Youth Up Front Exposed
October 17th, 2010
There was chatter, whispers, rumors and innuendo that the Bucs’ rush defense was soft.
Today, it may have been worse.
When the Bucs jettisoned Jimmy Wilkerson and Chris Hovan in the offseason — not terrible moves — it left the Bucs vulnerable up front. They were more than vulnerable today; they were a sieve.
With rookies Gerald McCoy and Brian Price in the middle, sometimes punctuated with second-year tackle Roy Miller, it was a risk Bucs general manager Mark Dominik was going to take. Without veterans up front, young players, specifically rookies, were going to get exposed while at the same time gain valuable experience. Historically, rookie defensive tackles do not shine, not even Warren Sapp was a stud as a rookie.
The defensive front was jostled, mocked and robbed today. Saints tackle Jon Stinchcomb literally would take out two players at a time on some running plays.
With youth up front, the Bucs need or needed a monster middle linebacker. Sadly, there are few middle linebackers that fit that mold. Barrett Ruud certainly isn’t that type of a linebacker.
And no, there are no linebackers like that walking the streets currently.
The NFL is a copycat league. Other teams will watch this tape and one can be sure future opponents of the Bucs will try to replicate what the Saints’ running game did today.
Lost by some in last week’s win was that Cedric Benson was gouging the Bucs rush attack time after time. Then, for some unknown reason, angry Marvin Lewis decided to throw the ball.
McCoy, Price, and yes, Miller have a lot of growing up to do in just a few days. If Benson can hammer the Bucs defense, if the immortal Chris Ivory can run for 158 yards on 15 carries, imagine what Steven Jackson might do?
October 17th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
“Saints tackle Jon Stinchcomb literally would take out two players at a time on some running plays.”
Fitting.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
Joe, I’m totally pissed. I was at the game and it was awful. Someone tell Talib he’s never going to be mentioned with the greats if he keeps giving up long touchdowns. And the coaching was the worst ever. We obviously need a real offensive coordinationa and a defensive one. Graham got zero carries today along with Blount. Even when the game was out of reach and we’re trying to score that late TD Carnell (he’s no cadillac) was in the game instead of Blount. Give the rookies some carries cause we already know Carnell is done. The Bucs totally sucked today. All of them.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
LMAO… Caddy lost his nickname. He’s now just Carnell. That’s a good one!
October 17th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
@ Dew
Graham was injured. Blount was inactive.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Now I see Blount wasn’t even active. Give me a break. We have three (counting Huggins) running backs on this team that rarely play. Like Carnell can carry the load. The coaches are fools.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
@ Joe
We are what we thought we were! A work is progress.
Ps- That Stinchcomb play was a bit embarrassing but in their defense, Rah had a pinch called and they had an outside run called. Smh.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
@ Dew
I guarantee Huggy and Graham would’ve gotten 5-10 carries if they didn’t get injured. I don’t think anyone, including the coaching staff, could’ve seen both of them getting injured.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
This pains me to say this, but Caddy is DONE, certainly as the #1 back. I’ve given him 5 games to admit what I already knew. It’s just not happening. That being said, he did a tremendous job of pass protection today, so I do understand why they trust him to be in the game. However, he is no threat whatsoever running the ball.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Is it normal to only have three running backs active?
October 17th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
I have four season tickets and unless my daughter wants them I’ll give them away next week to someone that has never been to a game or rarely been and has two kids. I’m serious.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Dew:
Take it easy. Blount was inactive and Graham got hurt.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
@ Dew
Yeah I’m pretty sure it is. We had 4 backs: Caddy, Graham, Huggy & Lorig and I’m sure sat Blount/Lumpkin down and brought up Parker because the coaches felt our return game needed a boost. I won’t kill them for that.
That’s too bad about the tix. I think it’ll be a good game next week. Two evenly matched teams.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
I think my daughter is busy next Sunday so I’m serious about giving them away. Joe if you can help that would be great. I have two adult and two child tickets. I need a break. I just want someone that would really love to go and can’t really afford too with kids. I would feel better that way truthfully.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:56 pm
I agree. Caddy is not a #1 back anymore. However he’s still a good receiver out of the backfield and good at pass protecting.
October 17th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Them why didn’t they let Lorig carry down at the goal line? Cause he’s not a back.
October 17th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
caddy is not more than a 3rd RB….talking about D Front, we are talkin the same D Coach of last year, 2009 we was 32 against the run, now we are like 30 or 31, so is not about players, is about coaching!!! we need badly a DE next Draft, maybe 2, a RB, OG and MLB!!! good luck with that dom cuz we need that badly…
October 17th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
I hear Caddy makes some great BBQ and awesome collard greens too Patrick!
That don’t mean he should be our main running back. Certainly I admire what he came back from, but this is the NFL. He is not the back he once was, the numbers don’t lie. Ask Mike Tyson if he is still good, he will tell you he is. But his record says different.
October 17th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
@Dew I was at the game too and totally agree that we need better offensive play-calling.
October 17th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
also on caddy…if we got a RB to protect the pass and receive the ball, we should kept michael clayton, after all he was an amazing run blocker….CMON!!! the other RBs can protect and receive balls, sorry caddy we love ya but ur doing squat!!!!
DE 1 round
RB 2 round
OG 3 round
DE 3 round (compensatory, im assuming for antonio bryant)
LB 4 round
October 17th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
“Historically, rookie defensive tackles do not shine, not even Warren Sapp was a stud as a rookie”
Ndamukong Suh begs to differ.
October 17th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
I think Sapp was doing far better as a rookie than McCoy or Price
October 17th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
I think we’ll go after Merrimen. It’s not just our rookie D-line, other than Black, our LBs are invisible. Hayes, Ruud, and all our back ups get thrown around like rag dolls. We need some more physical LBs that can stay in thier gap and stop the run. Even if Merrimen is a total idiot, which he is, we can’t afford not to take a chance on him.
October 17th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Aldo, I’m hoping we can upgrade the O-line thru FA cause we need to get two DEs and two LBs early….plus a safety.
October 17th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Trade deadline is approaching quickly….I sure wish we’d get rid of Ruud.