It was a gloomy, raining night in Tampa as the Dolphins took to Raymond James to face the Buccaneers in the second week of the preseason. With a final score of 16-14 in favor of the Bucs, the game was sloppy, often stagnant from an offensive perspective, saw both teams combine nearly 200 penalty yards and ended with no touchdowns being scored until there was 3:35 remaining in the game.

Yeoman’s Cask And Lion sponsors the Pewter Player of the Game each week. Yeoman’s Cask And Lion is a British-themed restaurant and pub with two locations – downtown Tampa at 202 North Morgan Street and also in downtown Kissimmee. Offering 10 lunch items under $10, Yeoman’s is a great lunchtime destination. With a traditional cask ale, rotating craft drafts, classic brews, cocktails and a full menu, Yeoman’s Cask And Lion isn’t just a British pub, but a British experience.

Pewter Player of the Game
K Matt Gay
Barring a compete meltdown over the last two preseason games, Matt Gay will start the season as the Bucs kicker. Gay nailed a 48-yarder with nine seconds left to cap off a come-from-behind win over the Dolphins on Friday night and also converted a 32-yarder in the first half and his only extra point attempt on the night.

TE Tanner Hudson
For the second consecutive week Hudson has found his way back onto our Most Impressive list. While he struggles as a blocker, the young tight end plays well on special teams and has hands made of glue. Hudson led all receivers with six catches for 93 yards a fourth quarter touchdown. Hudson had a clutch late-game reception that got the Buccaneers into field goal range to win the game on Tampa Bay’s last drive.

QB Ryan Griffin
Again this week Griffin entered the game under a not so ideal situation, and made the most of things. Griffin ended the night 14-of-21 for 203 yards (113.4 QB rating) while also leading the Bucs to a late-game win. Gabbert’s familiarity with Arians system made him the front runner coming into training camp, but Griffin’s play through the first two games of the preseason are making things interesting.

ILB Kevin Minter
Minter was a man on a mission Friday, impacting the game in every way he possibly could. He got over two quarters of play and in that time he racked up three total tackles, two solo and a pass defended but his impact was felt much larger than the stat sheet would show.

Early in the second quarter Minter flew through the A-gap and blew up the Myles Gaskin run for a big tackle that went for a five-yard loss, but the play was wiped out on a holding penalty in the secondary. Later on in the drive, inside Tampa Bay territory, Josh Rosen completed a pass to Mike Gesicki where Minter made a solid open field tackle to save a first down. Later in the second quarter he also played a part in a Devante Bond sack, getting there with Bond to multiply the pressure.

OLB Demone Harris
Last week it was Noah Spence jumping off of the screen as an edge rusher and this week it was Demone Harris’ chance. Harris started off strong with a tackle for loss on his first drive in the game and later added a big sack of Rosen on third down to force a Dolphins punt. Harris finished the game with three total tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

In addition to the plays that showed up, Harris was a constant force to be reckoned with off the edge for the Bucs tonight and made life on Rosen and Fitzpatrick tough as they tried to get comfortable.

RB Dare Ogunbowale
It was a solid game for Ogunbowale who had 13 carries for 34 yards and added three receptions for 54 yards, including a 42-yard catch and run down inside the Dolphins 10-yard line in the fourth quarter. In the third quarter he also had a huge catch out of the backfield as well, but the play was called back on one of the many Tampa Bay penalties on the night, otherwise the big night for Ogunbowale would have been a huge.

Ogunbowale has been repeatedly mentioned on PewterReport throughout training camp as he battles with Andre Ellington for the third running back spot behind Peyton Barber and former second-round pick Ronald Jones. He also led the team in rushing yards the first preseason game and if performances like this, behind a less-than-stellar backup offensive line, he’s only helping his own case.

OLB Shaq Barrett
Shaq Barrett also made his presence known off of the edge on Friday night. He got less time to perform than Harris but still ended up with two total tackles,  a sack and a tackle for loss.

In addition to his lone sack, he forced multiple pressures and almost had a sack on the very next play but got wheeled around Rosen who was forced to step up and into defensive tackle Pat O’Connor for a sack of his own.

Barrett enters the 2019 season on a one-year deal after being stuck behind stellar talent off of the edge in Denver for four years. It’s a prove-it year for Barrett on a Bucs team that desperately needs depth after losing Jason Pierre-Paul.

CB Jamel Dean
Dean started the game slow, but caught up to speed in a big way.

By the end of his stint in the game Dean improved in coverage, had a big pass breakup down the left sideline to save a touchdown. Dean finished the game with two total tackles and, despite dropping possibly the easiest interception opportunity he’ll ever see, made up for it with an interception in the end zone late.

Dean was one of three consecutive defensive backs drafted for the Bucs in 2019 and enters the season with pressure on his shoulders as the team looks to turn the tide from a porous secondary that’s plagued Tampa Bay for several years. Missing the Bucs’ first preseason game due to a hip flexor injury, Friday night was his first taste of NFL action and he didn’t disappoint.