Ronde Barber: Grimes Or Simplify
September 29th, 2017
Brent Grimes
The Buccaneers’ 34-year-old cornerback, Brent Grimes, may not be the team MVP, but one could make an intelligent case.
Especially after watching last Sunday’s debacle in Minnesota, when Grimes’ absence was a killer in the 34-17 loss.
Bucs icon Ronde Barber threw some weight in Grimes’ direction during his chat yesterday on WDAE-AM 620.
Barber, who will be in the Bucs-Giants TV broadcast booth Sunday with his brother Tiki, explained that the Tampa Bay cornerbacks failed them in Minnesota against an offensive scheme designed to isolate them.
Barber predicts that the Bucs will play “a lot simple defense” this weekend if Grimes and his questionable shoulder can’t play.
“Outmatched last week,” is how Barber described the Bucs corners, taking special care to say he sympathized with the abuse suffered by fill-in starter Ryan Smith,
But Barber drew a line in the sand, saying the Bucs’ defense must change against the Giants troika of talented receivers unless Grimes is healthy. “If [Grimes] is not playing, you can’t keep putting the [Bucs corners] out there like that,” he said.
The Xs and Os-heavy interview is linked below.
September 29th, 2017 at 10:53 am
Luckily; unless something happens between now and the game, Brent will be playing.
With that being said our corners looked awful and the scheme reminded me of the Raiders game last year.
September 29th, 2017 at 10:58 am
it cant get much simpler than playing 10-15yards off….try making it harder on the wr to get open…how about actually making them work to get open….
let the cb’s get up and jam the wrs….knock them off their route….minn did it to us all game long last week….
game planning for both sides of the ball have to get better….
NO MORE FAULTY GAME PLANS!!….GO BUCS!!!
September 29th, 2017 at 11:10 am
Agree with 813. They were already being protected last week and we saw what happened. I’d rather them play aggressive bump n run n get beat than play off coverage and get beat. Tandy/Conte know this system so let them play aggressively. I’d rather do that and at least get an incerection / some tiipped balls to offset the big plays given
Also Ryan Smith is a man stye CB much more than zone and if they used him that way I think we’d see some more success.
September 29th, 2017 at 11:40 am
I would rather drive across country with Skip Bayless than listen to Ron Diaz.
September 29th, 2017 at 11:42 am
Expect more high safety looks. Giants have zero running game and really the only chance they have is to kickstart Odell Beckham. Let the safeties drop back to support the corners, keeping Eli in the pocket for longer and giving the D line more opportunity to feast on their horrendous O line.
September 29th, 2017 at 11:47 am
The biggest question is how do Licht and Koetter ( tons of cap room) go into the season with the corners they have ( playing Ryan and Bree’s twice) . I think I was one of many that stated this disaster well prior to the Season. I mean how do you collect a check and do that !!! Doesn’t mean they haven’t done very good in some areas but that doesn’t mean anything when one link in the chain is ignored .i mean just flat out foolishly ignored !!! It was and is as clear as can be , with a 34 year old Grimes out it is prob hands down the worst DB group in the league !!!
Btw that link was the brightest flashing red link in the NFC south !!!
September 29th, 2017 at 12:05 pm
Agree with 813 above. We gave away too many yards before the snap in the game with Minn. GOAT Keenum pick us apart in front of the defenders!
September 29th, 2017 at 12:52 pm
Hey Issic Haggins we actually had a top 15 pass d last year for the entire season; and for the last 8 weeks more like a top 5-10 unit. They added TJ Ward and Justin Evans to that group; and moved Ryan Smith to CB. So basically they actually did make moves to improve the secondary; despite it already being a solid strength last year.
But hey why let facts get in the way of negativity and insane hyperbole?
September 29th, 2017 at 1:13 pm
Agreed completely 813 and Lord C
September 29th, 2017 at 3:31 pm
Also Ryan Smith is a man stye CB much more than zone and if they used him that way I think we’d see some more success.
BINGO….his college tape was full of him playing man….as was VHG…
with them playing off and the dline getting zero pressure, its literally like a walk in the park…GO BUCS!!!
September 30th, 2017 at 6:54 am
I warned everybody!!
CB was a major need!
RyaN Smith is fine as our #4 CB or #5 but not our #3!!
We really missed on signing McCourty.
We need to make a trade ASAP.
Grimes and VH3 are both small, therefore easily injured.
VH3 is okay as a #2 CB. But he is not good enough as our #1.
Come back Brent!!
You are the BEST player we have!!!
Straight up!!