Hostile Territory
On Sunday, the Buccaneers will return to the site of their NFC Divisional Round playoff game last season and will face the team that abruptly ended their 2023 campaign. The Bucs will enter hostile territory at Ford Field and a Lions fanbase energized by the Dan Campbell squad that won their first division title in 30 years. The excitement in the city is palpable and for Tampa Bay in Week Two, silent counts will be critical to communicate effectively when calls are not heard in the huddle due to the crowd noise. How the Bucs' offense is able to manage the noise will dictate its success. The silent count is a series of non-verbal cadences from player to player, usually in the form of beats calculated in each player's head to know when the ball will be snapped. Defensive ends will try to anticipate the snap count in order to beat the offensive tackles off the ball and whether it is a leg lift, hand tap or unspoken signal between offensive players pre-snap, everyone has to be on the same page inside Ford Field for the Bucs' offense to operate at a high level. Tampa Bay will do whatever they can on Sunday to neutralize the Lions' home-field advantage.
"It is definitely a challenge when you are not able to communicate verbally," noted receiver Chris Godwin. "It is a big challenge for your team, and we have to do a really good job of practice in working on our non-verbal communication between center and quarterback and the rest of us as well. We have to get on the same page because if we are not, that is an easy way to get behind the chains and with a team like that, you definitely don't want to be behind the chains…As a competitor, it is a really fun to go into places like that. You can feel the energy and it almost feels like the stadium is shaking at times. They have windows but it still feels really dark for some reason…it makes for a really fun environment, and it is stuff that you dream about as a kid."
Athleticism of Bucs' O-Line
Whether it's right guard Cody Mauch passing off a stunt or center Graham Barton getting to the perimeter on second-level blocks to ignite runs, the athleticism of the Buccaneers' offensive line was on full display against the Commanders in Week One at Raymond James Stadium. The unit showed ease on slide protections, creating a clean pocket for Baker Mayfield. The offensive line's ability to get to the perimeter on pulls opened up the offense and created explosive plays. The unit quickly got downfield and imposed their will, which created 30-plus yard gains off screens. Barton showcased his climb capability and leg drive/body control to spring runs.
"It is huge," described Mayfield. "Guys being that big and being able to play in space, it makes it hard on the defense because they are not able to beat them at the point of attack and if those guys get out there with a full head of steam, I sure would not want to be in front of it. It is good to see those guys understand the concept of landmarks on screen plays and when they should be getting downfield and how to block it."
