Bucs offensive line answers critics with performance

Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Logan Mankins (70) and guard Patrick Omameh (66) look on after the final Bucs offensive play last season against the Cincinnati Bengals at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Sunday (11/30/14). DIRK SHADD | TimesTAMPA — As a rule, offensive linemen are the strong, silent types. They never met a microphone or camera they really liked.

But communication is the key to their success. It's especially true of the pre-snap chatter that matters between sage veterans such as Logan Mankins, Joe Hawley and Gosder Cherilus with rookies Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet.

"I don't think he's been wrong once," Smith said of Mankins, the 11-year vet who is a savant at analyzing defensive…