The Important NFL preseason game: No. 3

Relatively speaking, preseason football isn't important. Nobody gets a title, and the wins (or losses) don't really count for anything.

The third preseason game is the most important one in the modern NFL, however. Most teams use the third game to give first-teamers their most extensive preseason work in preparation for the opening of the regular season. Certainly that's the strategy that Jon Gruden has used as the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The third game was a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 29-18, and while the score meant very little, the flow of the game gave a glimpse into the beginning of the regular season.

The starting Buccaneers defense looked good, outside of the Jaguars' two initial running plays, both of which gained 5 or more yards. The third play was a questionable fumble call which gave the ball to the Buc offense, which subsequently scored a touchdown to put the Bucs up 6-0. The starting defensive line has looked especially good at rushing the passer, which was a welcome sign given the departure of former defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who departed to take over as head coach for the Detroit Lions.

Offensively, the Bucs continued to display the slow-start pattern that has persisted throughout Gruden's tenure with the team. The team has increased the number of passing plays since the first preseason game, which I take to mean that the coaches are essentially happy with the run blocking but want to see how the various offensive line groupings look in pass protection. The pass protection was spotty. Starting quarterback Chris Simms was sacked about three times, and had three passes batted down at the line of scrimmage.

Tim Rattay, listed as the second-string quarterback, did not play.
I'm not sure what significance to read into that. I think it means one of two things. Either the Bucs have decided to keep Rattay as the experienced backup during the course of the year instead of recuperating Jay Fiedler, or the the other way around. Either way, the coaches apparently feel that they know what Rattay will bring to the table. They were more interested in seeing how rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski has progressed.

I suppose it is possible that they're putting off Rattay's make-or-break-it chance until the final preseason game, since Chris Sims will probably play very little in the preseason finale.

Speaking of Gradkowski, he looked like a rookie when he took over for Simms in the second half. He led the Bucs into Jaguar territory only to make an ill-advised throw into the middle of the field, which was intercepted by the Jaguars.
Later, Gradkowski threw another interception on a ball thrown up between the receiver and the defender. The Jaguar defensive player controlled the ball for an interception.

Gradkowski looked better late in the game, leading the Bucs on a late touchdown drive.

Jacksonville scored all its points during the second half, gaining momentum by keeping their starters working against Buccaneer second- and third-teamers. Regardless, the Bucs should be concerned over the ease with which the Jaguars moved the ball on the defensive reserves. The dropoff from the first team to the second team was far too pronounced.

The third preseason game is suppose to provide answers; this one gave us too many questions. On the whole, it was a disappointing effort this week.

***

Punt returner/wide receiver Mark Jones is on the bubble. The Bucs used Jones as the first-team punt returner, but gave fellow wideout Paris Warren a good look at punt returner, also. Warren has reportedly looked better at wide receiver (Jones has been invisible on offense), but was not surehanded on two of the punts he fielded. On the other hand, Warren looked pretty good running with the ball after he found the handle.