Unexpected Depth
September 17th, 2018
Early against the Eagles today, the Bucs trotted out a defensive line to start a series against a mighty Philly offensive line that nobody at One Buc Palace would have expected to see a few weeks ago.
It’s all there in the photo above: Carl Nassib off left end, Gerald McCoy and Will Gholston at defensive tackle and Will Clarke at right defensive end.
It’s hard to believe this is what was up against the world champs and their stud line for chunks of today’s game and the Bucs managed to eat another “W.”
Heck, with this group leading the push up front, and Nassib dropping in coverage, Kwon Alexander blitzed in the first quarter and had his big sack-strip play.
Nassib was launched by the Browns on cut day and Clarke was booted by the Bucs to make room for Nassib before he was re-signed to help with depth. Gholston proved himself to be a viable defensive tackle option in preseason. He’s since shown he can run-stuff there and, gasp, he even breathed on Nick Foles today. Gholston registered TWO quarterback hits!
No, the Bucs D-line depth won’t be confused with the Eagles’ beasts anytime soon, but they’ve been viable. Plus, things should get better when Vita Vea returns (hopefully this month) and Mitch Unrein comes off injured reserve in Week 9, assuming his concussed dome is fine.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:12 am
And the youngsters in the secondary played a helluva game today. Even Conte played excellent!
September 17th, 2018 at 12:13 am
Defense played better today- but were gassed towards the end. Having explosive offense is good but that leaves your defense out there longer
September 17th, 2018 at 12:22 am
Hope Licht keeps drafting DL and OL the next couple years. As long as it’s the best available player though I will be happy. We do need more depth in the trenches. Keep it up, the backups are getting the job done. Shred the steel curtain next week! #GoBucs
September 17th, 2018 at 12:23 am
At one point I noticed the time of possession was seriously in the Eagles’ favor, yet the scoreboard was definitely in the Bucs’ favor. We really need to find a running game for the final quarter, even if we don’t run a lot the rest of the game.
#TheWinningContinues
September 17th, 2018 at 12:24 am
Even Ryan Smith played well!
September 17th, 2018 at 12:25 am
Even Ryan Smith played well!
September 17th, 2018 at 12:28 am
Blogtalkfootball.com…….YUP!!!!!!!!
September 17th, 2018 at 12:35 am
Great special teams play by Ryan Smith today!
September 17th, 2018 at 12:38 am
The fact that Nassib is getting all these snaps and Spence isn’t even activated blows my mind.
I would love to be a fly on the wall in the coaches meetings.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:44 am
Can’t wait to see if JW3 can connect on those deep balls like Fitzy has. I’m gonna be bitchin” if he replaces Fitz and we start losing because of his inaccuracy. Watch Fitzmagic win the first 4 games and Jameis lose to the Falcons when he comes back.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:45 am
Did that dude just up there just say Conte played excellent?😂😂😂 Conte was trash thank God they pulled him and put in Whitehead who with thw exception of one play where ge overaan the play was lights out. This is Conte’s last year good riddance.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:50 am
@ BigStinky
No worries, Jameis is gonna be riding the bench for a while. Ita gonna take Fitzmagic to lose at least a couple games and play bad in those games before they make the change back to JW. Only a fool who wants to lose hia job would take an undefeated QB or even of he goes 3-1 there wont be a change.
September 17th, 2018 at 1:05 am
“the Bucs managed to eat another “W.”
Nice..but why?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
September 17th, 2018 at 1:15 am
It seems like Jameis not playing = eating W’s
September 17th, 2018 at 1:24 am
Gruden4President …now I get why….he baits people like you with a low I.Q.
I promise you (trying to not name call, despite mass tequila) there will be a change at QB.
Gruden4(idiot)President Says:
“No worries, Jameis is gonna be riding the bench for a while. Ita gonna take Fitzmagic to lose at least a couple games and play bad in those games before they make the change back to JW. Only a fool who wants to lose hia job would take an undefeated QB or even of he goes 3-1 there wont be a change.”
– Perhaps thee dumbest, redneck, drunkest, thingy ever said on JoeBucsfan.com according to Buc1987
Congrats Gruden4President!
Is that too insulting Joe? It’s just an opinion….jeesh the nonsense these “fools” speak of….Fitz could go 3-1 and still should not lose his starting job to Jameis Winston.
Guess what redneck?
Jameis WINSTON is the starting QB of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not 2-0 Fitzmagic. Love em for what he’s doing in the absence of the Bucs starting QB,but there WILL be a change in QB’s!!
God are fanbase….box of rocks and all…..
September 17th, 2018 at 1:30 am
Vea, Grimes, Hargreaves, Beckwith, Unrein, Spence… If the D can get healthy lookout!!! We’ll be filthy!!! The sky’s the limit at this point, let’s goooooo!!!!! Football is fun again!!! A win on MNF… I’m buying a Fitzpatrick jersey and growing a beard ahaaa, bet!
September 17th, 2018 at 1:31 am
I think fitz starts game 4 bcuz it’s a short week. But it’s JW3 in week 5. It’s the play calling and the great pass protection by the O Line making this offense hum. Give Winston this much time and he will look just as good. Also loved how Whitehead played today. Should replace conte soon.
September 17th, 2018 at 1:31 am
We do need a solid RG tho.
September 17th, 2018 at 1:33 am
And Nassib was a great pick up. I think he is much better than Spence. And I’m a huge Spence fan.
September 17th, 2018 at 1:36 am
SteelStudBuc Says:
“It seems like Jameis not playing = eating W’s”
Seems to who? At 2-0 in a 16 game season…..you?
Dayum Joe I’m holding by an NFL thread…..these fans these days have a STUPID agenda
September 17th, 2018 at 1:52 am
Anybody else out here wanna add a back? Philly stuffed the run obviously and we took advantage of that as Fitzy dished it all over the field to the most talented and dynamic receiver core in the league. Fact. From WO’s to TE’s… this brings me back to my point… Give me a back that can catch it in the flat and be out, even Simms would be nice at this point if he didn’t get hurt. I want a RB, Barber is nice, but I want more… greedy? Or just looking to improve… I’ve been crying for a BIG RB… I hope Rojo is a bust yo
September 17th, 2018 at 1:54 am
I hope ROJO “ISN’T” a bust*^
September 17th, 2018 at 1:54 am
Okay welp…I’m being severely monitored cause of redneck trash right now.
I’m posting a post and my post gets cut down mid-submit button.
Congrats Joe happy Hitler times. Out with JW in with Fitz!
Thanks for screening my post…..cause ya know…
September 17th, 2018 at 1:54 am
My boys in philly say they’ll be healthy in a few weeks.
Regardless of who was or was not injured the Bucs oline held the eagles to 2 sacks. Which absolutely blows my mind. Moreover, the Bucs committed 4 penalties as a team.
Where the Bucs lack depth is at RB. Three guys carried the ball 22 times for 44 yards. Barber was 16 for 22 for a 1.9 avg and the best of the group was the rookie Wilson with a 9 yard run.
Overall good depth on defense specifically with Davis, Whitehead and Nassib. Allen, Unrein and Vea haven’t even shown up yet so just imagine.
September 17th, 2018 at 2:03 am
Wow I’ve never seen anything like this on JBF.
Bye Joe’s, obviously you want posters like me gone….to fall in line lockstep.
My post…posted…but got edited the second I posted it…the very second I hit submit…only SOME of my post went thru ala Hitler style.
Creepy and buh bye…for a long while….trust went waaaaay down
September 17th, 2018 at 2:06 am
GUYS!!
All these comments on who is going to start week 6 is just dumb. One game at a time. Fitz could throw 4 TDs next week or 4 ints or get hurt or lead the Bucs to a 3-0 record. One week can change everything. Enjoy this and take it one week at a time. I GUARANTEE that’s exactly what the coaches and front office are doing.
September 17th, 2018 at 2:33 am
Bucs1987, if you’re the smartest guy in the room, you’re in the wrong room. Clearly you’re the only one who knows what the Bucs will do. You must have some kind of inside information or you’re just a football guy who can not seem to get one of the 32 jobs in the NFL. From your rants, you would obviously be a better coach than Bill Belicheat. I can’t wait to root for you one day when you’re a super bowl winning head coach!
September 17th, 2018 at 2:38 am
Keep it up Fitzy! Gonna be NFC Offensive Player of the Week again. Hope they keep you in if you keep lighting it up. We can always see if Winston is more accurate later. I just want to see my BUCS in the Playoffs again, no matter what. #FearTheBeard #GoBucs
September 17th, 2018 at 2:41 am
I just realized that Foles threw for 334 yards, a TD and no INTs. Not really a comment on anything – just amazes that Foles has over 330 yards. It didn’t feel like it.
September 17th, 2018 at 2:45 am
DB55 – it’s harlious listening to the Philly trash whine about injuries. The Bucs went into the game missing their top two corners, then lose one of those guys and Conte, meaning now they’re down 4 defensive backs. Even if I think Conte is awful, he’s taking a roster spot up and the Bucs are running out of guys. Maybe we’ll get lucky and the Falcons will cut Tandy, but I doubt they do so even if they don’t want him since they know the Bucs would pick him right up.
September 17th, 2018 at 3:21 am
@Rod Munch
Who else did we lose besides Conte? Guess I will find out tomorrow or later in the week.
September 17th, 2018 at 4:13 am
A LOT gets lost in all of the euphoria of going 2-0 to start the season. BOTH were VERY different games for 1 thing, but there were certain commonalities. Despite the difference in scores, they were BOTH just ONE score ballgames in the final analysis … in the last few minutes, the game could’ve gone either way. Bucs had BIG comfortable leads at 1 point in each game, allowed their opponent back in the game, then SHUT THE DOOR with a combination of offense AND defense (both rose to the occasion late in the 4th qtr with the games in the balance). IOW, they STARTED FAST, opened sizable leads, then held on for the victory. Much different than what we saw last year.
And for another, we’re not only getting the explosive plays that we too often missed last year, but we’re also getting a VERY high completion percentage from our QB (the combination is resulting in unprecedented yardage … and without a high-powered running game). Fitz has now thrown for 819 yards & 8 TDs in just 2 weeks … with a completion % of 78.7% (with several dropped balls in there). Only ONE INT (and that was off a deflection that clearly should’ve been caught). Fitz is playing with incredible confidence right now. He’s taking what the defenses give him & capitalizing nicely on opponent’s weaknesses. I’m sure that a huge part of what we’re seeing is as a result of Monken’s play-calls, but what I’m seeing in Fitz is the true FIELD GENERAL that we’ve been missing in years past.
September 17th, 2018 at 4:50 am
Jameis has had years to figure out how to hit the long ball and has generally failed miserably. While he could have been working on is mechanics in the offseason, instead he worked on his physique.
Definition of insanity: Trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Just because he was a number one draft pick doesn’t make him a franchise quarterback.
September 17th, 2018 at 6:01 am
Fitz play has been masterful. It s great to watch games where we score early and often. This team has got a chance to be special. O line strength seems to be pass blocking so far. Amazing what they have been able to do so far protecting Fitz.
Only one sack against Eagles stout defense.
September 17th, 2018 at 6:45 am
@Defense Rules
To Back up your statement that Fitz is the “Field General”!!!! At Head Coach Press conference, That first play primary target was Mike Evans, But a corner Blitz came from that side that was going to distrupt the shorter throw, so Fitz check it over to D Jax!!!!!!!!! And HUGE props to the pass protection!!!!! they picked up the blitz perfect!!!!! In fact eagles basically stopped trying to bltiz because it almost always getting picked up!!!!!!!!!!!
In fact great blocking was all over that field yesterday!!!!! OJ’s touchdown does not happen without Godwin and Quiz blocks down the field!!!!!! It has been such a great team effort!!!!!!!!!!!
#trust the coaches!!!!!!!!! Fix the “real” problem!!!! the roster!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 17th, 2018 at 6:47 am
Bucfan1987
Likes to act so smart but uses the word “are” in place of “our”
Lmao real smart wordsmith
September 17th, 2018 at 8:52 am
another great win…..offense played good….defense played great….finally looks like everyone is on the same page…..
#TUNNELVISION!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!
September 17th, 2018 at 9:01 am
Great job 813!!!!!! It must be difficult to come back and eat that humble pie!!!!!!!!!! Watching that game yesterday was just another of very exciting football games that we have been privileged too watch during the Head Coach Koetter regime!!!!!!!!!! We have seen so many “exciting” football games during this time then the last decade put together!!!!!!!!! And don’t think for one second that that stunt Fitz pulled at the press conference was not the message that this coaching staff had been hammering away with all week, let alone all offseason!!!!!!! They learned the lessons from all the distractions of last year like hard knocks!!!!!!!!!! And there were issues that were navigated thru this season that was masterful from Head Coach Koetter!!!!!!!!!
Hold them accountable indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#trust the coaches!!!!!!!!! Fix the “real” problem!!!! the roster!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 17th, 2018 at 10:00 am
Joes, there’s something very interesting happening with this DL bunch- accountability. Accountability for their assignments, effort and to each other. Some of that HAS to be attributed to the veteran FA’s Licht brought in- and that maybe- just maybe- where guys like Curry/JPP are really making a difference is in the locker-room, as much as on the field. We’re probably a fast-twitch pass-rusher away from being really formidable, but if Vea is back this week (which scuttlebutt suggests he will be + Grimes), then we may begin to see some push up the gut, which will help JPP, Curry and Geraldini.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:16 am
Bucfan1987 thuoght you had better thing to do anyway than jbf. At least that’s what you told us the last time you got mad and left saying good bye. Oh and just in case you did not know it.Being called a Red Neck is not an insult. Not if you know what it really means.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:55 am
GIVE SHAUN WILSON MORE CARRIES!!! HE’S ONLY HAD A FEW BUT THEY’VE ALL BEEN ABOUT 10 YARDS AND IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE PURE LUCK.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:16 am
87 is calling other people rednecks?
Lol.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:04 pm
What’s with the “Geraldini” BS? Go suck a rotten egg!
September 17th, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Hey 1987, Proud redneck here. I work my ass off, support my family, and don’t ask for the fruit of another mans labor. Is that a problem for you?
Nothing like a good football game to bring Americans together, only to revert to being the same a-hole you were before the game. Let me guess, you’re “hood.”
Learn to write and spell in English and maybe somebody will take you seriously.
September 17th, 2018 at 2:16 pm
McCoy is still running to the path of least resistance and not the correct gap or the ball way to often . You would think he has End Contain the way he runs away from the ball sometimes !!! He is something that Guy !!! Talented as hell but a mental basket of attention and confusion . I truly think he wants to look good on film ( easy) rather than fight make a play !!! Watch the Guy for 10 plays and you will understand!!!
September 17th, 2018 at 3:43 pm
Big Stinky – Davis went out and I don’t believe I ever saw him come back into the game, could be wrong but I don’t think I am.