BSNblog

Most teams have made their important regular season decisions by week four of the preseason. Teams know who their starting quarterback will be, the starting running back and who will be playing on the offensive line. But the Redskins are not quite so sure just yet. Head coach Mike Shanahan, who has drastically altered his coaching style since arriving in Washington to something more chaotic than fans are used to, still has not settled on a starting quarterback. In a game where coaches should be looking to make final decisions on second and third-string players for special teams and the depth chart, the Redskins are still trying to figure out their starting line up. The offensive and defensive lines are still in a state of transition as well. Shanahan has some decent players to choose from, but he needs to make up his mind soon.

The Buccaneers have been ready for the regular season for a while now. The NFL betting lines have the Bucs contending for a playoff spot this season based on the team’s strong play last year. But this is still a young Tampa Bay team with a lot to learn about winning big games. The Bucs have been very reserved in this preseason. There has been a lot of generic offensive schemes and the constant cycling in and out of second and third-string players. Tampa is methodically getting ready for a season in which it hopes to dominate. This game will be a preview of the special teams and depth chart players for the Bucs that fans may still find very interesting.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL fans were more than a little entertained when Tampa head coach Raheem Morris announced that his team was one of the best in the NFC. In a conference dominated by the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons, Morris put his young squad out there with the best of them. Morris was jumping the gun a little, but that did not stop him from making the same statement in an interview during this preseason. Confidence from the head coach is one thing, but the Bucs need to start putting together the play on the field to back up those strong words. Quarterback Josh Freeman has been very reserved in this preseason along with the rest of the Tampa offense. This game will solidify the second and third-string players and give Freeman a rest. But it will be interesting to see what the real Tampa offense looks like on opening day.

Washington Redskins

Quarterbacks John Beck and Rex Grossman have both put on stellar preseason performances. But both quarterbacks have been NFL picks to be a starter in the past based on preseason performances, and both failed in the regular season. Mike Shanahan still has chaos reigning in Washington, and the fans are curious to see what kinds of final decisions Shanahan makes for the Redskins in this last preseason game.

The Bottom Line

The bass fishing around Tampa Bay is some of the best in the country, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have their sights set on the NFL playoffs. This game will probably feature a lot of Washington starters in the first half, which is why the Redskins should be able to win this final preseason game.

BSNblog Pick: Washington Redskins