Who Will Bucs Face?
September 16th, 2019
“Eli, I want you to play Sunday.” (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
Joe was at Jameis Winston’s Dream Forever Foundation event Saturday night (thanks Bill Currie Ford!). And while waiting for the free valet after the event, so too was Bucs defensive lineman Will Gholston.
Now Joe isn’t going to say what Gholston said because he had no reasonable expectation that his words would ever be published. Besides, he technically was off the clock.
But Joe can say Gholston was very relieved he had Sunday off. Joe hears more good things from players about Thursday night football games than bad things because they enjoy what’s basically an extra bye weekend.
So the Bucs have a few extra days to prepare for the Giants. Question is, what quarterback will they be facing?
The Bills punked the Giants Sunday 28-14 in the New Jersey Swamplands. Giants icon quarterback Eli Manning did not have a great day. He was 26 of 45 with 250 yards, one touchdown and two picks.
The Giants drafted Manning’s successor, rookie quarterback Daniel Jones in the first round. The Giants are winless and awful and Manning is struggling just enough that there is serious chatter in the Big Apple that Big Blue should start Jones against the Bucs next and put Manning, who Giants fans adore but know his end is near, out to pasture.
With Manning in the lineup for the Giants, Joe believes the Giants, offensively, are very similar to the Stinking Panthers. Like Carolina, New York has an aging star QB who looks to be just about finished, a good wide receiver, a strong tight end and a spectacular running back.
The way Todd Bowles’ defense shut down Christian McCaffrey on Thursday, Joe’s not too worried about freak Saquon Barkley.
If Manning doesn’t start, that throws a curveball into things.
Joe wonders if the Bucs are preparing for both Giants quarterbacks in case Manning is benched, or are just working on a defense to stop Manning?
September 16th, 2019 at 12:12 am
I have faith in the Bucs D but Saquon is a completely different animal that CMC. We held CMC but I don’t think we can stop Barkley. He’s a freak of nature.
September 16th, 2019 at 12:37 am
Barkley is in a different league than McCaffrey – I wouldn’t get comfortable thinking because McCaffrey didn’t do much, that Barkley won’t either.
I doubt the Giants make a QB change this year. After the Bucs they face the Redskins, but then they face the Vikings and Patriots – I’d assume after the Pats game they look to make the move. Then again what’s the point of waiting? If you play him against the Bucs and Redskins he gets a couple of games under his belt before facing the Vikings and Pats. The Bucs defense has been fantastic the first two weeks, but I don’t think nationally they have really caught on yet – so they’d could view the Bucs as a good JV squad defense to throw in their rookie. I hope that’s the case, and I hope the Bucs have listened to Sapp talk about when that Bucs defense saw Vick for the first time and what they did to him…
September 16th, 2019 at 12:39 am
Wether the Bucs face Eli or Daniel Jones, that front 7 should be licking their chops. Eli is a statue and Jones is too green. The last thing they want to do is give him his first start ever against a rolling Todd Bowles defense that’s allowed just one touchdown in 2 weeks.
Saquon Barkley will get his, you just can’t let him takeover the game. This is a prime suspect type of game to see Deone Buccanon getting significant snaps as a box safety. Have Whitehead/LVD shadow Engram. The Bucs have extra time to prepare, so the offense will look more familiar as it starts to click and the Giants just will not get enough going against this front. I predict the scoreboard will look closer than it will actually be.
Bucs by 13 with a final of 30-17
September 16th, 2019 at 2:08 am
Joe any more news on D. White
September 16th, 2019 at 2:39 am
Saquon is a different beast. However the Gmen don’t have significant other weapons. However, tit’s never easy when you have a team with their backs against a wall. Cornered animals are dangerous, no matter how sick or timid they appear.
Our coaching staff has no let up, they are true professionals, which we haven’t seen since Monte was here. Monte would be more fired up then ever for a game like this. He’d have the boys whipped into a frenzy to utterly destroy this team. The goal would be no points, contest every blade of grass and make them wish they had never gotten off that plane in this humidity.
Force the Qback controversy with maximum discipline, playing fast and destroy their will.
JW can then hand the ball off, throw some quick passes and demoralize their defense.
A team win and crushing blow to the New Jersey Giants, and put the NFC South on notice. You play us, and you know it for weeks afterwards, because we kicked.your ass in all phases.
An identity is finally brewing!
Go Bucs!
In BA I Trust!
September 16th, 2019 at 2:40 am
Hah! Great slip their….
September 16th, 2019 at 4:12 am
Rod & Sport … I’m with you guys. Can’t take ANYTHING for granted in the NFL. Our 1st game turned on turnovers; our 2nd game came down to ONE play at the very end of the game. BOTH games featured awesome defense by our Bucs. The margin for victory OR defeat in the NFL is usually very slim.
Yes Sport, “an identity is finally brewing!” We’re finally returning to our roots … DEFENSE. These guys are MAKING PLAYS, and they’re doing it CONSISTENTLY. Their play Thursday night amazed me. They held Carolina’s rushing attack to 39 TOTAL yards, with McCaffrey getting 16 carries for 37 yards. Incredible. Cam Newton still got over 300 yards, he didn’t get intercepted, but had a QBR of 27.5 on the night. Bucs had FIVE PDs (that’s VERY good BTW). We limited the Panthers to 4 FGs (also very good BTW).
Yes, “an identity is finally brewing!” And it’s thanks to Todd Bowles & his coaching staff. He didn’t ‘reload’ this defense, he REBUILT it, from the ground up. Virtually overnight he transitioned it from a very ineffective 4-3 to an ‘in-your-face, let’s play some smash-mouth football’ 3-4 hybrid. We’ve been blessed thus far with minimal injuries, but I’m still convinced that a big part of that is better conditioning. A strong defense can keep us in every game IMO. Eventually the Bucs offense will come around. In the meantime, we need our offense to minimize turnovers, win the TOP (to keep our defense fresh), and to put some points on the board. IOW, play COMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL.
September 16th, 2019 at 6:34 am
My question is, does their offensive line suck or is it pretty good? If they suck, we’ll have a field-day with them.
September 16th, 2019 at 6:59 am
Definitely a game we could use D. White. Tracking down Barkley will be Job#1 and white can stay with him. Not sure with a bad wheel but hopefully the extended time off helps.
September 16th, 2019 at 7:08 am
In that picture it appears Jamies is saying “listen man, it’s time to sit your a$$ downs” Eli: “but I wanna play.”
September 16th, 2019 at 7:11 am
Joe—
Not sure if you’re aware of this doctor, but he provides an OUTSTANDING analysis of the Drew Brees injury. Doesn’t sound good if you’re a Saints fan…but if you love the Bucs, you simply KNOW there’s no way in hell Brees will ruin our day the next game we meet!
https://youtu.be/dw-h2DMzm0U
September 16th, 2019 at 7:34 am
Eli along with both QBs last night threw 40+ passes and had multiple ints. Simple solution #Run The dam Football, which both did sparingly. These offense all suck wind in redzone once the passing windows become smaller. BA don’t just “we are a run first football team” let’s truly be that ish. A playoff run will be imminent as a result in this league that has become overly consumed with throwing the football. 2014 the hawks ran the ball 525x.
September 16th, 2019 at 7:39 am
I have a Mt. Vea,a Kong Suh and a BIGWill upfront. I don’t care how freaky barkely is won’t hardly take over this game. He may reach a 100 yards but it’ll take around 30 carries you can bank on that.
September 16th, 2019 at 8:09 am
Two games is too early to bench your franchise QB who won you two Super Bowls……
After game 6 or 7 when it is obvious….then he will be replaced.
September 16th, 2019 at 8:41 am
Todd Bowles is the second coming of Tony Dungy???? It’s early yet, but starting to look that way. What happened to that young promising LB Beckwith? He look real good, got bit by Buc Luck (injured) and disappeared off the radar.
IN BOWLES I (HOPE TO) TRUST!!?
September 16th, 2019 at 9:03 am
The Giants should move on to Jones, but I’m hoping Eli gets one more game against us. Eli is a sitting duck in the pocket, Jones can run. Jones has the better arm, and rookie QB’s have had career days against us in the past.
September 16th, 2019 at 10:35 am
No matter who starts it’s just another test for our defense. So far our D has passed all their tests and so I remain very optimistic about Sunday.
Plus one of these days our offense is going to explode and we’re going to get that Buc rarity…a blowout. This Sunday’s game is a prime candidate.
September 16th, 2019 at 10:48 am
CMC is EVERY bit as dangerous as Saquon. Anyone thinking differently is Massively confused.
September 16th, 2019 at 11:28 am
You prepare assuming you’re getting a pocket passer who is going to play well. Who it is, doesn’t matter. Griff is an excellent guy to run the scout team in this case.
September 16th, 2019 at 11:48 am
Eli is not getting benched
Not this early
September 17th, 2019 at 1:26 am
you know it and I know it. The bucs will not win on Sunday. Everybody has their hopes up because we got lucky to beat disfunctional Carolina team. The Bucs will disappoint when the expectations are set. We have all seen this show before. The sample size is too small to say our defense is even any better.