Busted Routine Didn’t Take Bucs Down
October 26th, 2012
The Bucs routinely practice at game speed, even at the expense of gaining more reps at a slower tempo. They drill each other in pads once a week (per the max of league rules), and the entire practice experience is geared toward a gameday performance.
The New Schiano Order Bucs are even graded on hustle in practice. Subpar effort is not tolerated.
All this, per various Bucs players talking to Joe, is what gets them firing on gameday. Yeah, the Bucs are 3-4, but the incessant slow starts to games of the past regime have vanished. This team is ready to play physical football every week.
So it’s all the more exciting, and a great show of maturity, that the Bucs were able to manhandle the Vikings last night without having a normal week of practice. There was no practice in pads. There was no practicing at game tempo. The hours between the Bucs’ loss to New Orleans and flying to Minnesota on Wednesday were about rest and extreme mental preparation.
And the Bucs pulled it off in grand fashion.
Joe points this out because it shouldn’t be discounted. Most teams don’t have the mental toughness to succeed on Thursday Night Football on the road. Hence, the poor records of those team. The Bucs didn’t just win. They were dominant outside of the comfort of their routine.
Joe’s now very confident the Bucs will be ready and unfazed in Oakland in nine days. If the beatable Raiders go down and the Bucs pull to 4-4, Joe will dare to dabble in playoff talk.
October 26th, 2012 at 11:59 am
What a great game in all phases….I will be taking the drive down to Oakland to watch that game, hopefully not getting stabbed by the Raider fans as Im done up in my Buc Gear…front row on the 45!!!
Carson Palmer is more Christian Ponder then Drew Brees…I like our chances.
October 26th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
Just want to point out, that was a pick and the ref f’ed up on that call!
October 26th, 2012 at 12:13 pm
@Bill I totally agree…. That was a pick, the refs should have reviewed it!!!!
October 26th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
Is Johnson going to get more snaps? Because that kid is a diamond in the rough and can ball
October 26th, 2012 at 1:13 pm
I never liked Macdonald. He gets beat like a drum and doesn’t seem to learn.
If we’re going to get beat like a drum on the nickel or dime back, let johnson get more reps and let him clean up his game.
And yes, that was a pick…
October 26th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
I just checked on playoff situation and we could go 9-7 or 10-6 if we played solid and win the winnable games the rest of the season.. but I don’t think its enough.
Chicago and Green Bay are going to fight to the end and whomever loses will get a wildcard. I also look to the west and Seattle has a very easy schedule with the rest of the season. They are 4-3 and very easily take the 2nd wild card. I don’t think that the East will have a wildcard team because they implode on themselves but it should be noted that so far all of the East have tiebreakers on us (We play the Eagles later and I counted that as a win).
I think we’ll end the season with a good record but I don’t see it probable of us getting into the playoffs.. Btw, I did the research because I was excited about the chances.
October 26th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Yeah sadly we will probably need to win the division to make the playoffs. The Falcons aren’t going anywhere and we will lose a tie breaker with the Redskins, cowboys and giants. Baring a miraculous run I don’t see us making the playoffs but one thing is for sure. The Bucs are dangerous!
October 26th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Steve, I live in Southern Cali and will be at that game too. I’m going with one more fellow buc fan. You should email me and get together for a beer. Dtecnique7@gmail.com.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:26 pm
As Bill and others agreed, that was a pick. I watched the replay several times. How in the world was that not challenged? I guess more important was how well the young man played. I really loved what I saw of him but that was definitely a pick. My slow motion TIVO proves it.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:27 pm
Reviewed not challenged
October 27th, 2012 at 9:09 am
I love this team. Love the direction we’re going. However, unless we fix our pass D we are not going to the playoffs with Drew Brees and Matt Ryan in our division. I’ll say that with one exception….IF we stay away from the 3 man rush and put pressure on these guys then we have a chance to become a much better pass defense. I believe what killed us against the Saints was the 3 man rush. He had all day to throw but the receivers were still way too open. You have 8 men back to cover the pass no receiver should be as open as the Saints receivers were. We HAVE to pressure the QB and force turnovers. We are starting to put it all together and if Bowers is truly healthy then he and Michael B could make this pass rush much better immediately.
October 27th, 2012 at 9:37 am
Agree with everyone ….TIVO shows this was a pick 100% without a doubt. He had two feet in and total control of the ball. The ball moved (between his hand and shoulder pad), but never did it bobble in between. I know we cant challenge under 2 min, but something should’ve been done bc if a regular dude like me says immediately after that play to challenge and it didn’t happen….well, it just doesn’t make sense. Heck, Minn even kicked the field goal quickly after that play (like they knew). Glad we won and that’s the most impt thing!