Licht’s Hunch Paying Off
September 12th, 2018
Attitude spreading.
Sometimes, an ulterior motive works.
And that ulterior motive with Bucs center Ryan Jensen seems to be working, at least through the first week of play.
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht signed Jensen in the offseason for two reasons: Licht obviously wanted the Bucs to improve throughout the offensive line and, indirectly, Licht wanted Jensen’s ‘tude to rub off on his teammates.
Joe noticed a difference almost immediately Sunday. After the Bucs’ second play from scrimmage, an official got between Jensen and a pair of Saints defenders. It was almost as if Jensen was saying to the Saints, “You may have effed with the Bucs in the past but that sh!t is over.”
In one of the more impressive showings of the Bucs’ front line in recent seasons, the offensive line brawled with the Saints and gave Bucs backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick all sorts of time to allow receivers to get open deep.
The scrap Jensen found himself in early wasn’t the last. After the game, veteran right tackle Demar Dotson told Joe that Jensen’s edgy play was infectious.
“I think that’s why they went out and signed him,” Dotson said of Jensen. “He’s a tough, physical, hard-nosed, hard-hat type of player. He isn’t going to take no stuff.
“That’s kind of what this offensive line needed. He is a guy that goes to the whistle and through the whistle. We’re glad to have him. He brings that dimension to this offensive line.”
Dotson admitted when Jensen got into got into hand-to-hand, after-the-whistle combat with Saints defenders, it fired up the entire offense.
“Oh, there ain’t no doubt about it,” Dotson said. “When you have a guy like that who is fighting like that, we have to have his back and we will have his back. We will stand up for him.”
So far, Licht’s idea is working. In a way, Licht hoped he was getting a two-for-one special in making Jensen the highest-paid center in the NFL.
After one game, it appears to be Team Glazer loot well-spent.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:06 am
Hey joe, it looks like elliot Harrison of NFL.com stole your Dan fouts comparison to use in his power rankings. If not. At the least. hes very late. Check it out he has the bucs at 19
September 12th, 2018 at 11:07 am
I have to be honest I was SHOCKED by our offensive line play. I sometimes listen to the opponent’s radio broadcasts on Sirius to see how we are viewed through a different lens and the saints broadcasters regularly used the words “dominant” or dominated when referring to our OL and their DL respectively.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:14 am
Lets hope the DLine mercenaries (JPP, Curry and Allen) can have a similar positive impact moving forward as Jensen had in game 1.
Brees is practically impossible to sack so very hard to get a read yet after just the 1 game as to how effective this defensive front may be this year.,
OLine looked great last Sunday and that was the unit with the most question marks coming in about who would play and how well. (Well along with CBs of course).
September 12th, 2018 at 11:26 am
Jensen is bringing that attitude that everyone thought JR Sweezy would bring to the OLine. Didn’t work out obviously, but Jensen is far better anyways. Particularly since he freed up Marpet to move back to Guard.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:32 am
Amazing how 1 small move can make such a significant difference to a team, you bring in a player the quality of a Ryan Jensen and it allows you put people in the best position to succeed, namely Ali now that he’s back at Guard. His tough SOB attitude is an added bonus, though there can be a downside if it warrants us a personal foul in a key situation.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:35 am
PLEX:
Haha! 😃
September 12th, 2018 at 11:41 am
I encourage those with access to GamePass to go back and watch Jensen continually finish off dudes THROUGH the whistle. Just great stuff!
Always a joy seeing a lineman dominate a dude away from the play of the ball and as players are staring to relax because a tackle is assumed to be made.
He was straight MAULING dudes into the turf.
And let’s not forget that the ability to throw from the pocket starts right in the center of the o-line. Jensen, Marpet, Benenoch and Smith held it the *&%@ down in the trenches!
Another big test coming to the line this Sunday (which can’t come soon enough!).
Go Bucs!
September 12th, 2018 at 11:48 am
Can he play CB and rush the passer too?
September 12th, 2018 at 12:14 pm
Hargreaves going on injured reserve. Time to trade for a veteran cornerback
September 12th, 2018 at 12:26 pm
great signing….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
September 12th, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Jensen did not go unnoticed by this fan. Well bright orange hair and all…. I kept watching that line most of the game.
It’s all about the trenches!
He’s an animal.
September 12th, 2018 at 4:06 pm
And who was the first lineman there to congratulate Godwin on his td?… Jensen. Dude brings all sorts of nasty and I love it!
September 12th, 2018 at 4:22 pm
Great stuff love it joe keep em coming
September 12th, 2018 at 7:42 pm
Too bad Licht didn’t have a hunch about the defense and the fact that if he builds a team so weak that Ryan Smith still has a job and Chris Conte is starting, that his defense is going to be a failure.
September 13th, 2018 at 12:46 am
Joe good article. These negative nancys need to STFU and find another team.