where the team is at.

When is the game, where to watch and how to listen:

Watch on TV:

Saturday, August 28, 2021

• Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Location: Raymond James Stadium
• Television Network: WFLA – Tampa Channel 8
• Broadcast Crew: Chris Myers (play by play), Rondé Barber (color), Dan Lucas (reporter)

Listen Live:

WXTB 97.9 FM – Bucs Flagship Station

Broadcast Crew: Gene Deckerhoff (play by play), Dave Moore (color), T.J. Rives (sideline)

Mobile:

Bucs Official App

Buccaneers.com

Who to watch:

SR recently gave us ten players to watch on offense and defense I’ll add a few more here to keep an eye on.

Offense

WR Antonio Brown – There are a few storylines to watch here with Brown. What will his role be this offseason? Will we see the same AB we’ve seen in practice? His surgically repaired knee has him looking like the AB of old. And while we will see a very vanilla offense in this preseason game, how often he’s on the field and how much Tom Brady looks his way could be telling for the upcoming season.

RB Giovani Bernard – With the starters seeing extensive playing time, Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette will play more than just four combined snaps. How the offense incorporates Bernard into the rotation is going to be interesting to watch. Will Bernard be on the field in non-obvious passing situations? How often will he be used as a runner? We all know he can catch and block, but what his usage will be like as a runner with two other capable runners on the roster will be intriguing to watch.

G Alex Cappa – There has been a narrative from head coach Bruce Arians that Cappa is in a close competition with Aaron Stinnie, but I’m not buying it. However, I do think Cappa needs to have a strong outing feel prepared for the regular season.

Defense

OLB Jason Pierre-Paul – Pierre-Paul is one of the most competitive guys on the roster and was the team’s lone Pro-Bowler in 2020. He wreaked havoc in backfields and was a turnover machine despite playing with a banged up knee. Much like AB, Pierre-Paul had surgery in the offseason and has said he feels the best he has felt in a few years. That could spell trouble for opposing offenses. We’ll get our first real look at Pierre-Paul against the Texans, as he plays for an extended period.

CB Jamel Dean – Dean’s 2020 season was up-and-down to say the least. He has put an emphasis on improving his mental understanding of the game. Specifically seeing and understanding quick routes and getting rid of false steps that have put him out of position. Dean got extended work in the Bucs opener and should see a ton of snaps tonights.

DT Patrick O’Connor – O’Connor exploded last week against the Titans, solidifying his spot on the roster. The defensive production he showed, combined with his standout special teams play, will be a valuable piece on the Bucs roster this season. O’Connor might not get as many snaps this week, but if he shows consistency he could earn a more regular role on defense.

Specialist:

K Jose Borregales – Ryan Succop is on the Reserve/COVID list, so it will be all Jose Borregales on Saturday night. Borregales has looked great through camp, consistently knocking his kicks through the uprights. His consistency from distance has certainly impressed fans, media and coaches alike. It will be interesting to see how they use Borregales as they try to sneak him back on the practice squad. Arians has said they want to get him looks at a game winner, but showcasing his leg strength and consistency might hurt their chances of bringing the former Lou Groza winner back.

What to watch for:

The Starters –  We’ve only seen six snaps of the starting group this preseason, so we’ll get a substantial look at where they are at. Coach Arians has said the starters will play at least a half versus the Texans, but could potentially play into the third quarter if he doesn’t see enough from the group. We’ll probably see a very simple offensive scheme tonight, but it’s more about getting up to game speed and making sure all the rust is off as they prepare for the Cowboys.

The Return Game – This is an area I will be watching particularly closely. Coach Arians, on Wednesday, said this was Jaelon Darden’s job to win. Arians also said he would potentially keep seven wide receivers on the roster. Jaydon Mickens would be the benefactor. Scotty Miller has recently gotten extra looks at the position, as has Ke’Shawn Vaughn. Darden needs a solid showing to win the job and maintain the roster’s flexibility as cut down day approaches.

Offensive Line Depth – With Nick Leverett and Earl Watford on the Reserve/COVID list, it leaves the Bucs extremely thin on the interior line. John Molchon’s status remains unknown, but he has missed the last two weeks of practice with injury. The team will get Robert Hainsey back in the lineup, but will need to get creative once the starting unit comes out. Stinnie will man one spot, but who plays the other and how effective they are will be something to watch.

Special Teams Units –  A point of emphasis in the offseason, kick coverage and return hasn’t come together as hoped. Ranked near the bottom of the league in 2020, the Bucs invested resources in the draft and free agency to improve the group. So far in two preseason games, it hasn’t translated on the field. The Bucs got in extra teams practice all week and it will be important for the unit to see it translate to the field.

Bubble Players – There are still five or six guys fighting for spots on this team. With limited playing time, each one will have to make the most of their snaps. How they perform on special teams will be a big determining factor on what happens on cut-down day.

Tune into our brand new Pewter Game Day show being aired simultaneously with the game, as we give you a comprehensive breakdown of what you’re seeing on the field. Then make sure you head over to PewterReportTV on YouTube after the game for our post-game podcast. Follow our Twitter for updates throughout the game and stay right here on PewterReport.com for all your injury updates, recap and post-game analysis.