The PewterReport.com Roundtable features the opinions of the PR staff as it tackles a topic each week that involves the Bucs.

This week’s topic: The Silver Lining In The Bucs’ Week 1 Loss

Scott Reynolds: Tampa Bay’s Run Defense

In Sunday’s 2-Point Conversion post-game column, I picked on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and nose tackle Vita Vea not making any impact plays in Sunday’s 34-23 loss at New Orleans and I stand by that statement. Suh is making $8 million this season and Vea is a first-round pick. Both are capable of creating more pressure on the quarterback and perhaps creating a turnover or two. It was disappointing to see the two combine for two assisted tackles and two neutral zone infractions against the Saints.

Saints QB Taysom Hill – Photo by: Getty Images

Yet, they were part of a run defense that held New Orleans to 82 yards on the ground and 2.4 yards per carry on Sunday. Tampa Bay had the No. 1 ranked rushing defense a year ago, and start the 2020 season at No. 5. The Bucs’ 2.4 yards per carry allowance currently ranks second in the league, so the unit is picking right up from where it left off, as Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara had just 16 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries (1.3 avg.).

It was encouraging to see both inside linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David each record a game-high 11 tackles, and defensive end Will Gholston’s seven tackles, including two for a loss, was amazing, especially since he only played 34 snaps. Gholston, and nickel cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who had five tackles near the line of scrimmage, including a tackle for loss, were the unsung heroes for Bucs up front. Tampa Bay’s defense started off the year with nine tackles for loss, which is a good sign moving forward.

Mark Cook: Wirfs Better Than Advertised

Sometimes when a team takes the third or fourth ranked player at a position of need, it turns into a reach of a pick. We saw that when the Buccaneers selected Carnell “Cadillac” Williams in 2005. Williams was the third-ranked running backs by most accounts and while he had a very good rookie year, injuries cut his career short and never warranted him being the fifth overall pick in the draft.

Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Getty Images

Wirfs wasn’t my top-ranked tackle in the year’s draft. Or my second – or third. I would have preferred Louisville’s Mekhi Becton or Alabama’s Jedrick Willis or my favorite tackle in the draft, Georgia’s Andrew Thomas. But those players were taken ahead of Wirfs so the Bucs “settled” on the Iowa tackle. Yet Tampa Bay had Wirfs ranked higher than I did and many in the scouting department and front office think the Bucs got lucky when Wirfs was still available with the 13th overall pick.

I kept waiting for Wirfs to look like a rookie Sunday against the Saints as he was tangled up with All-Pro defensive end Cameron Jordan for most of the afternoon. While the Bucs ultimately lost the game, Wirfs came out as a winner against Jordan, holding the 2019, 15.5-sack star, to just one QB pressure and four tackles. That’s quite impressive and a big positive for the future. In fact, Wirfs was better in his debut than veteran left tackle Donovan Smith was in New Orleans.

Jon Ledyard: Bucs’ Secondary Shows a Ton of Promise

The Bucs might have lost in New Orleans, but it wasn’t due to the usual culprits. Drew Brees finished just 18-of-30 for 160 yards and two scores, as the Bucs cornerbacks smothered the Saints receivers most of the day. Sean Murphy-Bunting and Carlton Davis had excellent showings, as Davis spent a good amount of time on Michael Thomas, holding the Pro Bowl wide receiver to three catches for 17 yards on five targets.

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

Making his first NFL start, rookie Antoine Winfield was the team’s highest-graded defender in Week 1 per Pro Football Focus, breaking up a would-be touchdown on a diving play in the back of the end zone. This kid is going to be special. Jordan Whitehead was strong in run defense, but continued to struggle in coverage, much as he did last season.

Yes, the Bucs secondary can’t commit penalties and they can’t surrender a coverage bust like they did to tight end Jared Cook on a key 46-yard pass play early in the fourth quarter. But those are fixable things. The more constant variable is quality of individual play and level of talent, and those are things the Bucs seem to have in droves based on Week 1.

Taylor Jenkins: Week 1 Is Out Of The Way

I think it’s safe to say that many expected the Saints to take a Week 1 victory from the Bucs, although it may not have come in the fashion that most expected. But the good news for Tampa Bay is that it’s now out of the way, and it only counts as one loss in a 16-game season. Now the Bucs can look at where they fell short and improve on those things heading into Week 2.

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Getty Images

Outside of a few successful drives, the offense didn’t look quite in sync for Tampa Bay. They were able to move right down the field and score quickly on the opening possession, but the unit looked far being from a well-oiled machine for the rest of the contest. Even still, if not for some mental errors by the Bucs, a number of ill-timed penalties and three turnovers, this game could have looked much different by the end.

Tampa Bay’s defense looked strong, and despite a yards per carry average that wouldn’t necessarily reflect it, the run game looked like it took a small step forward, led by Ronald Jones II’s 66 yards on 17 carries. With a new quarterback in Tom Brady and no preseason to prepare, the Bucs can now turn their back on this Week 1 wake-up call and head home for (hopefully) a bounce-back performance against Carolina.

Matt Matera: Miller Has The Trust Of Brady

The Bucs’ offense had its issues in a number of areas on Sunday as it couldn’t continue the momentum after a successful opening drive. While Mike Evans had a 2-yard touchdown and Rob Gronkowksi had two catches for 11 yards, it was Scotty Miller that was on point when it came to his timing with Tom Brady en route to five receptions for 73 yards. Chris Godwin certainly was on the same page with Brady as well, with a team-best six catches for 79 yards, but he’s a Pro Bowl receiver. There was a lot more unknown with Miller coming into his second year.

Bucs WR Scotty Miller – Photo by: Getty Images

Miller’s game on Sunday was a personal best for him in both receptions and yards. What was so promising about his performance was that he and Brady were connecting all over the field. Brady looked for him early on some short-to-intermediate receptions, and then also had a successful play on a deep ball long down the left side of the field for a 37-yard reception. It was a good start to see that Miller can get the ball in as many ways as possible and utilize his speed. Miller also talked about putting on some weight this offseason, so it was great to see one reception in particular where he caught the ball about eight yards down the field and then fought his way through some defenders to make the first down. That’s a play you don’t see from him a year ago.

During training camp, Brady had a lot of praise for Miller. The two of them developed chemistry in practice together, but it’s another thing seeing it in a game. Brady wasn’t afraid to get the ball to Miller, and with a year under his belt in this offense, Miller is a much more confident player that is letting his skills take over as the game comes to him easier.