Pivotal Week 2 In NFC South
September 12th, 2017
Russell Shepard took a short reception to the house yesterday for Carolina against the 49ers.
We learned a few things in the NFC South yesterday, despite the Bucs spending opening day on the sidelines.
First, New Orleans’ sorry ass defense still looks among the worst in the NFL. They host New England next week and will need a miracle rebound.
When Sam Bradford carves you up — 27-for-32 for 346 yards and three touchdowns — there’s little else to say.
The Falcons’ Super Bowl hangover wasn’t enough to keep them down. Overall, they weren’t sharp against the Bears, but their defense is super fast and they showed up in what was a very physical game in Chicago. All the Falcons needed to do was get out with a win, and they did, in large part to two massive breakdowns in the Bears secondary.
Atlanta hosts Green Bay on Sunday night in what should be an absolute cauldron, their brand new dome stadium days after Tropical Storm Irma shut down Atlanta yesterday.
Joe was hoping for a 49ers upset of Carolina yesterday, but the opposite happened. The Panthers jumped out to a 23-0 third-quarter lead and cruised to a 23-3 road blowout. Former Bucs receiver Russell Shepard caught the lone touchdown pass, and the Panthers held the 49ers to 2-of-11 on third down conversion attempts, and 1-of-4 on fourth down.
That’s downright nasty defense, even if it was against the 49ers.
The Panthers come home for Buffalo on Sunday.
All this comes back to one fact: the Bucs have to win Sunday against the Bears. Simply have to.
September 12th, 2017 at 9:09 am
The 49ers offense is equally bad as the saints d. Falcons defense still got torhed and should have lost the game vs an average to below
Average bears team
September 12th, 2017 at 9:10 am
It should be a given that we win however with all the distractions of the past week I am VERY concerned about this game.
September 12th, 2017 at 9:16 am
You go Shep!
September 12th, 2017 at 9:27 am
Glad you’re not a player. “F-your circumstances we line up and ball”.
September 12th, 2017 at 9:30 am
“believer”,what kind???
September 12th, 2017 at 9:35 am
Announcement just made,game on at RayJay as previously sceduled.
September 12th, 2017 at 9:49 am
1-0 Bucs lets go set the sail to this championship run!!!
September 12th, 2017 at 9:57 am
Granted it was only one game, but I was not impressed with any of the NFC South teams this weekend despite them going 2-1.
Cam Newton looked horribly inaccurate against an awful San Fran team. I think San Fran will be lucky to win one or two more games than they did last year.
Atlanta looked like the better team even though Chicago should have won as Jordan Howard dropped what looked like an easy TD in the final minute. However, the Falcons did not look anywhere near the team at the end of the year.
New Orleans better turn it around quick or they will be starting the season 0-2.
I’m not sure if we should be worried about facing Bradford in a few weeks after he easily carved up the Saints or if the Saints defense is still that bad.
September 12th, 2017 at 10:05 am
Falcons looked (in theory) against a really bad team. I don’t think we should make assumptions about them yet, one way or the other. Same with the Panthers.
September 12th, 2017 at 10:07 am
Chicago took the defending NFC champs down to the last play of the game.
I am expecting a very tough game, especially if we can’t pressure Glennon. Plus our week ass running back stable.
Should be no distractions. Irma was a nothing burger in Tampa.
Our guys got an extra week to rest, should be an advantage. Time to stop bragging and put up.
September 12th, 2017 at 10:17 am
There’s no way we should lose to the Bears. We just can’t.
September 12th, 2017 at 10:17 am
Bonzai
You’re right it was only one week, week one at that. Having said that tho. The Aints arent doin jack. . That clown payton just cant help himself. He made his own bed. Terrible defense again last year. So the draft rolls around that they positioned themselves well for…and he takes an OL in round one then a RB in 3, and trades up for him. He could have had 3 starters on the D for those 2 guys. He just cant bypass offense in draft. With brees getting old n that D, this is prob last year of payton n brees in NO. Not worried about those clowns. Atl n carolina are gona be competitive tho. Lets play the games. Go Bucs
September 12th, 2017 at 10:26 am
Here is some food for thought about that Minny-New Orleans contest.
And all the talk about how losing the bye will crush us…..how soon we forget.
Minnesota started last year 5-0!!! They were the NFL darlings the hot team in the league and then what happened?
Why they had a bye!!! They LOST their next four games after the bye and finished 3-8 after the bye for a mediocre…and disappointing considering their start 8-8 record. Dalvin has made them better…but listening to the broadcast it sounds like Minnesota has definitely retooled their horrid OL. Like all games they’ll be tough in their house when we hook up with them.
But first things first….Da Bears!!!
Just wanted to show that byes are not always a great thing and that hot starts do not always lead to the playoffs.
September 12th, 2017 at 11:50 am
Not having a bye later in the season cannot possibly be an excuse in week one.
September 12th, 2017 at 12:29 pm
I’m only concerned against former players who was yearly system guys we never get the last laugh in that fight. Our record against players who left sucks and bars monitoring.
September 12th, 2017 at 1:12 pm
So I fully watched the Panthers & Saints games; but only caught part of the Bears game and these were my impressions:
1. This is probably only my opinion – but I didn’t think the Saints defense was really that bad. I don’t think they played great or even that good by any means; but I think Bradford deserves more credit for that performance than he’s getting. The only easy completion he had was the TD to Diggs in broken coverage. The other TD to Diggs was in great coverage and just a sick play by Diggs. Another big 30-40 yard Diggs play was the same thing – good defense but just better offense. It was mostly the Saints inability to get a hit on Bradford on key 3rd downs / in the red zone that did them in. They also were terrible in the red zone – settling for 4 FGs that all could have been TDs. Cook had a few big runs that made his stat line nice but the Saints actually were shutting him down most the first half.
2. Cam Newton looked off still in terms of accuracy / touch. It’s early but just to my eye Mccaffery doesn’t look as special as guys like Fournette/Cook/Mixon/Kamara/Hunt. Solid player but not flashing the special play ability I see out of the other guys. Brian Hoyer played a really bad game. Missed Pierre Garcon at least 2 times I can remember for what would have been big 3rd down conversions moving into Panther territory. I don’t think the 49ers will be that bad all year but there’s definitely going to be an offensive adjustment needed.
3. The Bears have a solid defense. Then again – so do the Jags / Bengals / Browns based on how they looked week 1 and we could move the ball on all those teams in preseason. Cohen looked special. Mike Glennon looked like typical Glennon. We need to basically shut down that run game – make sure Cohen / Howard don’t get free in space; and pressure Glennon even if it takes tons of blitzes. On offense just light the damn scoreboard up.
September 12th, 2017 at 1:27 pm
Agreed LC. I don’t think it was so much the Saints D being god awful but more like Bradford, Diggs, and Thielen were right on point last night. Bucs secondary better be ready in a couple weeks.
September 12th, 2017 at 3:24 pm
The Bucs are getting ALOT of help via injuries elsewhere in the league. I hope that makes up for lack of a bye week.
September 12th, 2017 at 3:39 pm
It’s going to be a tough division. ATL and CAR win road games in which they didn’t play that well. Saints didn’t look good either, but Brees will win a few games all by himself. The Bucs can’t take any games off this year. We don’t have a Colts or Texans team in our division.
September 12th, 2017 at 5:20 pm
I know… might as well pack in the season if we lose!! Absurd!!
September 13th, 2017 at 1:40 am
Stop the Bears running game, stop Tarik Cohen and pressure MG8. Do not turn the ball over and let the offense do the rest.