Anthony Becht Names 2 Keys For More Wins
August 22nd, 2019
Strong words
With an impactful intensity of an ex-Buccaneer yearning to see his old team thrive, former Tampa Bay tight end Anthony Becht delivered quite a state of the union address this week.
Becht, a member of the last Bucs playoff team, was tossing out insight, analysis, praise and backhanded and direct slaps. It was impressive.
The way to more wins? Becht called out two big keys.
“Truly it’s going to come down to what kind of change can [Bruce Arians] bring to the table between the ears of Jameis Winston,” Becht told WDAE-AM. “And it clearly is not a talent thing because we’ve seen him be great a lot of times in his career, and we’ve seen him be very poor even more. If he just doesn’t turn the ball over, you know, cut it in half just to start, it’s going to win more ball games for the football team. They’ve got a tremendous amount of weapons on offense. He doesn’t have to throw for 4,000 yards to be a winning quarterback in the NFL. He really doesn’t.
“And he shouldn’t have to bear that responsibility with the offensive line he has in front of him.”
Becht went on to say he’s encouraged by the “push and force and aggression you saw from the line of scrimmage.” He gives a lot of credit to coaching.
“Joe Gilbert, to me, is one of the better offensive line coaches I know,” Becht said. “And I know that he’s preaching those things as core parts, core elements, and it’s good to kind of get him in the ears of a Donovan Smith who, let’s be honest, at times doesn’t play up to the ability that we all expect him to.
“Can he keep pressing these guys? Can he keep pushing them to be great? Because ultimately, this core of offensive line is about as good as you can get in the NFL when you think about age and price and everything you’re looking for. I mean it’s hard to get a lineup like that, you know even though it may have not paid off dividends. The key is, can you run the football? And I don’t care who it is … It doesn’t really matter who’s doing it, but somebody had to do it a lot better than we have. …
“I think those are the two keys: the running game and Jameis taking a little off his shoulders and just making the plays teams give you. That’ll equal more wins for sure heading into this season.”
Much to think about in Becht’s commentary. Joe will let it stand on its own, though a very basic translation would be, ‘Fix the head of Jameis and get the offensive line to try harder.’
Sounds about right.
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:08 am
He actually didn’t say nothing we all already know. Next article, pls…😁
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:15 am
That oline is garbage. Donovan Smith is a huge liability.
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:20 am
He’s not wrong. Jay-Miss has been a liability to this team. No single person on the team controls the football more than he does. Hopefully he will improve this season.
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:23 am
it’s amazing how people who should be in the know, don’t place more blame on bad game day decisions by coaches and god awful defense to the reason this team has loss so much under Winston… that would be an interesting write up… going thru last 32 games and give analysis on keys to those wins/losses
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:25 am
One of the most important keys is to score more points than the other team by the end of the 60 minutes. If we can do that, I see us getting more wins
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:29 am
I will put beyter defense ahead of better running game for the simple reason that when you have a horrible defense and let the other team score at will it eliminates a team ability to run the ball by default. Fix the defense and do a better job blocking and it will automatically help Jameis and the run game
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:38 am
Jameis Winston + average or better scoring defense = winning record.
In general that’s the only consistent thing with our 2 winning seasons since firing Gruden:
A decent defense. The 2010 defense was kind of a fluke because of the schedule but they were a top 9 scoring defense.
2016 we were 15th scoring defense. Horrible run game. Horrible special teams. Not a ton of skill players like we have now. A top 5 difficult schedule.
But average defense + Jameis Winston equaled a winning season.
GO BUCS!
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:40 am
The o-line has not proven they’re good…but it appears that they have talent. Last year, it seemed we were very predictable on our run plays. That makes both the line and the backs look bad. I want to see a few real games before I call them losers…like some on the board. The running game has looked better so far…and hopefully, the Bucs can build on that success.
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:41 am
While I don’t disagree with Becht I would put more of a priority on the Bucs Defense improving and stopping the opposing team from scoring.
Let’s face it, when your team is down by 10 points MOST QB’s put the burden on themselves and take chances – hence the turnovers.
I would put DEFENSIVE first. If THAT improves it should take some pressure off Jameis and then the O-Line.
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:43 am
While Hecht makes some good points, this team will be as good as the defense allows.
The offense has never been nearly as bad a problem as the defense in wins and losses.
August 22nd, 2019 at 11:45 am
Ranked #22: https://thecomeback.com/nfl/ranking-all-32-projected-nfl-starting-quarterbacks-for-2019.html
This team will not do anything of note until he is, at least, a top 14 QB in the NFL.
August 22nd, 2019 at 12:01 pm
Joe…are you taking Becht out of context here or is he just a terrible analyst. The #1 thing for wins has to be D right?
August 22nd, 2019 at 12:11 pm
Did Becht watch the Bucs play last year? The #1 problem is the defense.
August 22nd, 2019 at 12:13 pm
The way you win in the NFL is to outscore your opponent……there are two ways to do that…have a stronger offense……and have a stronger defense…..very simple. Don’t allow your opponent to score much.
I also think special teams are crucial to field position and momentum……missed xtra points and FGs……..opposing punt & kick returns are game changers…..
Penalties on ST can be devastating.
August 22nd, 2019 at 12:25 pm
Look people, everyone screaming defense here do you realize the chiefs defense was atrocious last season. But what did they do, score 35 a game. 30 point offense is the new era defense. Now before you say they still lost in the playoffs which they did, just remember were it not for a DE lining up offsides they may have won that game. Now the chargers defense was good SB’s they got they@$$ trounced in the playoffs.
August 22nd, 2019 at 12:45 pm
Picking up on TBBF’s point.
I think ST’s may make a genuine difference this year. We have a lot more speed this year and some of the guys who will not start can still make a name for themselves on STs.
If Gay is the real deal and kicks well that will be huge for a team that at times has struggled making extra points and gimme FG’s.
August 22nd, 2019 at 12:55 pm
@NOSBOS: KC is the exception, not the rule. How many teams in NFL history have scored more than 35 points a game?
Gotta have some balance.
August 22nd, 2019 at 12:57 pm
Not a word about the defense and it’s role in more wins. Get out of here. Really.
August 22nd, 2019 at 12:58 pm
“BA knows football
He knew he wasnt able to drastically change the roster
BA knew what and how to change the mistakes Klueless was making
BA believes he can turn 5 wins to possible 9 or 10 to be playoff eligible,
by scoring more consistently and effectively in the redzone with the same personnel”
Kobe Faker
August 22nd, 2019 at 12:59 pm
The two teams in the Super Bowl had some defense. The same will be true this year.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:01 pm
“NOSBOS, BA and Kobe Faker
3 brilliant minds or
3 stooges?”
Kobe Faker
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:45 pm
Cobra it’s a new concept, I stated “new era”. Look at the chiefs offense last season and look at ours now. In my opinion we have more fire power. Mahomes play last season wasn’t special to me,Reid did the same thing with McNabb. Certain coaches just know how to get the most out of the position. If you load your offense with weaponry it put pressure on opposing teams. We are loaded offensively.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:55 pm
Based on the current roster (Top-51 for Cap purposes), Bucs have the #4 most expensive offense ($114.2 mil), the #20 most costly defense ($81.9 mil), and the #18 most expensive S/Ts ($4.7 mil). That equates to the offense getting 58% of the pie and our defense getting 42%.
Don’t know about other JBFers, but I was taught that ‘Getting your money’s worth’ on any deal is important. So I kinda figure that the Bucs’ offense SHOULD produce at least the #4 scoring offense this year for the Glazers & fans to ‘get their money’s worth’. The Pats came in #4 last year by scoring 436 points. I’ll settle for that (BTW the Bucs came in #12 last year scoring 396 points).
Using the same logic, our defense should at least produce the #20 scoring defense this year for the Glazers & fans to ‘get their money’s worth’. The Rams came in #20 last year by allowing 394 points to be scored against them. I’ll even settle for that (Bucs came in # 31 last year allowing 464 points).
IF that came to pass (and I think we can do better), that’d give us a PLUS 42 point differential (last year we had a MINUS 68 point differential). The teams with the lowest but still positive point differential to make the playoffs last year were the Cowboys (PLUS 15) and the Eagles (PLUS 19). So obviously all this Bucs team needs to do is earn their salaries and we’re going to the playoffs. Now THAT’S what they call ACCOUNTABILITY.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:58 pm
“NOS
This will be new normal
salary cap and FA
Teams now have to decide where to put the majority of salary dollars into which side of the ball
every team has holes
the trend is your friend
NFL higher ups likes offenses and scoring…we should too
When NOSBOS and Kobe Fakers analysis merge and agree…
how can it be wrong?”
Kobe Faker
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:06 pm
@DR: the skewed cap allotment comes primarily from development of drafted & UDFA players on offense-Evans, Winston, Marpet, Smith and Brate. This is not a bad thing.
The unfortunate aspect is few have been developed on D. That is my biggest gripe.
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:06 pm
Unfair to call out the offense as a reason to win more games. Offense is, at worse, decent. Defense and Special Teams are another matter. Defensively, we will be different…maybe even good. GMC, Grimes, Unrein, Curry, Taylor, Alexander and Conte are gone. Good bye. We will be better this year. new punter and a new place kicker will probably be an improvement. We have the team that could actually be good. Especially without GMC (addition by subtraction). 11-5 sounds about right. Finding fault with Jameis is a poor excuse for why the Bucs are losing. Becht may be right about his observations, but I believe he’s dead wrong.
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:07 pm
Just by having BA and all the careers he has already turned around this year we are going to be a lot better on both sides of the ball. All teams in the NFL have injuries but by our giving equal reps to all 90 of our players we have plenty of players who already know our plays who can step right in and play if there are injuries. We don’t have to get our subs off the streets like last year! Right now David is hurt but we have been fortunate to have Cichy, Bucannon, and Minter to play.
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:14 pm
I’ll chalk this up to Becht being an offensive guy so he just talking that side of the ball. If it isn’t critical that we get better defensive football in this town then I don’t know what the hell I’m watching.
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:44 pm
JimmyJack is right.
When Jameis and the collective offense feel like they need to score 30+ points a game, of course he is going to force some throws that lead to turnovers, and of course the offensive coaches aren’t going to be committed to the running game like they should.
I think that’s what gives me a little hope this season… if we can make incremental improvements to the defense and running game we should see monumental improvements in Jameis. However, if we fix the first two and the latter doesn’t change then we’re in trouble…
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:54 pm
You know we sometimes get on the same page kobe. And let me add, I’m in agreement with Kevin Minter (he should know what it looks like he actually plays) we are going to be a top 5 defense. Couple that with a 30 point offense and you folks are totally low balling you’re football team. We going to Miami this year. And we gone win that b@#$.
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:56 pm
But you are right Cobra, it is an exception. Because not every team is equip to do it. We are. Between the 20s have not been this team’s issue the last 3 seasons. The red zone has. Trust me BA about to solve that.
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:02 pm
“do you realize the chiefs defense was atrocious last season”
If the Chiefs were “atrocious” on defense in 2018, then I don’t even know what word to describe the Bucs defense.
The Chiefs were the #24 scoring defense at 26.3 PPG
The Bucs were #31 at 29 PPG
The Chiefs point total for 2018 was massively inflated by 2 insane shoot outs where they gave up a total of 97 points (against the Rams & Pats – both games they lost close).
In the other 14 weeks of the year the Chiefs defense gave up an average of 23.1 PPG which would have ranked 18th – or about average and nowhere near atrocious.
Take out the Bucs worst 2 games and they still would have given up 26.9 PPG which would have been 27th – or still atrocious.
If we had the Chiefs defense last year we win at least 3 more games probably. Just by being semi average vs historically bad.
Lord Cornelius statistical analysis of the day.
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:07 pm
There were 6 games last year we lost while scoring at least 27 points.
We only won 2 games scoring less than 27 points and we scored 24 and 26 in those games.
If we gave up 26 PPG each game in 2018 (Chiefs scoring average in 2018) our record?
9-6-1
If we gave up 23 PPG or average scoring defense?
11-5
Mic dropped.
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:15 pm
Kicking and Defense. Make those reliable and the wins will come. Jameis won’t have to play from behind constantly.
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:23 pm
Joe, weren’t you down on the Offensive Line coach for nearly getting Andrew Luck killed? Becht was launching high praise. I hope he’s correct.
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:24 pm
@lord that’s not how the game works .That’s not how the averages work.
So If we lost to the bears 11-10 instead of 49 to 10 then our d would have given up 26 points a game and not 29 points a game and all of a sudden we go 9-6-1?
Ok? If we take out the 2 worst, if we take out that one game where jameis was hurt, if we … yeah, but thats not how it works.
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:28 pm
Dead on Becht! Hit the nail on the head it is all about the turnovers .They hurt the Defense and S/teams. Too many turnovers on our side off the field have killed us.
Always talking about the team helping Winston out? When is Winston going to help his team out and protect the football !!! Your first job #3.
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:30 pm
Miken let that man feel good about dropping his mic😁
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:33 pm
@ou812… yep! We turned the ball over and put the d in a lot of bad spots and the d never caused any turnovers. You can have an average dor even below and be a really good team if your O takes care of the ball and the d can get some takeaways… neither of those happen for us. Seemed like too many times the O started slow or turned it over early and our opponent capitalized and we were in a hole thus im sure the stat sheeet looked ok and we probably scored more than any other tem in the4th q when the game was pretty much over. BA and Bowles will change that though!!!!!
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:35 pm
Cobraboy … That’s my biggest gripe too, because it’s a result of neglecting the defense for so many years. As players like Vea, White & several others mature and get their 2nd contracts those percentages will change significantly, although the Bucs offense will eat up and even larger % of the pie next year if Jameis, Barber, Perriman & maybe Godwin get new contracts.
Kobe … the Bucs heritage is DEFENSE & we haven’t done diddly since moving away from that heritage. Offense can get you to the playoffs, but DEFENSE wins championships. Personally I tend to favor a more balanced approach, that slightly favors the offense (only because elite QBs & WRs seem to make the most $$$ in today’s NFL). Something maybe on the order of 52% offense to 48% defense. Favoring one side of the ball too much is the kiss of death IMO.
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:56 pm
Lord C … I agree with your 3:07 analysis, but there’s a minor fly in the ointment that explains at least part of why the Bucs defense gave up so many points in those games where the Bucs offense scored 27 or more points … TURNOVERS. As in 19 turnovers LOST in those 10 games you’re talking about. And also if you look at those 10 games closely (27 or more points scored), most of them were against weaker defenses (as in Middle-to-Bottom Half of the NFL). Teams like the Falcons twice (#25), Panthers (#19), Steelers (#16), Bengals (#30), Giants (#23), 49ers (#28). Only the Saints (#14) and Eagles (#12) were even close to Top-10 defenses, and fortunately we played them first shot out of the barrel, before they got rolling.
No question that our defense stunk last year, but too many seem to think we were playoff bound if not for the defense. IMO Bucs made a fateful choice when they decided to blow off the defense and go whole hog with the offense. And the irony is that the one who led the charge on that was a defensive coach … Lovie Smith.
August 22nd, 2019 at 4:23 pm
Still trying to find more than 4-5 games in 4 seasons that Jameis lost for the team. 3 times that amount, Jameis gave team a lead with less than 6 minutes to play. Most of Jameis’ turnovers have been with team trying to get back in a game. The overall turnover total is too high but most have not had as much impact on a game’s outcome as most think.
August 22nd, 2019 at 4:33 pm
DR: one reason O is skewed around the league is because of the QB.
I have read about some CBA discussions which MOL semi-exempt the QB from the cap. or put some sort of cap amount for the QB even though he is paid more.
August 22nd, 2019 at 4:55 pm
No mention of the worst defense in the league the last two years? Better run game, better Jameis, with a bad defense, will still lead to a losing season. Becht doesn’t get it.
August 22nd, 2019 at 5:02 pm
Any publication that ranks The Beard in the back half of the NFL QB’s cannot be taken seriously.
August 22nd, 2019 at 7:34 pm
This comments thread is stellar. Fantastic debate, great points, love it!
IMHO, no big shocker: “All three phases have to show up every game” just like we’ve always heard. We’re going to be better in all three phases, I have no doubt. Because coaching matters and the leadership of coaching matters. Can’t wait to see how this team plays! Bring on the Niners!!
August 22nd, 2019 at 9:00 pm
Becht (who I like as a broadcaster) said Jameis doesn’t have to throw for 4,000 yards to win. Actually, with last years defense, I think he had to. I still say if you want to look for reasons for 10-22 the last two years, you’ve got to look way beyond Jameis.
August 22nd, 2019 at 10:20 pm
Improve O-line, D-line, secondary and kicker and we can win more games. Jameis is the least of our worries at this point.
I find Becht’s comment about the O-line laughable. Those guys are so pathetic any QB would get killed playing behind them.
August 23rd, 2019 at 1:31 am
There is only one key to win games: Score more than your opponent.
August 23rd, 2019 at 2:08 am
Honestly the oline has the potential to be great n if they play to their abilities they can be very good in pas protection and running. Which will in turn take pressure of of JW and he will not go crazy and force bs that isnt there