“It’s gone.”
“It’s done.”
So said Frodo Baggins after hurling the One Ring into the fiery chasm from whence it came, and so says every NFL fan when the preseason finally ends.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans can gleefully fall asleep tonight knowing that the next time their beloved team takes the field for a game, it’ll be Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Saturday night’s 27-10 preseason loss to the Indianapolis Colts didn’t give those Bucs fans much to cheer about, as Tampa Bay finished their 2022 exhibition slate without a victory.
Tom Brady’s lone series was a win, as the GOAT completed six of his eight passes for 44 yards, leading the Bucs to a field goal on the opening drive. Brady hit Julio Jones for a 20-yard gain on a frozen rope of a deep comeback route, proving that at 45 years old, he’s still got a cannon for a right arm.
There were other positive flashes for the Bucs, such as Ke’Shawn Vaughn leading the team with 36 yards rushing on just nine carries, with the team’s lone touchdown. Tight end JJ Howland led the team with 46 receiving yards, all of them coming on his only reception of the night. Kyle Trask was solid (7-for-10, 94 yards), Cade Otton had a big catch, and the pass rush bagged three more sacks to give the Bucs 10 in three preseason games.
Tampa Bay lost by three scores despite outgaining the Colts in total offense, and winning the time of possession battle. Inconsistent tackling, poor kick coverage, a missed field goal, and going 1-for-11 on third down was quite the losing cocktail.
Even in a 27-10 loss, the worst development for the Bucs didn’t happen on the scoreboard. Their already banged-up offensive line suffered two more injuries, as center Robert Hainsey (ankle) and do-it-all swingman Nick Leverett (shoulder) both left the game and didn’t return.
The best thing about this game is that it’s over, and now, it’s time for the real thing.
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