Will McCoy Join Fellow Bad-Hand Warriors?
December 11th, 2015
So Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul plays with half a hand, and All-World defensive lineman J.J. Watt breaks his hand Sunday but declares yesterday that he’ll play this weekend.
Man, Joe sure hopes Gerald McCoy can match these hand warriors and play Sunday against the Saints. McCoy had some sort of procedure on his left hand following the loss to Indianapolis 12 days ago and sat out last Sunday against the Falcons.
Joe saw the long, vertical scar on the back of McCoy’s puffy hand in the postgame locker room.
McCoy is back practicing on a limited basis this week, and the Bucs and McCoy are non-committal on his return.
Joe knows McCoy is just following doctors’ orders. If he sits Sunday, then that’s just fine with Joe. There’s no reason to do anything stupid. Hey, the Bucs just beat a team better than the Saints without McCoy. Plus, another week of rest likely would wonders for McCoy’s ailing shoulder, which was a problem area since he hurt it early in Week 2 game against the Saints.
But legions of fans aren’t as level-headed as Joe. They want McCoy on the field chewing glass and playing against the advice of medical professionals.
These fans will go nuts if McCoy isn’t on the field Sunday in the biggest Bucs game since they were 6-6 in 2012, and hosting the Eagles on the day Tampa Bay honored the 10th anniversary of the Super Bowl victory.
For those who forgot, ex-Bucs cornerback Danny Gorrer single-handedly choked the game away.
December 11th, 2015 at 10:05 am
the defense played very well last week without gmc…it would be great to have him but players around him stepped up when he was out…with the saint putting Ingram on ir, we may be able to rest gmc for another week with a big game coming up against the rams Thursday night…GO BUCS!!!
December 11th, 2015 at 11:05 am
It’s the playoff push. We need all hands on deck. Let’s go McCoy, we need you and Jac Smith too.
Go Bucs!!
December 11th, 2015 at 11:08 am
Again the silver lining in GMC’s absence is a chance to look at some players.
I’m the blog optimist but even I got to admit making the playoffs is looking like a long shot at this point although the Cards gave me hope..Minnesota is folding like the tent in a hurricane.
Still we all believe that next year…with a 2016 draft half as good as the 2015 we’ll be truly competitive.
In the meantime let’s see what we have. If Gholston keeps on developing…if we think Jack Smith could play an entire season..the return of McDaniel and GMC…our DL is just ONE dominant edge rusher away. If we could find a DE as good as #3 is at QB…Marpet at OG…Kwon at MLB…we’re going to be scary good next year. Then we pick up one more great player and we’re still only HALF as good as this year…that”s OK…especially if the 2nd great players is a gifted lockdown corner…wow depth in the backfield and with Moore we could take away the top to opponent WR’s.
December 11th, 2015 at 11:30 am
funny i was thinking about that. I
December 11th, 2015 at 11:31 am
“Minnesota is folding like the tent in a hurricane.”
One can only hope that this is true. Watching the game, I was impressed with how well both teams were playing and felt they were a couple of notches better than the Bucs. However, if we can beat the lower ranked teams and get in the playoffs, I’m all right with that!
December 11th, 2015 at 11:32 am
I seriously dont think Mccoy’s hand is any worse than Pierre.
December 11th, 2015 at 11:34 am
If the medical staff will let him play, he will play. It’s as simple as that.
December 11th, 2015 at 11:35 am
“I seriously dont think Mccoy’s hand is any worse than Pierre.”
——–
Probably not ,but it also took JPP 4 months to be able to return to action. Funny how everyone forgets that.
December 11th, 2015 at 11:57 am
@St Pete,
Agreed. One thing that is really nice is that we don’t have anywhere near as many areas of need as we have in the past. DE is obviously the most glaring need, with probably safety at #2 (don’t trust Conte to stay healthy for another year). Offensively, I don’t think I would change a thing. That’s weird to type that, but true. We have even started to build pretty good depth at most positions. Assuming Jameis continues to progress, we aren’t that far away. Go Bucs!
December 11th, 2015 at 1:05 pm
That’s scary – especially if Keon and David are out. Lovie’s system will be tested big time!
December 11th, 2015 at 4:58 pm
He won’t play
December 11th, 2015 at 7:37 pm
Every case is different. I know that’s hard to understand.
When i was young and stupid, I broke my hand in fight and it took 6 weeks to heal.
My buddy broke his hand when a forklift dropped a ton of material on his arm, and it required three surgeries and took almost a year to fully heal.
And neither of us healing these injuries while trying to play football.
December 11th, 2015 at 8:15 pm
I think if we can burn a roster spot for the day, I would dress him but play him only in an emergency situation, or if we really need him. I know that’s difficult to do, but it would be great to give him an extra week of rest, especially with a Thursday night game upcoming. We really need to be full strength, because that game is going to be really tough (road teams rarely win those games on a short week).
December 11th, 2015 at 9:35 pm
First of all, we’ve got a 1st class young offense that’s gonna hit the field Sunday in full strength. If GMC, Gholston, etc. are ailing, let them rest. The Aints defense is a bad joke. I’m still not sure why Payton let his DC go, and brought in Ryan. Ryan is now fired. The Aints are in the cellar–har, har, how the mighty have fallen, etc. Whatever….Go Mighty Bucs Sunday!!
December 11th, 2015 at 10:45 pm
The Saints can win any game with there offense alone. The most difficult task this team has is winning 5 in a row. That in its self is a huge accomplishment, if it happens. Most of us would agree that it is not so much making the playoffs, as it is learning how to win. I do not agree that the team does not have anywhere near as many areas of need as we have in the past? Many of the key pieces are now in place but there are glaring needs in some positions and especially in depth. We thought our strength was the defensive line? We are one player going down with another injury away from more practice squad players. Look at the LB situation if LVD could not play? Remember where this team was at when Vincent Jackson was out? Safety and kick returns are others.