Spence’s Development “Weird”
November 30th, 2016
Bucs coach talks rookie uprising.
The past three weeks, the Bucs defense has been on fire.
In three consecutive games, the Bucs smothered bratty Jay Cutler, Alex Smith and Russell Wilson, quarterbacks who have at worst led teams to conference championship games.
Also in the past three weeks, Noah Spence has come alive. The rookie defensive end has had 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks in the past three games. Coincidence? Joe isn’t fond of coincidences.
Spence previously admitted to Joe he will need a postseason MRI on his injured shoulder, but he has really raised his game and, if he ain’t careful, just might get 10 sacks. He currently has 5.5.
Speaking Monday, Bucs coach Dirk Koetter remarked how Spence’s development has been, well, “weird.”
“I think we talked about this earlier – this is weird to me, but it seems like when he hurt his shoulder and they said, ‘You’re either going to miss the rest of the year or you’ve got to play with this harness,’ he started playing the run better after he put the harness on,” Koetter said. “And then the fact that we had multiple injuries at defensive end and we kind of had to throw him out there because we were sort of planning on him as only in pass rush situations, but there was a little stretch there where we didn’t have many bodies. And he’s gotten a lot better against the run.
“And then confidence, his confidence is high. When you get a sack in the first series on [Seattle quarterback] Russell Wilson, it was on after that.”
Again, Joe doesn’t think there is any coincidence that the Bucs have hounded opposing quarterbacks and the defense is reborn. Put heat on quarterbacks and good things happen. This isn’t rocket science.
November 30th, 2016 at 7:29 am
Nope, none of that is it. Sure, he is probably a little better by virtue of playing more, but the reason he has flashed is the lousy Tackles he has been matched up against. Simple as that. Joe, I ask you?
November 30th, 2016 at 7:52 am
Man, not saying we have a pro bowler here, but its hard not to be excited. This is what hes doing while being a rookie and playing through injuries. Some guys could have opted for surgery and been on ir. The guy looks good.
November 30th, 2016 at 8:08 am
This is also another example of the yin and the yang over rookies. Do you play them and perhaps wreck their confidence or somehow set them back? Or does tossing them right into the fire actually speed up their learning process?
IMHO it varies from player to player. Sometimes rushing somebody into action too soon can hurt but I see that more at the QB position on a bad team. For all of our whining about targets #3 has had it pretty good here as he should.
We’ve had a decent Oline…one of the top 3 WR’s in the league…backs who can catch out of the backfield when they are healthy…and Cameron Brate developing as a solid tight end target…and Hump not great but adequate as your 3rd or 4th choice on most plays.
So I think absolutely did the right thing with #3. It seems that fate interrupted out plans to out think ourselves and use Spence this year situationally…the injuries that forced us to throw him into the fire on running downs despite his shoulder brace…have had the effect of making Spence learn his position more quickly.
Sometimes the challenge of the injury and brace can force a better effort as a player tries to compensate from an obvious challenge and succeeds big time!
November 30th, 2016 at 8:15 am
Spence had a high talent ceiling coming out of college, so it shouldn’t be a total shock that he’s starting to show it in the pros. What is damned impressive is that he’s playing at a high level through an injury. Keep it up Noah, we Bucs fans appreciate the effort and peoduction you’re giving the team.
November 30th, 2016 at 8:21 am
I thought through training camp and preseason that NS57 had the best “handwork” I had ever seen from a rookie. The problem was that the bigger O-tackle would lean on him in running downs and wear him out or injury or he would over pursue leaving huge running lanes ( like GMC93) did when he was a rookie!!!!
Maybe the shoulder Injury has made NS57 choosy when to pass rush, making him better at his gap responsibility!!!!!
Go America!!!!!
And GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 30th, 2016 at 8:23 am
Toes
Effort. He is definitely putting in the effort. He was zipping around like a madman sunday. A few more guys in the draft that are gona give it 110 percent and next season could be a great one. Lets still get in the dance this year! Go bucs
November 30th, 2016 at 8:33 am
Been a fan of his since pre-draft. He was my first round choice, which shows I really have no clue. I have been watching him closely and it was easy to see that he was getting it. He was getting closer and closer every week. The shoulder is still an issue because his go to move in college was the rip. I have to believe the move is limited due to his shoulder. He’s learning new ways to get there which will strengthen his game once healthy. Being said, it’s obvious the kid wants to play above all else. Not many would’ve run in the combine with a widely described “iffy” hamstring.
November 30th, 2016 at 9:09 am
Let’s keep in mind he was beasting on a 5th rook all day, but I was saying right here on these boards that Spence was a first round talent that I wouldn’t have minded we picked in place of Hargreaves. This guy is gonna be real special
November 30th, 2016 at 9:59 am
SPAWN
November 30th, 2016 at 10:15 am
So you think he hasn’t already had a MRI on his shoulder? Would be comsisdered irresponsible to not know what damage he did already to know that he won’t do more damage. The Harness limits his movement to keep him from doing more damage. I would guess a partially torn labrum.
November 30th, 2016 at 10:38 am
I been saying its time to turn his reps up and another guy thats starting to look great again on a defense that is becoming great again is Ryan Russell. I hope he sticks around the rest of the season and picks up a contract. He ,Gholston, and Ayers occasionally play great ball outside with great balance that is not easy to find. With Ayers and Spence battling injuries i hope he gets more reps as weve found another diamond in the rough in Ryan Russell. Do some PFF looking into when he and Gholston are on the field together it is dominant. Like what the rookie is doing and i say he gets to ten sacks in the next two or three weeks the way he is playing but i feel he and Ayers should now start being preserved just a lil maybe a snap or two.
November 30th, 2016 at 12:03 pm
Joe, I and just about every Bucs fan have been worrying that if Mike smith leaves for another head coaching position, what’s gonna happen? I think Jay Hayes would fill the position nicely,
November 30th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
the thing that I’ve noticed with spence and Hargreaves is that it seems like the game has slowed down for them….they can now mentally and physically keep up with the game…wr’s and tackles don’t seem to be as fast and strong as they were at the beginning of the season…..both rooks are playing great ball….
I believe we go out west and win convincingly….as put of display Sunday night afc west teams probably have the worst tackles in the league besides Oakland….rivers loves to take chances….I’m looking for doug to have over 100yards and VHG gets his first pick…..GO BUCS!!!!
November 30th, 2016 at 4:38 pm
I’m not sure how many of you re-watch the games, but if you do watch Noah and you can see he and Gerald need to be double teamed because each gets great pressure up the field.
Against Seattle, both of them were causing havoc in the backfield. If they both stay healthy the rest of the year and continue their play like they did against Seattle we are going to be very difficult to beat the rest of the year.
December 1st, 2016 at 8:16 am
What I’m really impressed with is how Spence is against the run. He’s good at shedding blocks and finding the ball carrier. Don’t think anyone saw that coming. He’s obviously listening to the other guys on the D-line and the coaches. It all points to a good work ethic.