The Hidden Drive
September 12th, 2016
Akeem Spence talks about what he felt was the offense’s most important drive Sunday.
A lot of folks, including Mark Dominik, point to the last drive of the first half that ended in a Charles Sims 23-yard touchdown reception as the most important drive of yesterday’s game.
Understandable.
However, Bucs defensive tackle Akeem Spence may pick a drive that didn’t end in any score. Spence thought the offense’s final drive was the most important because the Bucs played keepaway with the Dixie Chicks.
“Our offense gave us a great drive at the end of the game to run the clock,” Spence said.
He has a point.
The Bucs took over with 4:50 left after a Matt Bryant field goal pulled the Dixie Chicks within seven. The Bucs put together a nine-play drive that, while it didn’t result in points, damned near milked three precious minutes off the clock, despite a braindead move by Rudy Humphries running out of bounds on first down after a seven-yard run.
The drive ended when Brian Anger’s 41-yard punt pinned the Dixie Chicks inside their own 10 with 1:52 remaining.
September 12th, 2016 at 1:37 pm
@Joe
And don’t forget that drive also ate up the rest of the timeouts which was really hhhhuuuuuugggggggeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 12th, 2016 at 1:40 pm
@The Buc Realist that was the same drive
September 12th, 2016 at 1:44 pm
Yeah that drive was solid and I even liked the option run on 3rd and short. I thought they were going to do a play action pass roll out type option to let Winston run for it as needed.
September 12th, 2016 at 1:44 pm
I hope someone had or plans to have a convo with Adam Humphries for running out of bounds with like 3 mins and change on the clock. Once he knew he was not going to get a 1st down he should have dropped to the ground. Atlanta would have either had to burn a timeout or have 40 less secs than what they ended up having.
September 12th, 2016 at 2:01 pm
He ran out of bounds? Gutless. Must have been afraid to take a hit. No heart.
Cut Him Now. Trade Him. # sarcasm.
September 12th, 2016 at 2:07 pm
Hump makes few mistakes. Get over it. He’s a 2nd year player. What I like is the fact that the OFFENSE is beginning to win/finish games like the great Bucs Defenses in the past.
September 12th, 2016 at 2:10 pm
Thank you Joe’s for pointing out Humphry’s dive out of bounds. Bone headed! But looking at the rest of the league’s bone headed players not running out of bounds with the clock running down, I’ll take it. Had we lost, he’d be on my shat list!
September 12th, 2016 at 2:10 pm
Humphries made a mistake, could’ve been costly. One thing I like about him though is that I get the sense he’ll only need to be told once not to make that mistake again…and he won’t make it again. One thing I like about this coaching staff is that I get the sense they’re smart enough to actually know they need to have that conversation.
September 12th, 2016 at 2:19 pm
It was HUGGGGGGE TAMPA. HUGGGGGEEEEE
September 12th, 2016 at 2:26 pm
Watch Humphries body language right after that play.
He knew he had made a mistake as soon as he did it.
September 12th, 2016 at 2:47 pm
It was too bad Jameis couldn’t push forward for an extra couple yards on that 3rd down sneak. Could’ve been a nice flashback to his famous 4th down run against the Falcons last year.
September 12th, 2016 at 2:59 pm
Why can’t we just throw a slant on 3rd and 5 sometimes, or more screen passes. Hate when we put it on our defense, would be nice if the offense could just finish the game for a change. Usually bites us in the butt
September 12th, 2016 at 3:01 pm
I thought the clock restarted when the ball was set down by the official?
Also, the idiot move of the day was the Cowboy WR not going out of bounds with 7 seconds left. Idiotic
September 12th, 2016 at 3:57 pm
I’m glad that Humphries got mentioned here. I have been very very unimpressed with his performance over preseason and yesterday. I’ll give him some credit for making up for it with a great play on our first scoring Drive. What is most value to this team is making fundamental and solid plays using his head. He should have got an extra yard and his first catch yesterday as well as the other or play that Joe mentioned. Not impressed at all with his hands either. I really think Adam needs to tighten up.
September 12th, 2016 at 3:59 pm
Put Cecil Shorts III in the slot. Or give him Vjax’s job. He’s not doing anything.
September 12th, 2016 at 4:15 pm
it would be nice to see someone else back there returning punts and kicks. humphries needs to save himself mentally and physically for the slot WR job.
September 12th, 2016 at 4:15 pm
But if Vincent Jackson is on the field he has to be accounted for. It helps guys like Cameron asj and Sims get open. It’s a big part of the reason why offense suffered last year when Jackson went down. not to mention the number of thousand-yard Seasons Vincent has had. He has a better chance of hitting that Milestone again then not.
September 12th, 2016 at 5:28 pm
Can someone help me out?
I am not so sure about this slot player location/designation. I watched the whole game looking at our teams WR’s and from what I seen there sure was a bunch of Mr. Jackson 83 as the WR closest to the Oline. This is the “Slot” right? Yes, Mr. Humphries 11 was in there too, Mr. Evans 13 as well, Mr. Humphries was not the exclusive player in that location/position. So if Mr. Humphries 11 lines up on the outside does that make him our #2 WR on that play or is he still the “slot” guy? Not sure how this transition accounting works out.
On Mr. Humphries play on not getting down instead of going out of bounds. I think he caught the ball with 3 falcons around him, then got tackled and this forced him out of bounds. Yes he should have just sat on his butt, but I feel it was a heat of the moment thing there. Agree it will not happen again.
As far as the clock and it’s part of the focus of this post. Why did the clock not continue when we did run the ball, this did not happen. As there where several “infomercials” going on the dome video system. And when these finished sometimes the clock started with the 30 second clock and sometimes not. Valuable time not gone, and invaluable time and rest for their D players.
What a Great game!
Bring on the Cardinals.
Go Bucs!
September 13th, 2016 at 12:00 am
@rustyrhino
Between the movement of wide outs and different formations, all the did play out if the slot. I think wherever they line up the majority of the time is where the general designation comes from.
Welcome to TV timeouts. The clock continued when the delay was over during those infomercials. But I’d hardly call Davonta’s goals and favorite food “information.”