Gameday Tampa Bay
September 18th, 2016
Game 2
Bucs at Cardinals
Kickoff: 4: 05 p.m.
TV: Locally, WTVT-TV Channel 13; DirecTV Channel 713.
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (WDAE-AM 620 and WFUS-FM 103.5 in Tampa-St.Petersburg region); SiriusXM Channel 134.
Weather: Today’s game will be played in a dome. Fans wanting to tailgate will do so under a roasting Arizona sun. Per Accuweather.com, by 11 a.m. Phoenix time, the temperature is expected to be 101 and should rise to 106 by kickoff. After the game, the temperature is expected to cool off to 103. Few if any clouds are expected. Joe is here and can attest to the early-morning dry heat.
Odds: Per FootballLocks.com, Cardinals -7.
Outlook: Statement game. That’s what this afternoon’s game is for the Bucs. They are facing a Super Bowl contender in their birdcage. What better way to plant a flag in the turf that the Bucs are for real by winning. And this is where the 18-wheeler of cold reality slams into a wall. This is not fantasy football. This is the real thing. And the Cardinals are a wounded animal ready to lash out. In many ways, the season is on the line for the Cardinals. They got punked by the Belicheats last week. An upset with a backup quarterback making his first start — without his All-Everything tight end. The locals in Phoenix are gripping. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim even lashed out at his team publicly. Joe has never seen nor heard that after just one game. That’s how much pressure is on the Cardinals to wipe the floor with the Bucs. While the Cardinals have a world class offense, Joe believes the key to this game is the Bucs offense. Can they hang with the Cardinals? How the Bucs do battle against the defense of the Cardinals and its talented secondary will be crucial. Joe wonders if Bucs coach Dirk Koetter will challenge Honey Badger, Tyrann Mattieu? The Pro Bowl defensive back didn’t seem to be 100 percent last week after surgery in January on a blown knee. Chatter is Phoenix is that Mattieu will play more of a centerfield safety role until he gets fully healthy. While some believe Carson Palmer is the key to the game, Joe is of the mind it is how the Bucs fare against the Arizona defense. If the Bucs cannot contain Palmer, then the Bucs will have to keep up in a football version of a track meet, hence Joe’s concern.
Trinkets: Last week, America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, passed for 281 yards. That set a franchise record for most consecutive regular season games in which a Bucs quarterback threw for 275 yards or more. The streak now stands at four. … WR Vincent Jackson needs one more game of 100 receiving yards to tie Kevin House for second-most (14) in franchise history. … LB Lavonte David has nine career picks. His next interception will tie him for second-most for a Bucs linebacker with Dave Lewis. The record is 25 picks held by Derrick Brooks. … Since the start of the 2014 season, only three receivers with at least 100 catches have a higher yards-per-catch average than WR Mike Evans (16.0). Leader in that category is Cardinals WR Michael Floyd (17.2) … Palmer has never lost two home games in a row in his career and only once has he lost two games in a row with the Cardinals… Arizona WR Larry Fitzgerald caught his 99th and 100th touchdown receptions of his career last week in a loss to the Belicheats. As a result, he became only the 10th player in NFL history to have triple-digit touchdown catches. … In his six regular season starts, RB David Johnson has 790 yards from scrimmage including 531 rushing yards and 259 yards receiving. Dating back to Week 13 of last season, that is the most of any running back. … In his last three games, LB Markus Golden has been a terror for Arizona foes. Golden has racked up 14 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, five tackles for loss and four quarterback hits. … Beware CB Patrick Peterson in crunch time. The last time these two teams met in 2013, the Cardinals rallied in the fourth quarter trailing the Bucs 10-0 in the Den of Depression. In the final four minutes of the game, Peterson had two picks to help seal the rally.
September 18th, 2016 at 2:10 pm
REJOICE for the kingdom of JAMEIS is here!!!!!
September 18th, 2016 at 2:20 pm
I see not everyone in the broadcasting world sees Cards beating the Bucs! And those that picked Cards are saying Bucs will make them earn it!
It’s a good day to be a Tampa Bay Buc fan! #seigethedaymotherpuckers!
September 18th, 2016 at 2:28 pm
Yeah the Cardinals are good and all that. The Bucs have to be better today, it’s entirely possible.
September 18th, 2016 at 2:38 pm
Joe, thank you for all the good looking women you post!!!
September 18th, 2016 at 2:46 pm
Nice pic Joe’s…..just put her with the cheerleaders in that exact outfit right by the cardinals bench lol, they’ll be too distracted to even try.
September 18th, 2016 at 2:47 pm
LFGO!!!
September 18th, 2016 at 2:50 pm
Aguayo looks smooth as silk from 58
September 18th, 2016 at 2:52 pm
Madmax..I don’t think anything can distract the Cards today..nothing..nada..zilcho…except maybe knocking Palmer out into next Wednesday..
September 18th, 2016 at 3:03 pm
I’m picking up what Lifeofabucfan is putting down. #siegetheday
And by siege I mean pillage, plunder and burn that mf house down.
Who skrong? U skrong? If u skrong me skrong!
September 18th, 2016 at 3:10 pm
Hope we play as good as we did against Atlanta today. Only 1 hour left
September 18th, 2016 at 3:14 pm
If the Bucs can contain Carson Palmer, David Johnson , they will win, going away. If the Bucs don’t get pressure on Palmer, they will lose, going away. Simple and plain
September 18th, 2016 at 3:14 pm
If the books can play as well as they did last week, minus the blown coverages, they should be in good shape. Noah Spence could be an X factor today.
September 18th, 2016 at 3:15 pm
Bucs*
September 18th, 2016 at 3:17 pm
Also, if everyone could not freak out if Arizona scores first, that would be great. Last week’s temper tantrums in the first quarter where embarrassing
September 18th, 2016 at 3:20 pm
Walter..I had to mute like half my Buc Twitter followers because of their temper tantrums..
I finally told everyone to f*ucking relax, the game is not over!!!
FACT!
Jameis has NEVER lost a game where bird names are the team names..
September 18th, 2016 at 3:20 pm
And I mean in the NFL..
So Cardinals should be his next win..
September 18th, 2016 at 3:25 pm
So glad we didn’t draft that coach killer last year. Looking like dog poo right now. So glad Lovie picked Jameis instead.
September 18th, 2016 at 3:30 pm
@ Buc50
Who’s the coach killer, Mariota?
September 18th, 2016 at 3:31 pm
Yes…Mariota is a coach killer.
September 18th, 2016 at 3:39 pm
He looked like a star last year against us with 5 TD’s in 1st game.
September 18th, 2016 at 3:40 pm
BigStinky
Anyone can score 5 TD’s against a lovie smith coached team…
September 18th, 2016 at 3:42 pm
That’s because Lovie was calling the defensive plays. We made backups look like Pro Bowlers. Heck…We even made a guy that should have been on the street a millionaire…”You like that???” Mariota would get smoked this year.
September 18th, 2016 at 3:42 pm
Go BUCS!!!!
Damn that woman is FINE looking Joe. Thanks for the pre-game sexy heisman pose treat.
September 18th, 2016 at 3:50 pm
@ tmaxcon
That’s true, Lovie really blew it coming here. Our defense lost a lot of games we should have won where we had the lead.
September 18th, 2016 at 4:15 pm
Bad throw. That needs to be inside all the way.
September 18th, 2016 at 4:15 pm
That interception is on Evans. If he keeps running, the ball hits him in the hands. He studder steps and the ball is intercepted.
September 18th, 2016 at 4:16 pm
At least the INT was at their end of the field
September 18th, 2016 at 4:17 pm
He didn’t stutter step, he lost his footing.
September 18th, 2016 at 4:18 pm
He slowed down and that’s on him
September 18th, 2016 at 4:19 pm
If that ball was 3 yards in front of him it would have been a reception.
September 18th, 2016 at 4:20 pm
Our DB’s look awesome today, so far
September 18th, 2016 at 4:21 pm
fight for the ball POS evans
September 18th, 2016 at 4:21 pm
YES, DB are ballin’.
September 18th, 2016 at 5:48 pm
I said last week our chances were slim. The AZ cardinals have a great offensive line. And given time, Palmer will eat you alive. fitzgerald don’t miss
sh..! AZ is one of the top 5 teams in the league. We..simply are not there yet Buc fams. The route..is on. Bucs can cry and lick wounds on that long plane ride home. The Rams next week is a..Must win game for us. And unlike Arizona, it is very winnable.
September 18th, 2016 at 6:43 pm
First Joe has ever read that. Their offensive line average at best and Mathis was/is hurt.
More like the Bucs still cannot get pressure on a QB.