Next Man Up: Antony Auclair
November 25th, 2018
Bigger role. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
Worse than losing to the Giants last week was the Bucs lost perhaps their best player for the season.
For the second time in as many years in the NFL, tight end O.J. Howard, who was having a monster year, had a severe ankle injury after being tackled low. The same kind of hit knocked him out last year (a low hit). He was placed on injured reserve last week ending his season.
So now the Bucs have to call to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for help. And in this case, it is to the proud son of Quebec, tight end Antony Auclair.
Last year Auclair was a great story. He went from playing Canadian college football, which is basically Division-III level, to the East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, where Bucs Bit-O-Honey-snacking, Ozark-watching, yams-eating coach Dirk Koetter first noticed him in practice. Then it was directly to the 53-man roster.
This season Auclair made the final 53-man roster and has primarily been a special teams guy and a blocking tight end. He’s made four starts and caught five balls.
Koetter told Joe last week he’s ready to roll with Auclair, who will be backing up Cam Brate. And Koetter expects Auclair’s roles and snaps to increase.
“Most teams in the NFL have their pass-catching tight ends or their blocking tight ends,” Koetter said. “I know that Antony would like to be a guy that does both. That’s what every tight end wants. Primarily for us, he is our blocking tight end.
“He’s got excellent hands and for a guy that came up in Canadian football — there is nothing against that, it just doesn’t happen very often. Antony is extremely smart. He takes everything very seriously. He’s done a good job for us on special teams. In his role — he is a role player — he has played his role well. His role will increase as the season goes on.”
Auclair admitted this season is much different. Last year he always wondered whether he belonged in the NFL. Now, he knows he can hang with the best football players in the world.
“I have been playing a couple of snaps each game, I’ve had about 15-20 snaps and that number will go up for sure,” Auclair told Joe. “I think I play a lot faster [now].
“I find playing against defenses a lot more easier than last year. It is just experience at this point. I’ve been playing in more games. Last year when I played in a game it was like, ‘Damn, that’s fast!’
“I think I have been playing faster.”
Already Auclair has twice as many catches through 10 games than he had all year playing in eight games. Interestingly, Auclair has a 100 percent catch rate from targeted passes. That’s pretty cool.
November 25th, 2018 at 7:22 am
If he can make acrobatic circus catches in between two players while twisting backwards before getting smashed….Winston will throw it to him. The worst thing he can do is get wide open beyond 30 yds.
November 25th, 2018 at 8:19 am
Auclair has a 100% catch rate of targeted passes to him. The coach acknowledged he’s got good hands. Given that he CAN catch the ball I don’t understand why he’s seen as primarily a blocking tight end. (unless he’s a crappy route runner).
November 25th, 2018 at 8:35 am
Shoutout from Montreal! Allez-Y, Antony!
November 25th, 2018 at 8:39 am
Welcome!
November 25th, 2018 at 8:42 am
Bobby M stop trolling. Go golf this afternoon maybe that will keep the venom from spewing out of your suck hole. Go Bucs!!!!!
November 25th, 2018 at 9:15 am
Okay, where’s the voodoo doll we can kill so we can win? It’s nuts–look at all the offensive stats and THIS TEAM IS IN THE CELLAR???!! Like seriously, why are the Bucs there? Jesus Christ on a cross, this has got to change. Go Bucs!! A win would finally be common sense!
November 25th, 2018 at 9:28 am
He’s a glorified Luke Stocker. I do hope he helps us make an impact in the run game today.
November 25th, 2018 at 9:56 am
“I have been playing a couple of snaps each game, I’ve had about 15-20 snaps and that number will go up for sure,” Auclair told Joe. “I think I play a lot faster [now].
“I find playing against defenses a lot more easier than last year. It is just experience at this point. I’ve been playing in more games. Last year when I played in a game it was like, ‘Damn, that’s fast!’
“I think I have been playing faster.”
.
Players taking time to acclimate to the game? NO way!
#VitaVea
About OJ Howard. He can play like the best tight end in the NFL, but if he constantly gets injured, it is useless. Two years in a row makes him as injury prone as the guy he replaced.
#HardTruth
November 25th, 2018 at 10:34 am
@BuccaneerBonzai, labeling someone as injury-prone or brittle can sometimes be accurate but seeing how OJ got taken out, there’s nothing anyone could have done to prevent being jacked up.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:22 pm
“Injury prone”?? – wtf are you talking about Bonzai? Do you watch the games or not?
Anyone would have sustained a serious injury on that play where OJ got hurt – the way his ankle was pinned to the turf and badly stretched the wrong way underneath the full weight of the tackler.
I knew Howard was going to be out at least a few weeks the second I saw that play….
November 25th, 2018 at 5:50 pm
I followed Antony Auclair all the afternoon, he blocked vert well and was constantly a good target … But Winston did not throw him the pigskin … he always targeted the 2 or 3 same player …
November 26th, 2018 at 8:11 am
Here’s Auclair hilites when he played with Laval University, Québec City. You see both abilities, blocking and receiving :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-5mUGBVQMg