FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• Aside from the alarming rise of turnovers, another area that Jameis Winston has regressed in this season is his completion percentage. Winston has completed just 58.2 percent of his passes (153-of-263), which is slightly worse than during his rookie season in 2015 when he completed 58.3 percent of his throws.

Bucs QB Jameis Winston – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Winston’s completion percentage has steadily increased over the previous four years in Dirk Koetter’s system, going from 58.3 during his rookie season to 60.8 in his Pro Bowl season in 2016 and then improving to 63.8 percent the next year before last season’s 64.6 percent.

The fact that Winston’s completion percentage is down 6.1 percent is alarming and coincides with the fact that he is throwing more interceptions this season. Winston had 14 picks in 11 games last year and had a career-high 18 INTs the last time he started a full 16 games, which came in 2016. Winston has already thrown 12 picks in seven games with nine more to go.

• The Bucs have the league’s best 1-2 punch at wide receiver with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Godwin is the league’s fifth-leading receiver with 705 yards and six touchdowns on 47 catches (15 avg.), and Evans ranks sixth with 662 yards and six TDs on 38 receptions (17.4 avg.). No receiver duo has more than Godwin and Evans’ combined 85 catches for 1,367 yards and 12 scores.

Not only does Tampa Bay have the best receiver combo, the Bucs also have the best receivers against zone and man coverage this year. According to Pro Football Focus, Godwin has the highest grade (90.6) against zone coverage, which makes sense because he lines up in the slot and works the middle of the field.

Evans, on the other hand, ranks as Pro Football Focus’ top receiver against man coverage. Evans has a 91.4 grade, according to PFF, which makes sense because he can often win one-on-one battles against man coverage due to Evans’ imposing 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame.

• WE’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT! – The PewterReport.com staff was ticked off – just like the Buccaneers players – following Tampa Bay’s loss at Tennessee on Sunday. That anger continued on Thursday when the PR team taped the most recent Pewter Nation Podcast at the AdventHealth Training Center to preview this week’s Bucs game at Seattle. This one is a little salty … but we think you can relate. No punches pulled, no holds barred commentary. Which Pewter Reporters picked the Bucs to win? Listen and find out!

Pewter Nation Podcast Episode 156: The Angry Podcast

If you missed our most recent podcasts, make sure you get caught up over the weekend!

Pewter Nation Podcast Episode 155: Perriman’s Goal Line Stand

Pewter Nation Podcast Episode 154: Best Episode Ever

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 before college football begins. The next Pewter Nation Podcast will be recorded Monday afternoon following Tampa Bay’s game at Seattle.

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.

• Don’t look now, but Tampa Bay is slated to pick in the Top 10 of the draft again next year due to its current 2-5 record. Of course how the Bucs fare of the next nine weeks will ultimately determine where Tampa Bay will pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but here’s the current draft order if it was held today:

NFL Draft Order Through Week 8
1. Bengals: 0-8
2. Dolphins: 0-7
3. Redskins: 1-7
4. Falcons: 1-7
5. Jets: 1-6
6. Giants: 2-6
7. Broncos: 2-6
8. Browns: 2-5
9. Buccaneers: 2-5
10. Chargers: 3-5

Iowa RT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Getty Images

PewterReport.com’s good friend Luke Easterling has recently come out with a new three-round mock draft on DraftWire.com. Easterling has the Bucs selecting ninth overall and picking Iowa right tackle Tristan Wirfs to replace 34-year old veteran Demar Dotson – right ahead of the Chargers, who are drafting Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert as the eventual replacement for Philip Rivers. In case you are wondering, Easterling has Washington quarterback Jacob Eason going to Tennessee at No. 17 as the replacement for Marcus Mariota.

So the Bucs pass on a quarterback in the first round in Easterling’s mock draft, but come back and select Oklahoma dual threat QB Jalen Hurts in the second round with the 40th overall pick. Tampa Bay stays on offense and selects Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins in the third round at No. 74.

• THANK YOU! PEWTER REPORT IS ON THE WAY TO 34,000 FOLLOWERS ON TWITTER! Thank you – Pewter Nation – for following the PewterReport.com Twitter account, as we hit a new milestone last month with 33,000 followers and we’re now up to 33,600. We cover Bucs practices, Bucs press conferences, Bucs games and break news on our @PewterReport Twitter account.

So if you aren’t one of the 33,600 Bucs fans that follow PewterReport.com on Twitter please do so right now so you don’t miss out on our Bucs coverage, including injury updates, breaking news and notifications about the latest stories and columns on PewterReport.com. Follow us today and help us get to 34,000!

• Bucs head coach Bruce Arians has a 4-1 record at CenturyLink Field in Seattle from his time in Arizona from 2013-17. According to The Athletic’s Greg Auman, the Seahawks were 29-6 at home versus teams not coached by Arians during that span.

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and Bucs LB Lavonte David – Photo by: Getty Images

That’s a hell of a statistic.

Since 2012, the Seahawks have the second-best home winning percentage in the league with a 46-14 record – behind only New England. The Bucs have a 1-2 record at CenturyLink Field (formerly known as Qwest Field) with a 20-6 loss in 2007, and a 27-24 overtime loss in 2013. Tampa Bay’s lone win at Seattle came in 2009 with a 24-7 triumph.

Can Arians’ mojo in Seattle help the Bucs get a much-needed road win? We’ll see on Sunday.

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