“I Kind Of Measure Myself By How Good Our Linebackers Play”
October 4th, 2017
Defensive tackle Chris Baker speaks
Chris “Swaggy” Baker is one massive personality in the Bucs’ locker room. And it goes beyond his forbidden dance with a palm tree as seen on Hard Knocks.
Last week, Dirk Koetter even said he’d like to see Baker compete on Dancing With The Stars.
But what about Baker the football player?
Joe would love to see what he looks like.
Through three games, Baker doesn’t look like an impact guy. But he hasn’t played much. He saw limited action on opening day, missed the Vikings game with a bad flu, and he only played 28 percent of the snaps against the Giants.
Joe assumes Baker, who turns 30 on Sunday, was signed to produce more than Akeem Spence.
Baker should be healthy and fully acclimated now, and Joe hopes for big things from Baker this month (keyword: hope).
Baker talked about how fans will know he’s getting the job done.
“I kind of measure myself by how good our linebackers play,” Baker said on the Buccaneers Radio Network. “If I can look at the stat sheet and see that our linebacker has 11 or 12 tackles, I know he was able to get to the ball and be effective and I did my job. So sometimes sacks and tackles don’t always measure up to what a nose tackle [does]. But if those guys behind you are playing well, then you did a great job that day.”
Of course, Baker wants sacks (he had 9 1/2 over the past two seasons with the Redskins), and he talked about the Bucs’ failures there. Tampa Bay only has one sack — ONE! — all season.
Baker said the Bucs just need an “icebreaker,” meaning one sack to open the floodgates as sacks often come in bunches.
Overall, Baker wasn’t concerned about sacks data. “Continue to play assignment football and we’ll be OK,” he said.
October 4th, 2017 at 11:19 am
Tampa can sure use some sacks when we play the Patriots tomorrow.
October 4th, 2017 at 11:20 am
Basically all true points but it seemed on Sunday that the DBs were the leading tacklers for the bucs last week, I could be wrong but that is what I thought I read
October 4th, 2017 at 11:24 am
Lets just see how he plays in November.
October 4th, 2017 at 11:28 am
Chris Baker is 100 percent right. His job is not to stuff the stat sheet for him self. It’s to take on double teams, win the LOS, and free up the backers to make plays.
Why he is being hated on for playing well in limited action, is beyond me.
October 4th, 2017 at 11:29 am
Can’t remember who said it, but here’s the deal. If your safeties and DB’s are making the run stops, then something is rotten on the DLine.
October 4th, 2017 at 11:41 am
No complaints from me so far. Whenever I’ve keyed on him he typically holds sh1t down on run plays / doesn’t get pushed back and I thought that was primarily why we signed him. Our run D is a lot better despite missing our best LBs. He has to be doing something right lol
October 4th, 2017 at 11:50 am
Fun fact the NFC South the only division in the NFL with all four teams at .500 or better. Let that sink in for a second…. If we expect to come anywhere near a division crown then adjustments need to be made ASAP. We play in the most COMPETITIVE football division in the NFL. We no longer have room for mistakes, excuses, bad/suspect pay calling, zero half time adjustments, poor execution, not putting the players in the best position to succeed, and head scratching coaching decisions . Last year we benefited from the panthers and saints being absolutely horrible. They both still suck but as of right now, they’re winning. I mean the panthers beat the patriots in Foxborough. It all starts with our beloved head coach and our mastermind of a defensive coordinator.
October 4th, 2017 at 11:51 am
It’s so refreshing to hear from someone that “makes sense” once in awhile….
Swaggy is spot on right here….It’s only 3 games so far gents Be easy…we will be A-OK
October 4th, 2017 at 11:56 am
I’m so sick of fatty baker.
You can stick any ol fat DT in there and not see any drop off in play.
I was excited at first when he was signed, but judging by his off season and what he’s said so far……he just here to collect his last big payday.
This terrible FA signing by our GM
October 4th, 2017 at 11:56 am
Beckwith had 9 tackles and continues to impress. Glanton playing lights out too.
At this point I’m only distraught about Conte and Stocker. Not sure why they’re on the team much less starters.
October 4th, 2017 at 11:57 am
Wonder what last season’s two superbowl occupants sack rankings were??? Wait,I know. Niether were at the top. You people like flash,I’m on that Belichess ish. Just win however necessary. Again he drop 9 in coverage on manning once.
October 4th, 2017 at 12:01 pm
The big man makes a good point…
October 4th, 2017 at 12:08 pm
Yo btw your boi had 4 solo tackles last Sunday. 👍
October 4th, 2017 at 12:09 pm
He does make a good point Pick. When Swaggy was signed I distinctly recall saying Kwon gone have a field day behind him. There are alot of data crunchers here in jbf land. When one you can show me a correlation between sacks and winning superbowls I’ll get in that camp,until then. And to the guy that calls me a boston fan,you kinda right dude I’m BIG fan Bill Belichess. He kraft are like mob figures. I love tha s@+×. Bill places winning over everything.
October 4th, 2017 at 12:09 pm
He makes no sense. It’s a bad signing. Bucs don’t pay him that salary just to hold a lineman.
October 4th, 2017 at 12:13 pm
I envy they’re fanbase in that right. Not the championships,more so the Dragon nature of the HC and QB. Fameis please don’t walk out onto that field tomorrow on some in awwh of brady s&#!. He will not show mercy simply because you are a fan fam.
October 4th, 2017 at 12:17 pm
Love Baker- hes played great, and is spot on about playing nosetackle
Same thing Ive pointed out many times.
Db55- Conte has played great. Stocker is just a blocker. Which hes done.
What gas he done to piss you off?
How do you feel about Brate? Humphries?
October 4th, 2017 at 12:22 pm
@TheBucAnthem and @BucsQcCity you so eloquently articulated why Fans are just that…fans. You don’t know the game as well as you think you do. DTs aren’t supposed to be playmakers, unless they are like transcendent talent like Aaron Donald or dare I say Gerald McCoy who a bunch of you know its alls don’t appreciate because those type of DTs are far and few between. If he starts pressing and messing up his ASSIGNMENTS, then the defense crumbles from him back. He has to stay within himself and do his job, thats it. Ask Ray Lewis about DTs that just do their jobs…smh.
October 4th, 2017 at 12:25 pm
BucsQcCity Says:
“Bucs don’t pay him that salary just to hold a lineman.”
Actually they do. Sometimes Swaggy occupies 2 linemen. A Nose Tackle’s primary job is to hold the center point of attack and push forward into the backfield towards the runner or QB if possible while still maintaining their gap responsibility. TFLs are great – Sacks are better. But even the best NTs in the game typically come up short with those #s compared to the other DL positions.
If the LBers are getting lots of tackles near or behind the LOS – then the DTs are doing their job well – FACT!
October 4th, 2017 at 12:31 pm
Hopefully Baker can get some push up the middle. That’s the most effective way to get Tom Brady to play like an ordinary human.
October 4th, 2017 at 12:45 pm
Somebody here is..Spot on!! if your safties and Dbacks are making the bulk of your run stops? You’re in big trouble come future time when you dace teams like the Pats people. We’d better have a pass rush magically appear from somewheres come Thurs night. Cause Brady is accurate/precise and will..pick you apart.
October 4th, 2017 at 1:00 pm
Db55- Conte has played great. Stocker is just a blocker. Which hes done.
What gas he done to piss you off?
How do you feel about Brate? Humphries?
—————
Conte played great? Do you mean with himself? The white unicorn, what a fckn joke.
Stocker isn’t a great blocker and he can’t catch.
Hump is over-rated
Brate is quietly becoming the best TE in the league.
October 4th, 2017 at 1:06 pm
‘ signed to produce more than Akeem Spence.’
And when might that be? 😉
October 4th, 2017 at 1:17 pm
Db55
Sorry, I’ll take the coaches opinion over yours.
Its real seldom that you are right about anything that you post here
October 4th, 2017 at 2:20 pm
Reading is fundamental. Find one post where I’ve been wrong. This should be fun.
October 4th, 2017 at 2:24 pm
The Baker Effect is working! In the two games he participated McCoy was a mad man. And by the way we WON!
Licht got it Right.
October 4th, 2017 at 2:30 pm
He is out of shape and 40 pounds overweight..
October 4th, 2017 at 2:38 pm
He just seems like a waste of Glazer money…IMHO!
October 4th, 2017 at 3:00 pm
There is a pass rush. There are guys in the 3 point stand right? Forget that msmith never developed or had a freak pass rusher in his whole career.
October 4th, 2017 at 3:05 pm
Baker said the Bucs just need an “icebreaker,”
its coming Thursday night….I predict GMC will pop it off and others will follow…GO BUCS!!!
October 4th, 2017 at 3:14 pm
He said ice breaker not ice cream machine. Ha couldn’t help myself.
October 4th, 2017 at 3:20 pm
LOL….GMC was pretty dominate in the first half…not sure if they made adjustments in the second half but he was quite after that….he played well tho…we know he’s good for at least 1 dominate play…lol..GO BUCS!!!!
October 4th, 2017 at 4:34 pm
Chris “Swaggy” Baker thinks someone else doing the work makes him successful.
This guy really grates on my nerves. I would like him if he produced, but he’s a lazy, useless bum. Worst signing of the year.
October 4th, 2017 at 4:39 pm
DB55 Says
“Conte played great?
Stocker isn’t a great blocker and he can’t catch.
Hump is over-rated”
Conte has been playing well enough. We all know he’s not a long term solution, but he’s good enough to get the job done for now.
Stocker IS a fantastic blocker…when he’s on the field, which due to injuries seems like almost never. And he CAN catch. Sorry but you are wrong about him. Now, if you were to say he needs to go because his health is unreliable and he’s getting old, I would agree with that.
And Humphries??? Reminds me of JJ years ago. He works hard, catches more than he drops, and has a great attitude. He is NOT overrated.
I agree with you on Brate.
October 4th, 2017 at 6:00 pm
You can’t tell just by reading the comment in this post who “knows” football and who “likes” football. Fwiw, The Joe’s like football.
October 4th, 2017 at 7:43 pm
Baker was HIGHLY respected in Washington. Undrafted and worked his ass off and many in DC media said losing him was huge so Joe u can continue to disrespect the man but I will say that when he didn’t play last Sunday the linebacker play was weak and he played this past Sunday and the play behind him was strong. Sure grimes makes that secondary but no question the PLAYERS respect Baker. U could tell that McCoy really likes him as a teammate and I suspect if he couldn’t play he would not have the respect and there would be friction in the locker room. Why don’t u get w Jason Light and voice your disapproval on the signing in which he was guaranteed 9 mil? I’d love to hear that conversation.
October 4th, 2017 at 8:26 pm
Never understand how every thread has someone putting down someone on our team. There really is no good excuse for every thread to be that way. Win or lose some troll has lip against one of the guys who made the team and the coaches determined should play. One of the guys we will win with. Pathetic, really. Go Bucs!