Bucs vs Chiefs: Observations From Preseason WK2

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t give the home crowd much to cheer about during the first half of Saturday night’s Week 2 preseason game. However, by the end of the game, the cannons had finally fired (twice), and the undrafted rookie quarterback had made his case for a roster spot in a second consecutive week.

Tampa Bay erased a 9-0 halftime deficit to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 16-15 at Raymond James Stadium, moving to 2-0 in the preseason. The final score mattered less than what happened during the game as players are battling for roster spots, and there was plenty to take away from the Bucs’ second exhibition game.

Here are some of the biggest observations from Tampa Bay’s win against Kansas City.

Jalen Daniels doesn’t look like an undrafted rookie who is simply happy to be here.

For the second consecutive week, Daniels took over the Bucs’ offense and engineered a comeback. He finished 9-of-14 for 71 yards and a touchdown, good for a 100.6 passer rating. He also added 19 yards on the ground.

Daniels looked comfortable operating out of the shotgun and showed an ability to extend plays without immediately abandoning his reads. A few times, pressure pushed him outside the pocket, and he continued looking downfield rather than automatically taking off with his legs. That aspect of his game showed up late when he moved to his right and delivered a well-placed 12-yard completion to Cameron Johnson that essentially allowed Tampa Bay to close the game out. The Bucs went into victory formation a few times, and that is how the game ended.

Daniels’ legs remain a legitimate part of his game. Daniels isn’t just scrambling when things break down, but Tampa Bay has incorporated him into the designed running game.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing, however; there were rookie moments. His exchanges from under center were shaky at times, including a fumbled snap that he recovered, and the offense appeared considerably more natural with him operating from the shotgun. The encouraging part was that the exchanges improved as the game progressed.

Daniels was playing against players further down Kansas City’s depth chart. Still, he can only play against the defense in front of him, and through two preseason games, he keeps making plays and winning games.
was everywhere

If there was a Buccaneer whose night was better than his box score suggests, it was Ko Kieft.

Kieft finished with only two receptions for four yards, but one of them was Tampa Bay’s first touchdown of the night. Daniels found him for a two-yard score late in the third quarter, finally firing the cannons after Tampa Bay had been held scoreless throughout the first half.

But that wasn’t his only contribution.

Kieft helped Daniels spring a designed quarterback run with a block, moved the chains on a short third-down reception during the touchdown drive and remained involved in his usual blocking responsibilities.

He also contributed to special teams.

Kieft was consistently around the football on Tampa Bay’s punt coverage unit. Kieft had a special-teams tackle, and he downed a Riley Dixon punt at the Kansas City 30 in the first quarter.

He’s known primarily as a blocking tight end, but Saturday was a good reminder of why players who can contribute in several different ways have value near the bottom of an NFL roster.
‘s box score doesn’t tell the story

David Walker didn’t record a sack or a tackle, but watch the game back, though, and you’ll notice No. 51.

Walker consistently created problems as a pass rusher, particularly during the second quarter. His best stretch came against Garrett Nussmeier, when Walker repeatedly affected the quarterback without actually getting him to the ground for a sack.

One pressure came with a nice inside spin move that forced Nussmeier to hurry an inaccurate throw. Walker later worked through multiple blockers and helped flush Nussmeier toward Muhammad Kamara, who applied pressure from the opposite side to end the Chiefs’ drive.

Walker finished Saturday night with two quarterback hits, including pressure on an incompletion with 2:41 remaining in the second quarter.

There were stretches Saturday where Jake Browning didn’t have much of a chance.

Tampa Bay’s reserve offensive line struggled with pressure and penalties during the first half. Browning was sacked twice before halftime, including a massive hit from Chiefs safety Jaden Hicks on a blitz. That play resulted in a fumble recovered by running back Sean Tucker.

The protection issues also help explain Tampa Bay’s conservative early offensive approach. The Bucs ran plenty of runs and screens and rarely pushed the ball downfield in the first half; the one time they did, Browning launched an uncatchable ball out of bounds.

The results weren’t pretty. Tampa Bay entered halftime trailing 9-0 with just three first downs, 83 total yards and 49 net passing yards. The Bucs were also 0-for-5 on third down.

The group settled down considerably as the game progressed, particularly once Daniels entered. His mobility certainly helped, but the offense looked more cohesive in the second half than it did early.

The team still made too many self-inflicted mistakes. Tampa Bay finished with seven penalties for 79 yards.
is quietly putting together a strong preseason

Damarion Williams deserves some attention after recording 12 tackles in Tampa Bay’s preseason opener. Williams followed it up with another active performance Saturday.

His best play came on third down when he worked from inside coverage and got a hand on the football to force an incompletion and a Kansas City punt.

Williams nearly had an interception later in the game. Javen Wright made contact as the pass arrived, the ball bounced off a helmet, and Williams initially appeared to secure it. Replay overturned the interception and ruled the pass incomplete.

He finished with three tackles and a pass breakup. For a secondary with roster spots still being decided, Williams has given the coaching staff something to think about in consecutive weeks.

This was one of the more noticeable improvements from the preseason opener.

Tampa Bay’s coverage units consistently got downfield and prevented Kansas City from generating much after punts. Kieft was involved, and the entire unit looked faster and more disciplined getting to the returner than last week.

The numbers back it up; Kansas City managed only 10 yards on three punt returns, while Dixon averaged 47 yards per punt with a 45-yard net average and put two inside the 20.

It’s preseason special teams, so nobody needs to throw a parade. But after last week’s issues, it was a noticeable step forward.
made his presence felt

Anthony Nelson had one of the better defensive plays of the first half. With Justin Fields attempting to extend Kansas City’s third drive, Nelson got home for an eight-yard sack and stripped the football. Kansas City recovered, but the damage essentially killed the possession and forced a punt.

Nelson wasn’t finished. He later combined with Kamara for a 20-yard sack after Fields continued retreating while searching for somewhere to throw. The play forced Kansas City to settle for a 45-yard field goal.

Nelson finished with 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a quarterback hit. Those are big-time numbers for a guy trying to make the Buccaneers roster.

Cameron Johnson’s value Saturday wasn’t confined to playing wide receiver. He handled both punt and kickoff return opportunities, including a 23-yard punt return and a 28-yard kickoff return.

He also made plays offensively. Johnson finished with four catches for 56 yards, including a 22-yard reception from Browning early in the third quarter.

Then came his late 12-yard reception from Daniels to move the chains and put Tampa Bay in position to kneel away the remaining clock. For players fighting for the final handful of roster spots, versatility matters. Johnson gave Tampa Bay several different reasons to keep watching him.

Bucky Irving looked explosive during his brief appearance. He carried three times for 14 yards, including a seven-yard run where his jump cut helped him find daylight.

Cade Fordham wore the green dot with the second-team defense and looked comfortable with the responsibility. He finished with six tackles and a tackle for loss while consistently finding himself around the football.

Josh Williams also flashed. His stat line was modest with nine yards on two carries and 24 yards on two receptions, but his lateral movement and ability to create after the catch stood out.

Roman Parodie eventually got the lone Buccaneers interception. His fourth-quarter pick gave the Bucs possession at the Kansas City 22, and six plays later Tucker scored the touchdown that gave Tampa Bay the lead for good.

And finally, Harrison Butker somehow provided one of the strangest kicking performances you’ll see in August. He drilled field goals from 45, 58 and 69 yards in the first half, with the 69-yarder coming as time expired. He later hit the right upright on an extra point and missed a 43-yard field goal wide right with 3:27 remaining, giving Daniels and Tampa Bay the opportunity to close out the win.

Preseason results won’t matter once September arrives: individual performances will. And through two games, Daniels is making it increasingly difficult to dismiss what he’s doing as just another preseason story. He wants a shot at QB2.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs vs Chiefs: Observations From Preseason WK2