The third preseason game is supposed to give the team, its fans and the media perhaps the best glimpse of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But due to a series of injuries to several starters, Saturday night’s effort against the Cleveland Browns was certainly lackluster, especially given the opponent. The Bucs lost to the Browns, 13-9, to fall to 1-2 in the preseason.

The Browns may be better this year, but they’re not expected to be a playoff-caliber team.

Yet, the Bucs are supposed to be.

Eh, it’s just preseason, the optimists will say.

Where are the points? Where is the pass rush? That’s what the realists will say.

Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter was asked if he saw any crisp play against the Browns.

“No,” Koetter said.

He was asked what he saw from his team on Saturday night.

“Blah,” Koetter replied.

Tampa Bay’s offense has scored a total of 33 points this year through three games – just 18 by the starters.

The Bucs defense has recorded just five sacks – two by the starters – in the preseason and recorded only three takeaways – including two interceptions by cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, who had one against Cleveland rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer.

The Bucs defense was short-handed against the Browns, missing defensive end Will Gholston, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, middle linebacker Kwon Alexander and cornerback Brent Grimes due to injuries. It showed on the Browns’ first drive as Cleveland took a 3-0 lead on a 10-play, 57-yard scoring drive.

Browns QB DeShone Kizer – Photo by: Getty Images

Without McCoy, the Bucs’ pass rush is really lacking. Outside of a third quarter sack by defensive end Noah Spence, who benefited from a nickel corner blitz by Robert McClain, Kizer had plenty of time to throw the ball on Saturday night.

“It was non-existent tonight,” Koetter said. “That’s how I would characterize it tonight. Then again, our best player, our best interior guy was not out there. We’re definitely not doing everything scheme-wise that we have in. Just straight up rush, it just wasn’t there.”

“We did a good job – other than third down – we did a really good job on defense in the first half with the takeaways.”

It should be noted that three of the Bucs’ five preseason sacks have come on blitzes. Can Tampa Bay’s four-man rush be effective when McCoy returns? Are the Bucs just being vanilla because it’s the preseason? Or is the lack of pass rush a sign of things to come beginning in Miami on September 10?

Rookie Kendell Beckwith, who started at middle linebacker for Alexander, missed an ankle tackle on Duke Johnson’s 37-yard run in the second quarter. Beckwith made up for it by forcing a fumble while tackling Johnson at the Tampa Bay 10. Fellow linebacker Adarius Glanton recovered the fumble at the 5-yard line to prevent Cleveland from scoring.

Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston didn’t have right tackle Demar Dotson and left guard Kevin Pamphile blocking for him, nor did he have starting wide receivers Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson at his disposal.

But he did have tight ends Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard and wide receivers Chris Godwin and Adam Humphries – until a hip injury in the second quarter sidelined Humphries – and it didn’t seem like nearly enough to get the job done offensively. Godwin, who started in place for Evans, looked good, though, finishing the game with four catches for a team-high 56 yards.

Winston played through the third quarter, completing 17-of-27 passes for 200 yards with no touchdowns and one interception to rookie Jabrill Peppers on a poorly thrown pass to Brate in the red zone on Tampa Bay’s first drive.

Winston came close to throwing a touchdown (finally) in the preseason in the third quarter, but his on-target throw to Donteea Dye at the front right pylon was ruled incomplete 31 yards seven plays 42-yard field goal.

Winston exits the preseason without a TD pass and engineering just one touchdown drive. Does that concern you?

Bucs RB Jacquizz Rodgers – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

“It’s going to concern me if it happens on September 10, but tonight … it is what it is,” Koetter said. “When you have turnovers and penalties in the red zone – it doesn’t matter what plays you call.”

Jacquizz Rodgers, who figures to be the starting running back for the first three games in place of Martin, got the start and carried five times for 15 yards on the opening drive and finished the Browns game with 34 yards on 10 carries (3.4 avg.). Rodgers rushed for 49 yards on 17 carries and averaged 2.8 yards per carry. Are you worried?

Tampa Bay’s run game, which struggled last year, rushed for 78 yards against Cleveland, including just 53 from the starters through three quarters.
That’s not going to cut it in Miami.

There are some Buccaneers who shined in August that you don’t have to be worried about, though.

Kicker Nick Folk has made 7-of-8 field goals through three games – although he missed his lone extra point attempt. Folk was perfect against the Browns, nailing field goals from 31, 42 and 43 yards.

Still, having a kicker connecting on 87.5 percent of his field goals is much better than Roberto Aguayo hitting just 73 percent of his kicks like last year. If the Bucs can’t find the end zone this year – and it’s been a mighty struggle in August – Tampa Bay may be relying on Folk more than it wants to in 2017.

Punter Bryan Anger has without question been the team’s MVP and showed why on Saturday night with seven – seven! – punts downed inside the 20.

Bucs P Bryan Anger & K Nick Folk – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

“Anger was huge there in the first half, and Nick making all of his field goals,” Koetter said. “I think you would have given special teams an ‘A’ if we didn’t have that penalty on the punt return. That ended up being a 30-something-yard penalty. That hurt us.

“[Anger’s night] didn’t surprise me. When Jason [Licht] brought Bryan in here a year ago. Bryan’s one of those players that maybe just needed a change of scenery. He’s a high draft pick and he’s done nothing but perform for us.”

Does a team want its punter to be the best player, though? Is that a good thing?

After a lackluster preseason from the starters, does this look like a playoff team to you?

Or are the Bucs simply saving their best stuff for the Dolphins in the 2017 season opener when they will be back to full strength?

We’ll get the answer in two weeks.