Week 2
Dixie Chicks at Bucs
Kickoff: 4:15 p.m.
TV: Blacked out locally. Those living outside the Tampa/Orlando TV markets can watch the game on DirecTV 717. The game can be viewed on NFL.com at midnight via Game Rewind and is available after midnight via NFL Sunday Ticket’s “Short Cuts” after midnight.
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); Sirius Channel 94.
Weather: Per Accuweather.com, the game is expected to start under partly cloudy skies and 87 degrees but thunderstorms are expected to arrive in the second half. The rains should be gone by the end of the game with the temperature at 84 degrees.
Odds: Per SportsBook.com, Bucs -1.5.
Outlook: This is pretty simple. Despite the Bucs thrilling come-from-behind win (again) against the Vikings last week, it shielded a very ugly truth that the Bucs rush defense, as NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci said this morning, is “porous.” The Bucs rush defense is 31st in the NFL. That is simply horrible. On the other side of the ball, there stands bruising running back Michael Turner. So if you are Dixie Chicks offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, what do you do? You do the math. Of course he’s going to pound Turner at the Bucs until or unless the Bucs rush defense proves they can stop him. Of course, that’s a pick-your-poison move. Put seven guys in the box, and watch what Matty Ice does with Tony Gonzalez, with Roddy White, with Julio Jones. … Now when the Bucs have the ball, the Dixie Chicks secondary is likely their weakness. Joe believes Pat Kirwan is on to something. Clearly Josh Freeman shines in a no-huddle offense. Why not let Freeman get the lead early and then start pounding LeGarrette Blount, thereby playing keep-away and also milking the clock?