Or, perhaps more accurately any defensive game-planning, after two preseason games that featured virtually none of it. Since this is the one extended opportunity in the preseason for the starting units on offense and defense to get a real tune-up for the upcoming games that count, it behooves the coaching staff to put them in a position to succeed. And that means having some idea of what the opponent is going to try to do and a strategy to stop it.

There is a subgroup of players on the Buccaneers' current 90-man roster who know that their performance in the kick-and-return game could be the deciding factor on whether or not they make it through the upcoming cuts. As it turns out, the Dolphins are a good team for the Buccaneers to face when they want to evaluate the young players who may be covering kicks in the regular season. Last year, running back Miami RB Marcus Thigpen finished fourth in the NFL in punt return average and fifth in kickoff return average. Downing Thigpen, who also scored two return TDs last year, could be a real feather in the cap for a young Buccaneer roster hopeful.

It wouldn't be a wholly safe bet to predict that Revis, the team's prized offseason trade acquisition will play on Saturday night, given that Head Coach Greg Schiano has said on several occasions that he doesn't believe Revis needs preseason action to be ready for September. Nevertheless, the "will-he-or-won't-he?" discussion on Revis will continue right up until the hours before Saturday's game, when Revis says the decision will be made. If Revis specifically lobbies for a chance to play, he may very well get it. And if the All-Pro cornerback does play, it will be one of the most anticipated Buccaneer debuts in a long, long time.

Tampa Bay's starting offense has not been overly productive in its first two preseason cameos, but neither has it been on the field for long. Josh Freeman have not had the opportunity to settle into a comfort zone, or to make up for first-quarter letdown with improvements over the next three periods. That opportunity comes on Saturday in Miami, when the starters are likely to play most or all of the first half, and perhaps a bit into the third quarter as well. The Bucs want to start fast, but that doesn't only mean after the opening kickoff. "Go out there and start fast," said WR Mike Williams, stating his goal for Saturday. "Come out there in the third quarter and start fast. We want to see how we can maintain the tempo and keep going and try to put up points."

While Revis has yet to make his Buc debut, another All-Pro newcomer to the secondary, Dashon Goldson, has played in the first two preseason games. But not much. He and fellow starting safety Mark Barron, last year's first-round draft pick, have combined for five tackles so far, only one of them a solo hit and none of them of the thunderous variety that this secondary pairing promises to deliver. The Buccaneers believe they now have one of the hardest-hitting safety duos in the NFL, and an extended amount of playing time on Saturday could give Buc fans the first taste of what that will mean to opposing pass-catchers and ballcarriers.

The Buccaneers brought two kickers into training camp in their attempt replace incumbent Connor Barth, who suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in July. First-year man Derek Dimke had been on the roster since April while veteran Lawrence Tynes, late of the New York Giants, was added right after Barth's injury. The established vet appeared to have the upper hand (because, of course, he is an established vet) but Tynes has been unable to kick for a weeks due to a toe injury. Dimke has done quite well while Tynes has been laid up, but on Wednesday the team brought in another proven NFL kicker in former Bill Rian Lindell. Now it's likely that both Lindell and Dimke will kick against Miami, and that's a whole new angle to this competition.

The Buccaneers' defensive line was something of a question mark coming into training camp, with at least two starting positions up for grabs and a whole host of talented but green players in the mix. The answer is still not clear, and it hasn't helped that the defensive front has put up modest game numbers so far. Sacks are not the only criterion on which these players are judged, but they could give one candidate or another some momentum. Unfortunately, the Bucs have just one sack through two games, and it was recorded by a linebacker, Lavonte David. An uptick in those numbers would not only be welcome on Saturday, it might give some clarity to what the Bucs are going to do up front.

Doug Martin is the first answer; as with the rest of the starters, he'll get his most robust share of preseason playing time this week. That obviously will cut down on the carries and catches for the rest of the Bucs' running back stable, but it will still be very interesting to see how the remainder are divvied up among the likes of Brian Leonard, Mike James, Peyton Hillis and Michael Smith. Leonard was one of the bright spots in the Bucs' preseason opener against Baltimore, and both James and Hillis looked quite sharp the next weekend in New England while Leonard was held out. The exact shape of the Bucs' running back corps still appears unsettled, but Saturday's game could offer some clues.

Prior to last week's game in New England, Schiano said that his current secondary had probably gotten its hands on more passes during training camp as the 2012 version did all throughout last season. That was obviously necessary improvement after a tough season for the pass defense last fall, as the Bucs are hoping for more turnovers and fewer big plays by the opposition. So far, however, Tampa Bay has forced only two turnovers through the first half of the preseason, with one interception each by cornerbacks Danny Gorrer and Mason Robinson. With the starters and primary reserves on the field for a longer stretch on Saturday, the team will be hoping for more disruption in the secondary in Week Three.

On Tuesday, three days after the Miami game, the Buccaneers will have to make their first round of roster cuts, reducing the team to 75 players. After the preseason finale against Washington, that number will have to go down to 53. As Schiano said earlier in training camp, the Buccaneers are going to be forced to cut some good, NFL-caliber players this year, thanks to improved depth at a number of positions. Saturday's game is only part of the puzzle, and what the coaches see on the practice field and in the other three preseason contests will be factored in, as well. Still, it is undeniable that the contest in Miami will end up being the last opportunity for a handful of players to prove they belong on the regular-season roster.