Growing And Peaking At The Right Pace
November 6th, 2014
Cornerback Johnthan Banks seems to embody what the Bucs defense is supposed to be all about on November 6, 2014.
Banks started slowly in a new defense but has progressed to where he’s regularly in position to make plays.
Two Sundays ago, Banks failed to make a play, a fourth-quarter ball in his hands against Minnesota. It cost the Bucs a win.
Four days ago, Banks redeemed himself with a great interception and a hell of a game versus the Browns.
At midseason, Banks is peaking. That’s supposed to be what all his defensive teammates are doing, but that’s not the case yet. Just ask Ronde Barber.
Today, defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier raved about how Banks has evolved into a gamer.
“It seems like his confidence has really grown. You watch him in practice; he’s practicing with a little bit more of a swagger now. Part of that is just understanding what his role is in the defense and what we expect from him. And we’re seeing it on the field in games. He had a real good game on Sunday, an outstanding game, made every play that was just about, you know, that came his way.
“His work ethic has always been there. I think it’s just a matter now of the fact he has a greater understanding of his role in this scheme.”
This is great to hear about Banks. He sure seems to be learning faster than Alterraun Verner.
It’s not a huge surprise, Banks was successful and consistent in the SEC, and he’s one of the oldest and most mature second-year players in the NFL at 25 years old.
Former Bucs rockstar general manager Mark Dominik deserves a tip of the cap this afternoon for his 2013 second-round pick.
November 6th, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Evolving? Banks was good from day 1. Did you know this kid has had a new DC every year for the last 6 or 7 years, something ridiculous like that. He’s been outplaying Cinnamon toast crunch every game. And to think Lovie benched him for mike Jenkins. What a joke.
Oh and let’s not start suxing his jock now cuz all season the comments have been about how bad banks plays. Some of you wouldn’t know talent if it smacked you in the face.
Long life lovely smith. #loser
November 6th, 2014 at 3:36 pm
If you subtract the weeks that Verner missed due to his injury, they may be on a similar timeline
November 6th, 2014 at 3:43 pm
Yes, the light bulb seems to have turned on with Banks. Hopefully more light bulbs will turn on at some point this season. I said after the Falcons game that this defense will show a lot of improvement some time after mid season, and even though that feeling has lessened a little bit lol, I still think that’s what is going to happen.
November 6th, 2014 at 3:43 pm
Banks missed a game too due to “injury”. Coincidence that the day before he got penalized for defensive holding againt the saints. Bs call but whatever. Surprised he didn’t “injure” himself again after missing the game winning int against the vikes. Those neck injuries can be funny like that they only pop up when he makes a mistake. Cinnamon toast crunch can get burnt multiple times each week but that’s ok.
Lovie HATES schianomen even though they the only ones that come to play on Sunday. I’m beginning to despise lovely. Sad but true.
November 6th, 2014 at 3:45 pm
Maybe Banks can pick a couple off of Ryan, at least one.
November 6th, 2014 at 3:46 pm
I can’t decide if Verners best play last week was when he gave up the 3&17 conversion or the wide open game winning TD. Hmmm, that’s a tough one.
November 6th, 2014 at 3:48 pm
Screw Mark Dominik!
Go Sucs!
November 6th, 2014 at 3:51 pm
Matty is going to look for Julio all game. Last time he put up 9 catches for 161(?) yards and 2 tds. Then he watched and laughed from the sidelines the rest of the game. How about Steve smith sr tossing CTC out of the way and grabbing that TD. CTC has so many great plays I can’t remember them all. Its a testament to lovely ability to sign winners.
CTC = cinnamon toast crunch = Verner = he’s sweet and gets burnt all game every game.
November 6th, 2014 at 5:24 pm
@DB55 How about the hand off to hester in motion, the timing was perfect, matty just cought/stopped the ball and there went hester taking the hand off already in full stride, maybe hester will take it easy on us this time..
November 6th, 2014 at 5:27 pm
I blame all this on the CBA……and the mentality of the modern professional athelete ….Mark Cuban was correct…..
November 6th, 2014 at 5:47 pm
Here we go the 2nd half of the season for this 1st year T2 defense is right on track. This is when they start to get it. We are seen it in the past 2 games. All is right on track.
This is fun to read. Thanks Joe. You got to love this!
November 6th, 2014 at 5:58 pm
Soggy
Then there was our reverse = the slowest reverse in NFL history.
November 6th, 2014 at 6:03 pm
Wrong, Joe.
Since he’s doing well, its obviously a Schiano pick….
November 6th, 2014 at 6:36 pm
What about not drafting Kechley and instead drafting Mark Barron and Doug Martin???
Hmmm
Imagine Luke AND Lavonte David… that would have been ridiculous. The LB core DID need that much help that year too.
November 6th, 2014 at 6:46 pm
This may be the only uplifting story so far this year. I had written off Banks (sorry DB55 but he did s*ck), but he’s ballin now. Cool.
November 6th, 2014 at 6:48 pm
One of those TD’s looked like Verner’s fault but it wasn’t. They were in man not zone, and it was the LB’s man who got the TD. The two LB’s collided in classic creamsicle style when they went in motion, and the result was a TD.
November 6th, 2014 at 8:07 pm
Good thing we let go revis for Collins, Verner and Dietrich-Smith….
November 6th, 2014 at 8:43 pm
So this is how it will be on Sunday. Banks keeps Julio Jones from having a huge game while Verner goes inactive so that Douglas and Roddy White simply abuse the backup starter for about 4 TDs. Typical convenient injury gives the ATL yet another huge advantage….. Whatever can go wrong will in Bucland this year; I am not subscribing to the “tanking’ theories to get the #1 overall but the Bucs do seem inept enough to get the pick w/o any intentional poor play though after watching a bit of the Jets play it would be fair to say that the Jets could be tanking it for the #1 overall….
November 8th, 2014 at 2:02 pm
Banks was one of the players I didn’t worry about. Gets better every year.