“I Play For The Fellas”
November 20th, 2016
Emerged from the shadows
A co-star in the failed free agency sitcom of 2014 is rapidly changing the epitaph on his imminent Bucs gravestone.
Cornerback Alterraun Verner has been riding the bench for months, relegated to special teams duty. It’s nice work for $6.75 million a year.
But today was a different animal for Verner.
Starting cornerback Brent Grimes forced a fumble early in the first quarter against the Chiefs and looked like his Pro Bowl self — and then he went down with a quadriceps injury.
Verner was thrust into action and played pretty well. He looked like a starting NFL cornerback and recorded two official passes defensed.
Dirk Koetter praised Verner after the game, and in the happy locker room, Joe asked Verner about transforming from bench-warmer to the spotlight.
“As a competitor, you always want to be out there; you want to help the team,” Verner said. “You know, this [lineup] is the way coaches deem the best way for our team to win.
“And it’s proven to help us as a defense. So I was able to do my role When asked to go out there, I mean, I play for the fellas. I know how hard they work. I’m going to do them an injustice if I don’t go out there and at least give it all that I have. So I was just happy to go out there and play ok enough for us to get a win. When Brent [Grimes] gets back, I mean, he’s going to do what he’s able to do.”
Pretty cool attitude there from Verner.
Also, Verner was one of the few Bucs who had previous experience playing at Arrowhead Stadium. He lost there with the Titans in 2010.
Verner remembered how crazy the crowd was that day. So he appreciated how much the Bucs took the Chiefs’ crowd out of the game Sunday with their dominant performance.
“It was nice to hear them not say too much,” Verner said.
Verner hasn’t been saying much, either, since his benching in September. Jason Licht may have misfired on Verner as a big-money cornerback, but Licht was on the money with Verner as a teammate and a capable player.
November 21st, 2016 at 12:16 am
Depth is a beautiful issue to have
November 21st, 2016 at 12:21 am
Was at the game, for sassed for screaming for my team on every play. I guess that’s what to expect in the upper bowl. Go bucs, what a win. Boring defensive football, but it gets the job. Really happy for Roberto today as well, did everything asked of him.
First bucs game after religiously following this team for years on this site as a creeper and other OP names. Faith restored in Mike Smith and co. Think Dirk called a good game and the Oline held together admirably. I was expecting the ends to get wrecked today. Good mix of playcalling and protection to get the ball into scoring territory with a very tough crowd, that they kept out of the game. We’re very much in the playoff mix and look to be improving..
Bring it Seattle.
November 21st, 2016 at 12:27 am
If you watched the Skins game tonight the WRs were Smothering the WRs at the LOS! I don’t get playing VH3 and Grimes/Vernor 8 yards off when they only need 5 yards! Hell, not at All! We won though so maybe I should just keep building Homes.
November 21st, 2016 at 12:28 am
“DBs were Smothering the Wrs”
November 21st, 2016 at 12:50 am
I don’t get it either. Obviously it was a huge issue with Lovie but it seems like we’re always giving up those short underneath routes. What’s a guy gotta do to see some press coverage in Tampa?
We’re gonna need to be hitting and rerouting the WRs next week or Seattle will have a field day. Jimmy graham is coming back to town.
November 21st, 2016 at 2:59 am
Do we really have much depth at CB? Josh Robinson is the only other legit back-up we have now that Banks is gone. Alterraun Verner played a great game. It is not easy to replace Grimes but he did and we could not have won without him.
November 21st, 2016 at 6:00 am
Alterraun Verner is a class act.
November 21st, 2016 at 10:06 am
Shame Smithy blew it regarding Banks. A win is a win though, and Bucs played a solid game. Bring on the Seahawks!!
November 21st, 2016 at 11:48 am
Theoretically, playing off coverage protects the corners and enables them to better cover the deep route. (unless the bite on the double move). It will also “encourage” underneath routes where the WR gets persuaded into underneath coverages like LB’s or Nickles . Also enables the CB to come up and make a tackle for a short gain. To me it seemed there was a lot more Man- 2 this week. I haven’t watched the replay yet. But, from watching the broadcast it sure seemed so. What it does for the DL is give them time to get off blocks and make a play. Which is hard to do against a west-coast style offense. Seattle will be a whole different monster with Wilson’s athleticism. He see’s a gap, he’s gone. Rush lanes must must must be maintained. Otherwise… we will have some problems.
November 21st, 2016 at 12:33 pm
yep. totally should have traded that guy for cap space we did not need and a late late conditional draft pick.