JACKSONVILLE — Rush hour can be murder in Tampa Bay, although it had been pretty quiet lately for the Bucs. They had zero sacks and only one quarterback hit in the preseason opener at Cincinnati last week.
But if you wanted to see someone speeding in a congested area, you should have checked out Bucs outside linebacker Jose Ramirez on Saturday night.
The former seventh-round pick from Eastern Michigan, who spent all of last year on the Bucs’ practice squad, recorded three sacks in the Bucs’ 20-7 loss to the Jaguars.
The sack trick was one of five in the game by the Bucs, who also got quarterback takedowns from Markees Watts and Lwal Uguak.
It was a big improvement from Week 1 of the preseason for the Bucs, who failed to record a sack and only had one quarterback hit against the Bengals.
“Man, I ain’t even going to lie to you. Ever since I had a couple rushes in practice where I was trying to do too much, Yaya (Diaby) talked to me and said, ‘Just get off the ball,’ ” Ramirez said. “My first game, it was just get off the ball and whatever that tackle gave me, I was just going to take it. If he gave me the inside, then that’s what it is. Sometimes I get to the sideline and I don’t even remember what I did. I just go out in the game and play.”
Ramirez and some of the other Bucs outside linebackers have taken advantage of the extra reps in practice with both starters, Diaby (ankle) and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (neck), out with injuries.
Tampa Bay has been looking for someone to step up. Diaby, who didn’t start until November last season, led the team as a rookie with 7.5 sacks. Tryon-Shoyinka never has had more than five in a season.
Ramirez drew raves as a rookie for the work he did in practice, challenging and often beating tackles Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke.
“Going against them every day? You’ve got to understand. That’s a $100million guy,” Ramirez said of Wirfs, who became the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history when he signed a five-year, $140.63 million contract. “He’s one of the best tackles in the league. Luke, he’s underrated. … I know I’m going against these dogs every day.”
Wirfs said he was not surprised by Ramirez’s breakout game.
“I think Jose has been great,” Wirfs said. “He’s been here all summer working with (Diaby) and those two were getting after it. He’s given us fits in practice so it’s nice to see it pay off. What did he have, three tonight? He’s having a great camp and to see it come to fruition for him is super cool.”
But for Ramirez to force his way on the field, head coach Todd Bowles said he needs to learn how to play the run as well.
“We knew he was a pass rusher,” Bowles said. “His thing was learning the defense and playing the run so he can learn to be an every-down player, so we’ve got to watch the film from that aspect. But he came back in shape. He came back lean. The way he gets off the ball, he uses his hands well and he understands the way to get to the quarterback. It’s the other aspect of his game he’s got to bring along with that.”
Reunited as rivals
The last time Kyle Trask and Mac Jones started a game against each other, the stakes and statistics were higher. Alabama beat Florida 52-46 in the 2020 SEC Championship Game.
Neither player has been able to recapture his past glory in the NFL. Jones failed as a starter as a first-round pick at New England and is now backing up Trevor Lawrence with the Jaguars.
Trask, the former Gators star, has appeared in only two NFL regular-season games entering his fourth season with the Bucs. Jones outplayed Trask again Saturday.
Jones completed 16 of 23 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns. Trask, who re-entered the game in the fourth quarter when John Wolford injured his ribs, finished 12 of 19 for 108 yards, including a 6-yard TD throw on the run to Cody Thompson to tie the score in the second quarter.
It was a stark contrast to when Jones was chucking the football around for Alabama and Trask nearly matched him in that conference title game.
On that night, Jones passed for a SEC title game record 418 yards and five TDs. Trask threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, plus rushed for a score.
Third-down issues remain
The Bucs defense had trouble getting off the field last season, with opponents converting 39.52% on third down, which ranked 22nd in the NFL.
That trend continued in the first half Saturday as the Jaguars converted 5-of-8 third-down situations.
That enabled Jacksonville to hold the football for more than 18 minutes and own a 38-24 advantage in offensive plays in the first half. The Jaguars had conversions on third and 15, third and 9, third and 17, and third and 10 in the half.
In fact, Jones threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Parker Washington on third and 17. The Bucs were playing Cover 2 and safety Marcus Banks appeared to get lost in coverage.
“It was a problem on both sides of the ball,” Bowles said. “We were 18% (conversion on third down) on offense. We busted two coverages — one on third and 16, one on third and 17 — and gave up one first down and one touchdown. The young guys have got to communicate. They’ve got to play better.”
