FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

49ers CB Richard Sherman – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

• Tampa Bay played two of the four remaining teams in this year’s NFL playoffs – the San Francisco 49ers and the Tennessee Titans – and played them close. The Bucs lost their season opener to the 49ers, 31-17, but were trailing 24-17 with just over two minutes left before quarterback Jameis Winston threw his second pick-six of the game to put the game out of reach.

The Bucs lost a fourth quarter lead in Tennessee and could have had a go-ahead touchdown on Andrew Adams’ scoop-and-score following Devin White’s forced fumble on a Titans fake field goal attempt. Tampa Bay wound up losing 27-23.

Those close losses show that the Bucs appear to be close to turning the corner and making the playoffs. Tampa Bay will have another chance to prove itself against an upper echelon team next year as both of the other two remaining teams in the playoffs, Kansas City and Green Bay, visit Raymond James Stadium next year.

Bucs DT Vita Vea, OLB Anthony Nelson and DT Vita Vea – Photo by: Getty Images

• Speaking of the Tennessee Titans, the Bucs’ top-ranked rushing defense did a great job of holding Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry in check earlier this year. Henry, who led the league with 1,540 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns this year, was held to just 75 yards on the ground on 16 carries (4.7 avg.) with 34 yards coming on one carry in Tennessee’s 27-23 win over Tampa Bay on October 27.

On Henry’s 15 other carries he averaged just 2.7 yards per carry, and the Bucs forced him to fumble. Henry’s 75 yards rushing was the fourth-fewest yards he gained in 2019.

• NFL NETWORK’S CHARLES DAVIS DISCUSSES WINSTON’S FUTURE – The Pewter Reporters were at the East-West Shrine Bowl this past week as the 2020 NFL Draft scouting season officially kicked off. Listen to what the PR staff thought about the potential draft prospects in St. Petersburg, Fla., and also what NFL Network’s Charles Davis thought about Jameis Winston’s future in Tampa Bay and the Bucs’ chances for success in 2020. Davis’ interview is a must-listen.

Pewter Nation Podcast 176: East-West Shrine Wrap; Charles Davis Talks Winston

The PR staff assembled for its first Pewter Nation Podcast of 2020 and discussed the future of QB Jameis Winston in Tampa Bay, along with speculating about the Bucs’ possible interest in New England quarterback Tom Brady, the greatest QB of all-time, replacing Winston in free agency. We also talk about what former Bruce Arians quarterback Carson Palmer had to say about Winston.

This edition of the Pewter Nation Podcast started 2020 off with a bang. Make sure you listen to it if you missed it last week.

Pewter Nation Podcast 175: Brady To The Bucs?

The Next Pewter Nation Podcast: The Pewter Report staff will be in Mobile, Ala. next week for the Senior Bowl and we’ll have two new podcasts – one on Monday to preview the Senior Bowl and one on Thursday to recap the action from the top college all-star game.

There is no better time to listen to a new Pewter Nation Podcast, which is presented by Chris Garrido of Westshore Financial, than on your drive home from work on Friday or early Saturday morning at the gym or running errands.

The popularity of the Pewter Nation Podcast continues to grow. In addition to listening to the Pewter Nation Podcasts on PewterReport.com you can also subscribe to the free podcasts at PodBean by clicking here and on SoundCloud by clicking here. And of course the Pewter Nation Podcast is also available on iTunes. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode.

• Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht isn’t shy about drafting safeties. He’s spent a draft pick on one in each of the last three drafts. In 2017, Licht spent a second-round pick on Justin Evans, and then a fourth-round pick on Jordan Whitehead in 2018. Last year, Licht used a third-round pick on Mike Edwards.

Bucs FS Mike Edwards – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Yet the Bucs don’t have a clear-cut starter at either position heading into 2020. Veteran Andrew Adams, who is an unrestricted free agent, and Whitehead got most of the starts last year while Evans was on injured reserve. Edwards played sparingly, but got more playing time down the stretch.

Tampa Bay really liked D’Cota Dixon in training camp, and head coach Bruce Arians indicated that he would have been the starter if not for suffering a preseason shoulder injury that landed him on injured reserve. But with Evans’ future in doubt after two in-season foot surgeries, don’t be surprised if Licht drafts yet another safety this year to compete with Whitehead, Edwards and Dixon.

• FOLLOW PEWTER REPORT ON SOCIAL MEDIA Thanks to you, Pewter Nation, we were able to reach 34,000 Twitter followers on the @PewterReport Twitter account in 2019. Now make sure you follow PewterReport.com on all social media platforms this offseason as we cover the East-West Shrine and Senior Bowl practices, as well as the NFL Scouting Combine and the NFL Owners Meeting, plus any breaking Bucs news or press conferences.

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• PewterReport.com has Tampa Bay selecting Houston offensive tackle Josh Jones in the second round of the initial 2020 Bucs’ 7-Round Mock Draft. Jones, 6-foot-7, 310 pounds, played left tackle, but could move to the right side at the next level, as the Bucs need an eventual upgrade over 34-year old Demar Dotson, who is one of the team’s 19 unrestricted free agents this year.

Houston OT Josh Jones – Photo courtesy of Univ. of Houston

If Jones is indeed the pick and Dotson’s successor at right tackle that would give Tampa Bay five former college left tackles across the offensive line. Donovan Smith played left tackle at Penn State, left guard Ali Marpet was a left tackle at Hobart College, center Ryan Jensen was a left tackle at Colorado State-Pueblo and right guard Alex Cappa was a left tackle at Humboldt State.

Left tackles are typically the most athletic linemen in college, so it only makes sense to build an offensive line full of athletic big men in the NFL. Jones, Louisville’s Mekhi Becton and USC’s Austin Jackson are three college left tackles the Bucs are scouting that could make the transition to the right side in the NFL. Jones will be at the Senior Bowl next week.

• And finally, make sure you visit TopShelf Sports Lounge – one of the hidden gems in Wesley Chapel. Top Shelf Sports Lounge is an upscale sports bar and restaurant located upstairs in the AdventHealth Center Ice, which is right off the SR 56 exit on I-75. I eat there often, especially on Wednesday when their delicious wings at just 75¢. Make sure you say hello to owner Joe Boyd, who is a big fan of the Bucs and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Boyd told me that TopShelf Sports Lounge hosts Seminoles football watch parties, in addition to Lightning watch parties, and TopShelf is also a great place to catch Bucs games this fall with a huge number of TV screens around the restaurant and the bar area.

Check out their menu on TopShelfTampa.com, which features burgers, potato poutine skillets, sandwiches, wraps and salads, and some unique delicious bowl dishes. I had the nachos as an appetizer before my wings, and they are huge and tasty. TopShelf Sports Lounge is a great place to dine and watch sports on a date night or if you are taking the kids to Center Ice to skate or play hockey. I highly recommend you stop in for some drinks and either lunch or dinner, and tell them PewterReport.com sent you.