For the most part, anything that could go wrong did go wrong as the Buccaneers fell to the Cardinals in Week 2. Tampa Bay turned the ball over five times and struggled to get the run game going, picking up just 85 rushing yards on the day.
If there was a bright spot, though, it was the play of cornerback Alterraun Verner, who graded out as the Buccaneers' best player against the Cardinals, according to Pro Football Focus. Verner received a grade of 89.5, which was the highest of any player on the team and seventh-highest among all cornerbacks in the league.
Pictures from the Buccaneers' Week 2 matchup with the Cardinals.
21 CB Alterraun Verner
21 CB Alterraun Verner
3 QB Jameis Winston
58 LB Kwon Alexander
51 LB Daryl Smith, #21 CB Alterraun Verner, #89 WR Russell Shepard, #27 CB Johnthan Banks and #23 S Chris Conte
3 QB Jameis Winston
13 WR Mike Evans
22 RB Doug Martin
22 RB Doug Martin
11 WR Adam Humphries
3 QB Jameis Winston
91 DE Robert Ayers
98 DT Clinton McDonald
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves
22 RB Doug Martin
74 G Ali Marpet and #3 QB Jameis Winston
3 QB Jameis Winston
3 QB Jameis Winston
93 DT Gerald McCoy
30 S Bradley McDougald
92 DE William Gholston
91 DE Robert Ayers
58 LB Kwon Alexander and #23 S Chris Conte
23 S Chris Conte
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
13 WR Mike Evans
64 OT Kevin Pamphile
34 RB Charles Sims
11 WR Adam Humphries
11 WR Adam Humphries
98 DT Clinton McDonald
13 WR Mike Evans
13 WR Mike Evans
10 WR Cecil Shorts
10 WR Cecil Shorts
11 WR Adam Humphries
3 QB Jameis Winston
3 QB Jameis Winston and #64 OT Kevin Pamphile
34 RB Charles Sims
3 QB Jameis Winston and #13 WR Mike Evans
83 WR Vincent Jackson
13 WR Mike Evans
34 RB Charles Sims
34 RB Charles Sims
3 QB Jameis Winston
11 WR Adam Humphries
51 LB Daryl Smith and #58 LB Kwon Alexander
34 RB Charles Sims
23 S Chris Conte
3 QB Jameis Winston
83 WR Vincent Jackson
93 DT Gerald McCoy and #92 DE William Gholston
3 QB Jameis Winston
68 C Joe Hawley
93 DT Gerald McCoy
13 WR Mike Evans
74 G Ali Marpet
3 QB Jameis Winston
98 DT Clinton McDonald
98 DT Clinton McDonald
11 WR Adam Humphries
13 WR Mike Evans
58 LB Kwon Alexander
58 LB Kwon Alexander
"There were not many highlights on Sunday for the Buccaneers defense," PFF's William Moy wrote. "The stars of the defense did show up and have good games, however. Verner was thrown at six times only allowing one reception and had two pass defenses."
Three of the Bucs' top five defensive players were defensive backs, according to PFF. Safety Bradley McDougald finished with the second-highest rating among defenders while cornerback Vernon Hargreaves was No. 3 and safety Keith Tandy as No. 5.
On the offensive side of the ball, center Joe Hawley was graded as the team's top player. His grade of 80 was second only to Verner. Demar Dotson, Adam Humphries, Ali Marpet and Kevin Pamphile rounded out the top five.
For more of Pro Football Focus' grades from the Buccaneers' Week 2 game against the Cardinals, click **HERE**.
