“He Erased Him”
December 25th, 2019
High praise from coach.
As Joe pointed out, Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis is in a battle with teammate and fellow rookie Jamel Dean.
Cool stuff and honestly, Joe never dreamt of ever typing such a thing as bad as the defense has been the past few years, specifically the pass defense.
In his weekly sitdown with Dan Lucas of WFLA-TV Channel 8 this week, Arians could not say enough good things about the defense.
“I should have given 10 gameballs out to the defense they way they played,” Arians said. “We put them in bad positions and they answered the bell every time.”
And the one player he singled out for balling out? Davis, and Arians used a verb Joe had never heard used in football before. Of course Davis had to guard All-World Houston receiver DeAndre Hopkins, maybe the best receiver in the NFL now not named “Michael Thomas.
Arians said of Davis’ game last week against Hopkins, that Davis “erased him from the game.”
Joe loved that verb!
Davis’ job on Hopkins resulted in one of the Houston receiver’s worst games of his career. In fact, that was Hopkins’ worst game in over three years.
Last week’s game was a Warren Sapp game. Why is that? Remember when Sapp used to boast to his offense, “Just get me 17?”
Well, the Bucs defense gave up only 16 to Houston.
December 25th, 2019 at 8:08 am
Can’t wait for 2020!
December 25th, 2019 at 8:17 am
Gonna be a long summer Mort. 1500 plus more Winston articles followed by another 1000 criticizing the players drafted.
December 25th, 2019 at 8:18 am
Don’t forget the 1000’s of comments on how JW will win a Super Bowl with another team if he’s not signed long term.
December 25th, 2019 at 8:36 am
Hahah the only way Winston wins a super bowl ring with another team is if he rides the bench in New England and watch a hall of fame quarterback like Tom Brady do his thing. Either that or he buys his own ticket to go to the Super Bowl as an NFL fan lol
December 25th, 2019 at 8:39 am
Hopkins was ill all week. Let’s not give Davis that much credit. Now if he does it again against the Falcons . . .
December 25th, 2019 at 9:01 am
Yes can’t wait for next year. Really hoping we can keep this group intact or add better players via draft or FA. We have a good foundation to build a great defense. It took forever but with vea the center piece on the Dline hopefully we can keep Barrett an Jpp but find jpps replacement in the draft we got some stud linebackers in Devin white an of course LVD. Davis dean bunting Whitehead an idk about Edwards yet but those guys are turning into decent DBs an there still are so young. Maybe find a vet DB who can bring in some great leadership an a suh an jpp mentality back there an we could have a freaking dangerous defense to go with our high flying turnover prone offense lol this team will deff be exciting an might actually be worth going to some games finally MERRY XMAS JOE AN HAPPY NEW YEAR
December 25th, 2019 at 9:01 am
I sense Winston’s gonna walk. I’d love to see Bridgewater as our QB with a better left tackle and a real RB.
December 25th, 2019 at 9:03 am
The D in the second half of the season has been phenomenal. They have shown how a team can win often even with the QB gives up the ball constantly, with mass pick sixes and giving the opponent short fields. Now if we can only get QB who doesn’t give the game away right out of the gate. $15 million should get us a guy who can make plays when needed, take care of the ball most all of the time, and be there for his team…lead them down the field at the end of games to win the game. That guy is currently not on the roster.
December 25th, 2019 at 9:10 am
Speaking of long off seasons (above), Joe got me thinking in a comment last week, when someone complained about the article on the XFL Vipers that he posted. He said, hey, it’s football. I realize it’s not the NFL but some of the rosters are interesting. For example Vinny Testaverde II as QB, Quinton Flowers RB/QB/WR. Freddy Martino as WR, Marc Trestman as HC and GM. Season tickets for as low as $100, up to $500 club for five home games at RayJay. That is one way to kill time. So while we must live with whatever Bucs info we can get from Joe and others in the offseason…FA moves, QB moves, draft, cap space, etc….we at least have another home football team.
December 25th, 2019 at 9:16 am
Not concerned about Winston…..he’s ours with the franchise tag if he likes it or not…..he’s be on a one-year prove it contract so he’ll play as well as he can.
Then…another franchise tag available.
We should have enough money to keep our Defense together…..Need JPP, Shaq, Suh & Nassib…..all others under contract. That’s about $40 mil, give or take.
Replace Dotson & add depth on Oline…..draft a RB….preferably a bruiser who can get us a first down on 3rd & 1…..
Game on!!!
December 25th, 2019 at 9:22 am
IrishTony Bridgewater would be trash here. Pay attention man. Arians doesn’t run a dink and dunk offense and that is all Bridgewater is. I know it is Christmas and I want to be nice but damn we have a dumb fanbase.
December 25th, 2019 at 9:28 am
I am very happy at the direction the Bucs are going especially on defense. I’ve been a Jameis fan for 5 years but the turnovers are starting to get to me. But nevertheless, I hope a couple of things happen. 1. If Jameis want to stay in Tampa sign him to a contract that’s good for both sides, don’t want to see the Bucs go in the hole if we have to move on from Jameis ( see the J Gruden trade ) won the super bowl but more than 16 years out of the playoffs. 2. Let’s try to keep this defense together at least for 2 more years. I am not really sure of what’s gonna happen with Jameis but I am very confident Arians will be ready for it and the Bucs will compete with the big boys next year
December 25th, 2019 at 9:30 am
Irish Tony … Winston will only walk if we let him walk. Bucs would be foolish NOT to franchise-tag him (non-exclusive preferably) THEN start looking around for a trade. Can think of a few teams (Raiders, Bears especially) who MIGHT be willing to take a chance on Winston (and can afford to pay the price) IF we make it an enticing deal.
December 25th, 2019 at 9:36 am
TBBF … With you all the way on your approach, but hope that IF Winston stays (franchise tag) that we sign some viable competition for starting QB. Competition brings out the very best in ‘winners’ IMO and NOT having viable competition for a starting position is not healthy for the TEAM.
December 25th, 2019 at 9:44 am
@Defense….
Absolutely…..Winston needs to be challenged…..if he can’t handle it that speaks volumes……No NFL starter worth his salt should be challenged by competition.
If we can draft a QB in later rounds that may be a sleeper (some are)….that would be good. Or, pick up a young FA…..I don’t subscribe to the older vets as backups….
We need to S— or get off the pot with Griffin….It’s been my opinion that he’s a pretty good QB who simply needs a chance…..
If I’m negotiating with the Winston team I’m saying…..We are franchising you unless you can offer us something better…..you have to take it….you can’t leave it.
December 25th, 2019 at 9:56 am
ModHairKen Says:
December 25th, 2019 at 8:39 am
Hopkins was ill all week. Let’s not give Davis that much credit. Now if he does it again against the Falcons
__________
Davis was questionable to play with an ankle he sprained the day before. Advantage… Davis. These guys will be even better with an entire offseason in their playbooks, watching film, and being able to communicate. The best young trio of CBs in the NFL will come back even better next season.
December 25th, 2019 at 10:06 am
Great point tampabaybucfan. Defense rules, I am sure Arians has already though about competition or replacement of Jameis next season. I am thinking he will go QB in the second. Someone he can sit and develop for a year All in all I am a Buc fan and team seam to be headed in the right direction not only on offense but on both sizes of the ball
December 25th, 2019 at 10:14 am
No need to sign a veteran DB. These young guys are learning to work with each other and doing quite well. Build on that. Fix the OL. Get an impact RB.
December 25th, 2019 at 2:24 pm
Mike is better than Hopkins any day of the week and if he had Drew throwing him the ball and Jameis throwing to Thomas, Thomas would never be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike. Hell, Godwin is already nipping at Hopkin’s and Thomas’s heals. My homer moment has ended.
December 25th, 2019 at 5:24 pm
Irish Tony, I read something in a different article that I think is very true. If you want to make playoffs 4 out of 5 years and get kicked out in the first round then Bridgewater is your man but if you happy with only making the playoffs two times in a five-year span but having a chance to make the Superbowl both times then you want to stay away from him. I would also like to point out that in his previous stops the quarterbacks have always played better in their second year under Arians then they did in the first.
December 25th, 2019 at 6:21 pm
Jameis is too unpredictable and reckless to win a Superbowl. If he were getting paid under 20 mil a year, I think it would be worth keeping him and refining his skills but for 27 mil (franchise tagging him), ain’t worth it. Our money is best spending it in other places. We have too many good young players we need to invest in. Godwin will command top dollar in the near future and next year, we will play Barrett close to 16 mil. Nassib 10 mil.
I think this draft is a good one for QBs. I am hoping BA and Licht turns to the draft and let Jameis walk. We are still 2 years away from being true contenders for the big game. Let’s draft a rookie QB and give him a good year under BA.
December 25th, 2019 at 10:14 pm
Grant Delpit will remain my first round pick through the 2020 draft. A huge piece added to this rising young secondary.