Five takeaways: Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians previews 49ers visit

SANTA CLARA — Here are the highlights from Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians’ conference call Wednesday with Bay Area media to preview Sunday’s game against the 49ers at Raymond James Stadium.

Arians is back in the NFL after he stepped down as the Arizona Cardinals head coach in 2017, citing health issues. In five years in the desert, Arians had a 50-30-1 record and two playoff appearances.

“It’s been clearly enjoyable,” Arians said. “I think back to my last game in Arizona and where I was mentally and where I am today, it’s two totally different people.

1. QB IMPRESSIONS: Jimmy Garoppolo’s first career start in the NFL came against Arians’ Cardinals in Week 1 of the 2016 season. Filling in for the suspended Tom Brady, Garoppolo completed 24 of 33 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown in a 23-21 New England Patriots win.

Garoppolo orchestrated the Patriots’ go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter. moving the ball 61 yards and 13 plays before Stephen Gostkowski hit a 32-yard field goal with 3:44 to go.

“He played very well. Was very accurate, moved around the pocket well and we lost that game,” Arians said. “He was very solid in that ball game.”

This will be, of course, Garoppolo’s first regular season start since he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee almost a year ago.

Arians has experience with a quarterback who has worked his way back from a similar injury.

In Nov. 2014, at age 34, Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer tore his ACL in a game against the St. Louis Rams, but recovered in time to start the 2015 season. He became a Pro Bowl selection that year, throwing for a career-high 4,671 yards and 35 touchdowns in 16 regular season games. Arizona went 13-3 and advanced to the NFC Championship game before losing 49-15 to the Carolina Panthers.

“Carson, he’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever coached,” Arians said. “Mentally tough and physically tough. When you’re ready, know you’re ready. Don’t try and do it too soon. When you’re ready and you know you’re good to go, don’t worry about it anymore. Just play.”

How easy is that for a player to do?

“I never went through it, but watching (Palmer), he knew he was ready,” Arians said. “He was champing at the bit. He said, ‘I can do team (drills), I can do this.’ How about taking another week? ‘Naw, I can do it. He was more than ready to go.”

2. ON THE 49ERS DEFENSIVE FRONT: Perhaps the strength of the 49ers defense this season will be its defensive line, which may be bolstered Sunday by the addition of Nick Bosa, who sat out the entire preseason with an ankle injury.

The Buccaneers’ offensive line gave up seven sacks and 12 quarterback hits to the Cleveland Browns on Aug. 24. Jameis Winston was sacked five times in the first half alone.

“None,” Arians said when asked about his level of concern about his team’s pass protection. “It’s just one of those days. Had it showed up every day like that, then I’d have some concerns. We had a couple guys get beat. Jameis sacked himself a couple times. But, you’re going to have some days like that in the preseason.”

The 49ers are trying to implement a ‘Wide 9’ defense on certain down and distance situations to get more pressure on the quarterback.

What challenges will that pose to the Bucs?

“I don’t think any, really,” Arians said. “I think it’s just a style of defense they play and we’re going to set the edge on the wide 9, guys inside have to hold up. It’s not like it’s anything new. It’s been around a long time. It’s just a matter of taking the ball and pounding it inside, and when you get outside, take your shots.”

3. PREPARING FOR BOSA: Will Nick Bosa play Sunday? He was back at practice Monday for the first time since sustaining a right-ankle sprain in early August.

Still, since Bosa didn’t play in the preseason, Arians and the Bucs have to go back to early in his junior season at Ohio State.

“We’ll go back and watch some film from before.” Arians said. “We try and get as much information to our guys as possible. There’s nothing on him in the league and only a little bit as a junior. So, just go out and play.”

Arians said the personnel may vary, but the 49ers identity under defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will not.

“You know the style of defense they’re going to play. Rob does a hell of a job with that defense,” Arians said. “We’re just getting ready for the scheme. Dee Ford is a hell of a pass rusher. There’s plenty of things you can study on those guys. They’re going to roll people through.”

4. ARIANS ON SALEH: Saleh is in his third season as the 49ers. Last season, the Niners ranked 20th in total defense after finishing ninth the year before.

“That’s a heck of a front,” Arians said. “(General manager) John (Lynch) has given him some players to play with and they’re very sound. They know what they’re doing and they don’t make mistakes to beat themselves.”

5. HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE? Tampa Bay was 4-4 at home last season and 5-11 overall. The daytime high Sunday is forecasted to be 94 degrees, with 64 percent humidity.

Just another summer day along the Florida Gulf Coast, but a little more hot and humid than what the 49ers were dealing with for much of August.

When the 49ers played in Tampa on Nov. 25, 2018, a 27-9 Bucs win, the daytime high was in the upper 70s.

“Yes and no. It can wear you out, too,” Arians said. “We get worn out every day in practice. It can be to the extent of getting your body accustomed to it. We had a lot of lightning during training camp, so we went inside and opened all the doors to keep the humidity in there.

“It wasn’t much fun for the fans, but got what we needed.”