Giants Got Folked!
October 1st, 2017
Bucs kicker Nick Folk raises his arms as his game-winning kick sails through the uprights as Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie watches in disbelief.
Joe couldn’t believe his eyes.
After watching Bucs kicker Nick Folk toss his cookies all over himself all afternoon, missing field goals (two) and an extra point, there was no way winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter was going to put the result of an important game against the Giants on Folk’s foot.
But he did!
With a first down inside the 15-yard line and weapons like Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Cameron Brate, O.J. Howard and America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, was Koetter actually going to pull the football out of their hands and let a guy having one of the worst games in recent memory try to win the game?
It reminded Joe of the time Father Dungy had Shaun King take a knee on consecutive snaps at Green Bay in a crucial December division game only to have Martin Gramática miss a game-winning field goal by inches as the ball sliced just outside the right upright.
Had the Bucs gained a mere three yards, Gramática’s kick would have been good.
Instead, the Bucs lost a division title, lost a bye week, and had to play on the road in Philadelphia and were devoured like a hungry dog eating a Philly cheesesteak.
Joe suddenly had flashes of Father Dungy in his eyes.
But good luck getting any of the Bucs to admit they were bummed at not trying for a touchdown instead.
Koetter said he was going for field goal all the way, even if Folk couldn’t hit water if he fell in the Gulf. Koetter said after the game he was playing the percentages.
Talking to several Bucs players after the game, the word “smart” kept popping up with Koetter’s decision.
“We all believe in our kicker,” Cam Brate said. “We had timeouts so we could have the perfect set-up. I think it was the smart play. So many things could happen if we run a couple of plays there — snap issues, people coming at the quarterback… I thought [bringing in Folk] was the smart play.”
“That’s what you pay the man for, to kick field goals,” Demar Dotson said. “Even if he was struggling you give him the opportunity to [battle back]. I think Dirk did exactly the right thing. Don’t be a hero. That’s a chip shot. That’s an extra point.
“I think Dirk played it right. Don’t try to do too much. If [Koetter] did anything else, I would have said, ‘C’mon!’”
“He’s proven,” Mike Evans said of the call to go with Folk. “He’s been there before. He’s done that. We had nothing but faith in him. We weren’t nervous. He iced it.”
The fact Folk choked three times prior in the game didn’t faze Swaggy Baker.
“Hey, it is alright,” Baker said. “You can struggle early on but as long as you make the kick that counts that is all that matters. A lot of kickers can make kicks all game long but you’ve got to be able to make the kick that matters.”
“It is a family here, man,” Brent Grimes said of his trust in Folk. “We believe in everybody to do their job. Obviously didn’t go as well [earlier in the game for Folk], but we had faith in him to make that kick. That is love.”
Added J.R. Sweezy, “Folk is a veteran player. He came through in the end.”
October 1st, 2017 at 9:18 pm
It’s the Connor Barth curse, after the team cut him for tearing his knee playing basketball the Bucs haven’t had much kicking success. Sure they brought him back to try to get him to lift the curse, but obviously that didn’t work.
BTW if the Bucs are just going to scrape by with a kicker I’d just bring Roberto back. He never missed a kick that mattered, and he’s younger and cheaper.
October 1st, 2017 at 10:09 pm
“He’s proven,” Mike Evans said of the call to go with Folk. “He’s been there before. He’s done that. We had nothing but faith in him. We weren’t nervous. He iced it.”
I had no faith in him at all, lol. Am I the only one????
I understood why Koetter did it, but watching Folk getting ready to kick, I did NOT see confidence. I saw a man who looked scared as heck.
And he only made it by three inches. Wow.
We so have kicking issues.
October 1st, 2017 at 10:09 pm
Connor Barth? Aguayo? Munch a bunch of corn chips. Folk did his job. Jeez, get a clue.
October 1st, 2017 at 10:11 pm
I would agree with putting Roberto on the practice squad. He qualifies.
But we need more of a sure thing as kicker. I have no idea who though. But that game should not have been that close.
We should have had 32 points.
We would have had then if Folk had made his shots.
October 1st, 2017 at 10:13 pm
@JimBuc2
That’s just it. He did NOT do his job. His job is to make every kick, or close to it.
His job is to NEVER miss extra points.
His job is to make easy field goals.
He did not do that. Had he done it, those last few seconds would not have mattered at all.
October 1st, 2017 at 10:34 pm
@ Buccaneer Bonzai
Completely disagree on your take on game points. Folk is a proven commodity; my point is that Fameis needs to vastly improve his ball placement. Hit open receivers reliably and the scoreboard lights up ‘Tilt’. Ding! Ding! Ding! Game over. Jameis leaves points on the field, succeeding sometimes in spite of himself. Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy, but he will cost us more games than Folk. Take that to the bank. Pool legend Willie Masconi holds the world record for 536 consecutive shots, I’d like to see Jameis come even close to that achievement. True, billiards and football are two different skill sets, but consistency is consistency in any endeavor. Need to see better from America’s Quarteback, ProBowler Jameis Winston, Folk I can live with.
October 1st, 2017 at 10:48 pm
Kicker tryouts Monday
October 2nd, 2017 at 3:25 am
Folk was the most powerful man on the field. He kept the Giants in the game and he took them out of the game.
October 2nd, 2017 at 4:35 am
Barely snuck that game winner by the left goal post.
October 2nd, 2017 at 5:29 am
The 2 missed FGs were long (46/49 yds) but you’d think Folk would’ve made one. Bucs also went on 4th down with the ball at the 35 as they obviously felt that a 52 yarder was out of Folk’s range. Fortunately for Tampa the Giants kicker also shanked a kick from 43 yards and the Giants went for it with a 4th down at the 30, not trusting their kicker on a 47 yarder. What worries me as well is the missed extra point, that led to the Bucs chasing a 2 point conversion later in the game so in essence that missed xp took 2 points off the board for the Bucs, fortunately the Giants also missed their 2 point conversion…. The guy is not in the Aguayo territory yet because he won the game but another performance like that will probably bring kickers in to audition at One Buc. Folk’s winning kick today probably held that eventuality off for now, just like Aguayo winner at Carolina did last year….
October 2nd, 2017 at 9:29 am
JimBuc2 , without Jameis we lose straight up. You are out of your mind . He was 5 for 5 on that last drive. He is clutch!! The Bucs have never had a better QB. You better be thankful we do have him.
October 3rd, 2017 at 5:41 am
@Shane– I agree, Jameis is the best QB prospect we have ever had. I tend to like Brad “Super Bowl” Johnson… but, no doubt Jameishas more potential…. and I think he is progressing…(slowly)… and he is still very young. BUT… right now…in my opinion… he is an AVERAGE NFL QB (with a strong upside).