FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• Tampa Bay leads the league in defensive rookie snaps primarily due to the play of defensive tackle Vita Vea, cornerbacks Carlton Davis and M.J. Stewart and strong safety Jordan Whitehead. That makes the fact that the Bucs are tied for third in third down percentage on defense under new defensive coordinator Mark Duffner even that more impressive.

Bucs DC Mark Duffner – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs rank 10th in the league in third down defense. Tampa Bay is allowing opponents to convert only 37 percent of the time. But since Duffner took over the defense in Week 7, the Bucs rank tied for third, allowing just 33.3 percent of third downs to convert.

One last remarkable defensive stat that illustrates the turnaround by Duffner is how the defense has improved against the pass. Tampa Bay was dead last in passing yards per attempt with an 8.59-yard average under Mike Smith. Now the Bucs rank 13th, and are allowing an average of just 6.42 yards per pass attempt.

Tampa Bay was giving up 367 passing yards per game under Smith, which was dead last in the NFL, and is now surrendering just 238.9 yards per game under Duffner, which ranks 13th in the league. That’s an astonishing 128 passing yards less per game that the Bucs defense is allowing.

• Our @PewterReport Twitter account is rapidly approaching 31,000 followers. Join the masses! If you aren’t following PewterReport.com on Twitter please do so now so you don’t miss out on Bucs press conference and interview footage as well as breaking news and injury updates. To follow @PewterReport on Twitter please click here, and to follow us on Facebook please click here.

PewterReport.com’s @PewterReport Instagram account has really grown this year. Make sure you are following @PewterReport on Instagram and you can do so by clicking here.

Bucs DBs Andrew Adams and Javien Elliott – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

• Just a few weeks ago, Tampa Bay had the worst turnover margin in the NFL at minus-23. Now, the Bucs have moved out of the cellar in that category and are minus-18. That’s due in part in to being plus-2 against the 49ers, which are now last with minus-20, and plus-3 against the Panthers over the last two weeks. Since defensive coordinator Mark Duffner took over the Bucs are actually tied for 16th in turnover margin.

The next closest team to Tampa Bay in the actual, season-long turnover margin rankings is Jacksonville, which is minus-10. Chicago leads the league with a plus-12 turnover margin, followed by the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle, which are tied for second with plus-11, and then Cleveland at plus-10.

• The holiday shopping season is here and there is ONE PLACE to turn for all of your Bucs, NFL, NCAA, NHL and NBA shopping needs and that’s Fanatics.com. PewterReport.com has partnered once again with Fanatics.com to provide our readers with the best online shopping experience and widest array of team merchandise and apparel found on the Internet.

The best part about it is that when you click on the Fanatics.com banners or links on PewterReport.com a portion of the sale goes to PewterReport.com to help pay for operating costs of the website you’ve come to love and trust for your Bucs news. So whether it’s NFL, college football, college basketball, NHL or MLB gear you are looking for, you’ll find it at Fanatics.com where they have the retro Starter pullover jackets now in stock. Click here and shop today.

• PewterReport.com’s Mark Cook, Trevor Sikkema and I break down the weather forecast and the Bucs vs. Saints game in the new Pewter Nation Podcast that was recorded on Thursday. Is Sikkema going to get fired? He almost said something that caused it to happen! Be sure to listen to Pewter Nation Podcast Episode 100 Part 17: Would Koetter Win The Fight? by clicking here.

If you missed out on Sunday’s Pewter Nation Podcast, Episode 100 Part 16, which came out after Tampa Bay’s win against Carolina, shame on you! It was epic! Don’t get on Santa’s naughty list! Make sure you listen to it while you are out and about this weekend doing some holiday shopping – or on the way to Ray-Jay to see the Bucs game on Sunday. You can listen to Pewter Nation Podcast Ep100 Part 16: There Is Still Room On The Boat by clicking here.

Listening to the Pewter Nation Podcasts on your drive home from work on Fridays or on Saturdays while doing some chores around the house or running errands this weekend is just smart. So do it. The next Pewter Nation Podcast will be taped after the Bucs – Saints game on Sunday, so stay tuned for the post-game thoughts from Sikkema, Cook and yours truly as Tampa Bay tries to win yet another NFC South game and improve to 6-7.

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. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode.

• According to 360SportsRadar, the Bucs lead the NFL in “air yards” (total distance the ball is thrown beyond the line of scrimmage) by a large margin. Through 12 games, Tampa Bay has 2,835 “air yards,” and the next closest team is Atlanta with 2,151.

The Buccaneers have the top explosive offense in the league and are the only team in the league that has five players with over 500 yards receiving (Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Chris Godwin, Adam Humphries and O.J. Howard), four players with over 600 yards receiving (Evans, Jackson, Godwin and Humphries) and six players with at least four receiving touchdowns (Evans, Jackson, Godwin, Howard, Humphries and tight end Cameron Brate) and four players with five receiving touchdowns (Evans, Godwin, Humphries and Howard).

Bucs OC Todd Monken – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

• The success of Tampa Bay’s top-ranked offense is expected to result in some job interviews for offensive coordinator Todd Monken over the next 30 days. There are some college head coach openings, but Monken’s name has not been connected to any that PewterReport.com is aware of.

As usual, there will be some NFL head coaching vacancies at the end of the year, and the 52-year old Monken does have head coaching experience from his days at Southern Miss, and will likely emerge as a candidate, according to Pro Football Weekly. We agree.

• And finally, the holiday season is here and that means it’s time for you to look great for your holiday party and family photos at Christmastime. The place to go for the best haircut and professional shave is Roosters Men’s Grooming Center. You may have seen the Roosters banner ads on the website or in the Most Impressive story after the games as Roosters sponsors the Pewter Player each week.

Now it’s time for you to be the MVP at the holiday party with a great haircut from Roosters Men’s Grooming Center, which is located at 533 South Howard Avenue in South Tampa. PewterReport.com’s Mark Cook and Andrew Scavelli have had their hair cut at Roosters and have raved about it.

Roosters is an upscale, full-service barber shop with haircuts, razor shaves and the best men’s hair care products available. Have a complimentary bourbon while getting your haircut or a shave. Call (813) 253-3200 or visit RoostersMGC.com to schedule your appointment today. Roosters Men’s Grooming Center is the perfect destination for groomsman parties or corporate events.