Humphries Knows The Score
September 26th, 2017
Talks turnovers.
Yes, fans who watched the awful loss last Sunday know that, outside of a terribly leaky defense, turnovers ultimately doomed the Bucs in Minnesota.
But you didn’t have to be a fan on a couch in Brandon to figure this out.
Adam Humphries thought the turnovers Pearl Harbored the Bucs, as Humphries told Tom Lang, co-host of the ScuttleBucs podcast and operations manager of ESPN Tallahassee, who was helping Joe out in Minnesota.
“Turnovers is what killed us,” Humphries said. “Good to see guys fight [back] but we have to correct the mistakes.
“We have a good team. Today didn’t work out for us. Turning the ball over three times and not getting turnvoers didn’t help. We have the talent. We have guys no matter what the score is will continue to fight and get first downs.”
Well, the turnovers start with you-know-who. Yes, one pick is understandable because the Bucs were fighting to get back in the game. The pick when DeSean Jackson was targeted and he was bumped off his route could have been a penalty.
The underthrow pick to Jackson? That one that can’t happen.
September 27th, 2017 at 12:34 am
You can blame it on the turnovers all you want but the game was determined. The Vikings started going extremely conservative and that’s the only reason the Bucs D got any stops. This defense HAS to get better. The offense will come but it all starts with defense. They HAVE to get stops.
September 27th, 2017 at 4:41 am
Humphries may know the score but Joe doesn’t in this analysis.. Bear with me and dissect each INT and what caused them.
The first INT.
Game situation: score: 3-14, time: 4:05, 34 yard line, 1st and 10, Bucs are in 11 personnel, Vikings in nickel with a single high safety. The Bucs, had been running the “sugar” huddle the entire way down the field. A Rhodes penalty caused the team to have a real huddle. At the line Winston changes the play. And the safety drops even deeper.
September 27th, 2017 at 4:53 am
Why do folks have so much difficulty acknowledging that Minnesota was the better team Sunday? Period. They won the turnover battle (3-0). They won the time-of-possession battle (38-22 mins). They won the total yds battle (494-342). They won the 3rd down conversion battle (7-1). And oh yes, they won the points scored battle … 34-17. The final score was only 17 pts difference because Vikings went all turtle in the 2nd half after being up 28-3. We got our arses whooped … by a better team. Not the first time, and it very likely won’t be the last time.
Had every Bucs player been healthy if probably would’ve been a closer game, but my gut tells me we still would’ve lost. Minnesota was the better T-E-A-M. Folks can whine all they want about ‘underthrow picks to Jackson’ that just ‘can’t happen’, but guess what … IT DID. On to the Giants. Get a few guys healthy, prepare better, coach better, and hopefully we’ll be the better T-E-A-M this next Sunday.
September 27th, 2017 at 4:59 am
Adam Humphries is frustrated with Jameis throwing a jump ball to Mike Evans into quadruple coverage when Adam was wide open and playing hot. I don’t blame him, something gotta change or we’ll be seeing a new coach next year.
September 27th, 2017 at 5:14 am
Early submit sorry. Ill keep going tho:
The safety rolled to Evans.. big point for later on. So Winston chose DJax. Winston has done everything perfect to this point. Everyone go to your TV or laptop now and pause the screen as DJAX is in the screen. He has position on the CB. If DJAX maintains his position, at worst he competes for the ball. Winston misses no doubt, but DJAX does nothing to help Winston on this play. Waynes undercuts and highpoints the pass. (these are the kind of plays I expect from VHIII)
I will live with that INT 100% of the time. It was a missed pass, which will happen, and DJAX lost awareness of the CB. DJAX drifts and by his body language one can see, he is fully expecting to body catch this pass. We as Bucs fans can live with this.
the second one… now that is another story all together.
Score: 17-31, time 12:45 4th quarter, 44 yard line, 2nd and 4, Bucs are in 11, although you could argue 01 as OJ80 is off the line. Vikings are in nickel, single high again. Now, here is where the trouble starts. Winston is reading the middle linebacker. He is assuming (I am guessing here, not sure if this is coaching or if Winston just blew it) that the safety will roll to help with Evans and Humphries. That is what should happen and I think he assumed it. (this is much like for the Chief’s game last season when Reid said or Conte “he wasn’t supposed to be there”) If he clogs the lane for DJax, Winston will chose OJ80, if he shades to OJ80, Winston choses DJAX. As Winston focuses here he loses track of the Safety playing his eyes. This leaves Evans, 1 v 1 in the flat (this is why he went so nuclear). MLB shades to OJ80, DJax is held (no call) Winston throws a perfect pass and the Safety makes an easy INT.
This is the play that can’t happen. Winston MUST account for the safety. Once he sees the safety roll to the middle (and I can’t say this strongly enough this was a huge gamble on the safety’s part), Evans is THE OPTION. Either this is coaching from Bajakian, giving Winston the wrong keys, or Winston isn’t processing the data well. I know, I know DJAX was held, but you can’t hope for the referees to bail you out. Winston can’t assume the safety’s read. Winston can’t have perfect passes intercepted.
The third one. Another play that just can’t happen
Not gonna give the brutal details. Bucs are three scores down inside of 6 minutes to play. Things are bleak. Evans just lost a 1v1 battle inside the 10 versus Rhodes that he normally wins. Next play. Winston has to decide pre snap he’s going to Evans. Evans is bracketed by 4 players. Winston once again throws a perfect ball. It is high, but that is where Evans wants it. Winston couldn’t have made a better throw. At the time of the INT, 6 Vikings are within 3 yards of Evans. Yes, over half of the team. DJax was single covered at the top. Humphries broke underneath open, easy first down, best option was OJ80 in the flat 1v1 with the DB. Winston didn’t even consider that option.
These are my big concerns. The first INT, maybe just a missed throw, every QB makes them. Those last two… those are the ones that just can’t happen. I want to see Winston looking around the field more. He seems to be concentrating so hard on making the perfect pre-snap read. He’s getting better too. The second INT as critical as I was, I believe he made the correct pre-snap read.
September 27th, 2017 at 5:21 am
Defense Rules.. correct. The Bucs caught a ton of breaks vs the Bears and NONE vs the Vikings.
First TD, if the nearside line judge wasn’t so eager to signal touchdown, that is a turnover going the Bucs way.
Second TD, we stop them on 3rd down only to have Gholston get a holding (who wouldn’t have been involved) and had someone lined up in the neutral zone. SMH
3rd and two on the naked boot second quarter, the DE doesn’t pretend to play the run, if that was a cut back run (what the play is supposed to look like) it is a minimum 30 yard run. Great guess
The second INT, great guess/read by the safety but leaving Evans 1v1 with no safety help is a recipe for disaster.
This doesn’t even begin to account for the Flu, which you are no where near 100% physically within a week of having it, and all of the injuries.
This was not our week. If not for the injuries, I would feel ok.
We may not be as good as we looked vs the Bears but we aren’t as bad as we looked versus the Vikes.
September 27th, 2017 at 8:42 am
The interception on the long pass intended for Jackson was just a bad throw. Jackson had him beat and Winston just could not lay it in there. I understand bad throws, but it’s the throws into coverage that is the problem. Just a stupid decision. This has got to stop.
September 27th, 2017 at 8:47 am
I felt the hit from those safeties Sendejo, and Smith everytime Humphries caught the ball. The hit on Brate was atrocious
September 27th, 2017 at 10:26 am
@DWE…
I don’t know if i’ll say that Jameis COULDN’T air it out for him, but for some reason, he didn’t.
When i watched that play live, as Jameis releases the ball, i thought, “wow, he put a lot of touch on that release. someone must be wide open”.
I want to believe that with the back line so “close”, he was nervous to overthrow Jackson. They’ll get that down in time, but hopefully sooner rather than later.
September 27th, 2017 at 10:43 am
Turnovers, 3rd down offensive and defensive numbers and poor tackling contributed to the loss.
September 27th, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Tnew, I really appreciate your analysis. I really wish I had the knowledge and experience regarding the nuances of this game to be able to see all of that. Thanks for sharing.