No “Extra Blade Of Grass”
September 15th, 2011
Bucs icon Derrick Brooks wants to see the Bucs establish a rhythm in the running game and a more physical defense to win in Minnesota, so he told the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig, on WDAE-AM 620 yesterday.
Talking about the Bucs needing to be more aggressive tacklers, Brooks went on a passionate rant that nearly gave Joe chills, as it stirred memories of the smothering Bucs defense of the glory years.
“That just seems like mentally, physically a defeat when a guy can fall forward,” Brooks said. “You want to make the hit, stop him right there. You don’t want him to fall forward for that extra half yard. …[Because] it appears that they’re more physical. They gain a confidence, ‘Oh, you hit me but I still got a yard. I still fell forward.’ You want to establish that line, when you make a hit, two or three guys makin’ a hit, and we’re sending you backwards. That’s an intimidation from a defensive standpoint. We don’t like guys falling forward. We don’t want you to get an extra blade of grass. … That’s the mentality you want to play with as a defender to really get that, to me, that mental advantage.”
Joe, too, would like to see the Bucs show everyone what “youngry” looks like. Because outside of a handful of splash plays, youngry hasn’t shown up yet.
September 15th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Can he just coach our LB’s for a year?…Just a year and then you can go back to doing what you were doing.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
I will bet you Money DBrooks could keep up with or outplay our OLBs even at this age. I truly Believe this !!
September 15th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
I sometimes wonder what goes through a rookie’s mind who is making at or near the rookie minimum, when he has the opportunity to sack the QB or hit a receiver downfield. Does he go all out or does he weigh the possibility of a 20k fine that he can’t afford if he’s too physical. Veterans have learned to play the game and most can afford to pay the extravagant fines. With young Devin Holland with 2 fines and Mason Foster facing a fine also, psychologically it has to cross their minds. The rules were different when Brooks played and not as many rookies on the field at any given time. This has to be difficult for a rookie learning to be physical and play within the rules at the same time.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
@nick, I was thinking the same thing.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Problem is, back then, Brooks and Lynch were able to launch. Defenders can’t tackle like that any more.
However, if that were the only problem on this defense, Detroit would never have scored 27.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:37 pm
Ahh, the good ole days! Brooks you the MAN!
September 15th, 2011 at 1:44 pm
You all are missing the mark. This mentality is not present and we need a young player to step up and display by example even on routine plays. I am very concerned for this team. Not because of the loss but the body language
September 15th, 2011 at 1:44 pm
They look unprepared and under-coached.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Double Nickel for LB coach…..Who’s with me?? Hell give him his jersey back, betcha he can still kick arse.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
Right, lets not listen to the words coming out the the player’s mouths, lets watch their “body language”.
There is so much wrong with those words. I was going to go into a big spiel but it isn’t necessary.
September 15th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Mahalo Dweeb…Architek is right. Words are empty. It’s actions that count for everything, and you can see a team’s mentality in their body language as well as their play on the field. A team can talk a big game or even say all the right words but it means absolutely nothing.
The Bucs are young, and on a single play here & there they’re hungry, but they’re not yet youngry. You could see it all over them last Sunday in how they carried themselves.
September 15th, 2011 at 3:23 pm
I know they lost in every aspect except the kicking game…. but did I miss something in the run game defense? I watched the whole thing in Port Charlotte and it did not look like the Lions ran the ball that well to me. I saw a 20 yard reverse, but other than that it appeared they did pretty good against the run.
Lions ran it 35 times for 126 or 34 times for 106 without that one reverse.
Either way, pretty good, especially when they were sitting back afraid of the TE and Megatron.
If anything, the Bucs just need to look at that and realize THEY need to stick with the run game, even if it is producing 3.5 yards a pop or less
September 15th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
I really wish the Bucs would pursue Brooks to be a coach.. A LB coach or even better the assistant D cord. I think he has the knowledge and mentor ability to make a huge difference. Kind of like Kieth Millard has done with the D line…
September 15th, 2011 at 4:10 pm
ah yes… the double nickel tickle…
September 16th, 2011 at 7:56 am
Raheem would never hire Brooks because Brooks knows way more than Raheem and would outshine him. That being said, I seen on the other thread that it was Raheems decision to run Blount on 5 times last week. I think it’s great that Raheem has the Defense running so well that he can take the time to run Olsen’s Offense too. Keep up the good work Raheem!
And I’ll get my wish a lot sooner. Hello Mr. Cowher! how refreshing it is to have someone that actually “knows” defense to coach our team. Keep going Raheem, dig that hole for yourself!