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Bucs-Jaguars: 5 Things To Watch

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 23, 2008

Updated: 08/23/2008 12:33 am

In The Trenches

The loss of Davin Joseph to a broken right foot means the Bucs almost certainly will start the season with rookie Jeremy Zuttah at right guard. Zuttah gets his first taste of life as an NFL starter tonight, and he definitely bears watching. Zuttah played mostly tackle last year at Rutgers and is still learning the guard position. He hasn't played like a newcomer in camp workouts or preseason practices, but he is going against a couple of strong veterans in John Henderson and Rob Meier tonight. If the Bucs can move the ball and protect the passer the way they did when Joseph was healthy, it will be a good indication they can weather the storm without Joseph. It's too much to ask Zuttah to consistently play at the level Joseph did, but the line as a whole must remain a strength for the Bucs to be viable playoff contenders. If the Bucs can push around the Jaguars the way they did the Dolphins and Patriots, it will boost confidence.

Dilemma On Defense

Coach Jon Gruden hasn't been real pleased with the pass rush this preseason. Neither has defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. It's easy to understand why. The Bucs' starting defensive linemen have yet to record a sack, and it's not as though they've spent most of their time on the sideline. The regulars on defense have gotten plenty of work, but they haven't been dominant. The return of DT Jovan Haye from a groin injury should help. Greg White, last year's sack leader with eight, has tried to make the switch to left end, but it hasn't worked out well. The Bucs are contemplating bagging that plan and going back to last year's plan of using White on the right side and Gaines Adams on the left during passing downs. If that happens tonight, it will be a sign White will have to get his work as a backup on the right side again and that Kevin Carter won the starting left end job.

Was He Worth It?

There is no chance the Bucs cut Dexter Jackson, is there? You have to wonder, because Jackson hasn't shown a whole lot through two preseason games. No one expected the Appalachian State standout to splash onto the scene as a receiver, but he was touted as a special return man. Outside of one punt return for 15 yards, he hasn't shown much. In Jackson's defense, he has been nursing a sore hamstring. He still might not be 100 percent and, as a result, the Bucs have featured other players in places he normally might play. Folks would still like to see why the Bucs spent a second-round pick on him, and Jackson should be ready to show why the team deemed him a must-have player, especially in the return game.

Backup Battle

Yes, everyone wants to watch QB Jeff Garcia in his first start of the preseason. But there is a pretty good battle being waged for the right to back up Garcia. The Bucs list Luke McCown as second on the depth chart, and he has done nothing to relinquish that spot. Brian Griese has looked good, too, and has the experience Coach Jon Gruden likes in his quarterback. The key for both is to avoid critical errors such as turnovers and sacks. If both continue to do that and move the team tonight, this battle will go down to the wire. It could even drag on into the regular season. If one clearly outplays the other, though, the sharper performer may inch ahead.

Big Mack Attraction

He is buried at the bottom of the depth chart, but finding little-known, undrafted free agent Elbert Mack is not as difficult as it might seem. The rookie cornerback out of Troy is the type of player who jumps out once he takes the field, and Mack has certainly jumped out at the Bucs this preseason. It started in training camp, where coaches couldn't look at a workout film without noticing him. Then came the first two preseason games. Against New England, for example, he picked off a pass and recorded two tackles. Mack remains a long shot to make the team, because the Bucs are very deep at corner. If the Bucs cut him, they probably will try to sneak him onto the practice squad, because they love his heart and ability to make plays. Every year, someone makes the team out of nowhere. The best bet this year is Elbert Mack.

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