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Bucs vs. Chiefs Preseason WK2 PFF Grades
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- Bucs vs. Chiefs Preseason WK2 PFF Grades
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved to 2-0 in the preseason with a 16-15 win over the Kansas City Chiefs , and the second round of PFF grades featured several encouraging performances from Tampa Bay 's defensive front.
The Bucs were shut out in the first half before scoring 16 points after halftime. Jalon Daniels connected with Ko Kieft for Tampa Bay's first touchdown, and Sean Tucker later scored from one yard out after Roman Parodie intercepted Chris Oladokun to give the offense a short field.
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Here are Tampa Bay's five highest-graded players on each side of the ball.
Top Five Defensive PFF Grades
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Anthony Nelson , OLB: 94.4
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Rueben Bain Jr., OLB: 88.8
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Yaya Diaby , OLB: 77.4
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Javin Wright, LB: 75.8
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Calijah Kancey , DL: 73.4
Nelson led the entire Buccaneers defense with a 94.4 grade despite playing only 12 snaps. His impact came almost entirely as a pass rusher, where PFF gave him a 95.3 grade after he generated two pressures and two sacks. The official game book credited Nelson with 1.5 sacks, including a strip-sack of Justin Fields , with Mohamed Kamara sharing another sack with him later in the first half.
Bain wasn't far behind at 88.8 overall. The rookie played just six defensive snaps but generated a hurry on two pass-rush opportunities and earned a 90.4 pass-rush grade. Diaby also made his limited work count, earning an 81.4 pass-rush grade and recording a quarterback hit.
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Wright was the highest-graded off-ball linebacker at 75.8, while Kancey rounded out the top five at 73.4. The Bucs held Kansas City to 15 points and recorded three sacks.
Top Five Offensive PFF Grades
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Ko Kieft, TE: 90.1
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Dean Patterson, WR: 73.7
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David Sills V, WR: 72.7
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Ben Scott, C: 71.5
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Kameron Johnson , WR: 71.2
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Cody Mauch , G: 71.2
Kieft once again found himself at the top of Tampa Bay's offensive grades, earning a 90.1 overall mark. His 91.9 receiving grade led the offense, and he caught both of his targets for four yards, including a two-yard touchdown from Daniels in the third quarter.
Patterson finished second at 73.7 after leading Tampa Bay with six receptions for 56 yards on seven targets. His biggest play came on a 24-yard connection with Daniels during the second half.
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Sills earned a 72.7 grade in limited action, while Scott's 71.5 mark was powered by an 80.7 pass-blocking grade. Johnson and Mauch tied for fifth at 71.2. Johnson finished with four catches for 56 yards, including a 22-yard reception from Jake Browning , while Mauch played eight snaps and graded positively in both pass and run blocking.
The PFF grades don't tell the entire story of a preseason game, especially with several established starters receiving limited snaps. Still, the performances from Nelson, Bain and Diaby stand out because Tampa Bay has spent much of the offseason looking for more production from its pass rush.
On offense, Kieft continuing to grade well and Patterson making the most of extended opportunities are two developments worth watching as Tampa Bay nears its final roster decisions.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs vs. Chiefs Preseason WK2 PFF Grades
