Bucs OC Josh Grizzard.
It’s getting better.
In the first three weeks of the season, the Bucs were No. 25 in scoring touchdowns once they got into the red zone. The Bucs scored touchdowns on 44 percent of their trips to the red zone.
In the past three weeks, the Bucs have upped that number a little, scoring touchdowns at a 52 percent clip for the season once they entered the opponent’s red zone.
Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard believes it has been better efficiency recently on first and second downs.
“A little bit of it was the execution of first and second down – being able to shorten some of the third downs. But then even last week, being able to have that explosive play to Kam [Johnson] – it’s definitely nice if you don’t have to go to a third down [and] you can just score from there, which makes it much easier.
“But, really, the execution part of it, taking care of the little things on first and second down, continuing the drives, and then ultimately trying to throw it in from time to time from that distance out just to get the six points from there.”
Joe thought there may be something else at play, that perhaps has allowed the Bucs to move the ball better on first and second downs.
With the return of Tristan Wirfs in Week 3, the Bucs’ offensive line has stabilized. Ben Bredeson moved back to left guard and Graham Barton moved back to center.
Joe asked Grizzard about that and he didn’t disagree. Stability on the offensive line helped.
“It definitely helps once you get guys back in their spots that they’re used to playing, in terms of their techniques and the communication up front,” Grizzard said. “It definitely helps. But even when those guys weren’t in there, it still came down to the execution of the guys that were in there and putting them in a good position to go out there and make plays.”
Another element that likely assisted in the red zone offensive improvement. When the Bucs were juggling the offensive line, the Bucs held tight end Cade Otton back to help out and block. Once Wirfs came back and the Bucs trusted their offensive line more, Otton was used more in the passing game and that just added another Bucs weapon defenses had to worry about.
Two of Otton’s best three games receiving this year have come the past two weeks.