Better Than You Think He Was
October 9th, 2020
Bucs right tackle Tristan Wirfs
Bitter Bucs fans, still in disbelief, have much more to worry about than right tackle Tristan Wirfs having his roughest game as a professional last night in Chicago.
But still, some are concerned by the beatings he took at the hands of three-time All-Pro edge rusher Khalil Mack.
After opening day in New Orleans, Bucco Bruce Arians said Wirfs had seven bad plays out of 70, so he was very pleased with the rookie’s NFL debut. Wirfs might have had another seven last night, but his rough spots felt more costly.
Joe doesn’t have access to the All-22 film yet, but Hall of Famer and the godfather of NFL Scouting, Gil Brandt, has instant access. And he took to Twitter today to tell the world that Wirfs is better than the perception coming out of last night’s game.
Joe will leave Bucs fans to be soothed by the film cut-ups and the words of the 87 year old Godfather.
When the Tampa coaches review film today, with the exception of one overhyped play, they will be very pleased with Tristin Wirfs. Keep an eye on the right tackle Wirfs (78) on these 20 plays against Khalil Mack (52). These were much more typical of the rookie's night. pic.twitter.com/KRfPOwMJje
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) October 9, 2020
October 9th, 2020 at 3:05 pm
Wirfs took care of Mack easily in that selection of plays.
October 9th, 2020 at 3:10 pm
Wirfs got embarrassed and real buccaneer-like in the 1 armed body slammed by Mack. BUT there is no worse tackle than D Smith. Wirfs will be ok not worried
October 9th, 2020 at 3:11 pm
Why do you listen to Arians? The man is a liar.
October 9th, 2020 at 3:12 pm
So when wo we move him to the left side?
October 9th, 2020 at 3:12 pm
Unfortunately, linemen are remembered for their worst plays
October 9th, 2020 at 3:13 pm
Wirfs had one horrible play as noted. He was fine the rest of the night. Can see D. Smith getting blown up in a bunch of those plays.
October 9th, 2020 at 3:14 pm
Not many people can handle Mack when he turns it on. he is like that guy for the Rams..a straight up Beast. Wirf did ok considering. He held his own and them some on quite a few plays. Bucs should have been more prepared for Mack. he plays huge on national TV. I know that I am not even a coach.
October 9th, 2020 at 3:19 pm
Hey… Wirfs is still a rookie (only in Game 5 of his career) but what is Donovan Smith’s excuse?
October 9th, 2020 at 3:24 pm
It looks like Wirfs worst game was the equivalent to Smith’s typical day. Not concerned with Wirfs other then an injury. He’s going to be fine. Mack gives everyone fits, dude is a potential HOF type player. A rookie isn’t going to bat 1000% against a player of that caliber.
October 9th, 2020 at 3:31 pm
Wirfs got some valuable experience against a beast last night. He’s not the one I worry about.
October 9th, 2020 at 3:39 pm
Not worried about him at all. DS is the weakest link. Has to be addressed. I remember a play where DS allowed the sack against Mack and Brady, clear as day, gives FS an eye roll and a sorta “ c’mon man” look. Kinda funny actually. I know Brady is aware of DS’s play also.
October 9th, 2020 at 3:42 pm
Ah, the play was in essence over by the time Mack tossed him down, seems the refs were fine with that while they throw a flag for Shaq for roughing the QB when he got to Foles BEFORE the ball had even left his hand?
October 9th, 2020 at 3:45 pm
Troy said he maid a mistake and did not turn up I think was his words. Not a big deal he is a rookie and will learn. Smith turns and say go right on by and never learns. Big difference. The kid will be fine.
October 9th, 2020 at 3:47 pm
wirfs won some…and he lost some…
imo, he’ll bounce back….
d.smith is who we thought he was….a lazy and overpaid…
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 9th, 2020 at 3:52 pm
T Wirfs will be fine for the next 10 years. GO BUCS!!!.
October 9th, 2020 at 3:54 pm
I have no problem with Wirfs play at RT last night. He did an amazing job. He is still a Rookie and will have moments when he gets beat.
Out LT got beat a lot more often last night.
October 9th, 2020 at 4:05 pm
It isn’t Wirfs that is the problem on the line. It is Smith, a guy who looks like a middle of the road LT, eating a excessive part of the salary cap.
October 9th, 2020 at 4:13 pm
Tbbuc3 the Titans didn’t use Humphries last year because their passing game was terrible before inserting Tannehill, and then he missed their last four games due to injury. Perriman this year has been missing games on the worst team in the NFL with a sprained ankle. Your argument doesn’t hold up.
October 9th, 2020 at 4:31 pm
Donovan Smith played even worse than you thought.
Khalil Mack is a test for any tackle. But Smith was getting beat by anyone and everyone last night. Dude got absolutely smoked by Barkevious freaking Mingo on several plays.
October 9th, 2020 at 5:10 pm
What’s funny is that after you watch the video a few times you stop noticing the offensive line and notice how crappy those throws were my goodness how many ducks can you throw in one game?
October 9th, 2020 at 5:27 pm
wirfs is a damn stud potential pro bowler, if i was coach i would switch him to the left, put smith on the right before smith get’s brady killed
October 9th, 2020 at 5:55 pm
Mack at his best, can make any NFL Tackle look bad.
October 9th, 2020 at 5:55 pm
Why did Wirfs get no TE help? Why did our coaches not adjust after it became clear how the Bears were dominating on that side?
Last night proved we have one of the most overrated coaching staffs in the NFL. We are a top-5 NFL team in terms of talent, but bottom 10 in terms of coaching.
October 9th, 2020 at 6:16 pm
I have no problem with the kid.
October 9th, 2020 at 6:22 pm
Now watch it again and concentrate on Smith. Was it just me or were there many times last night that Gronk and Mike seemed like they were to close to each other at the top of routes?
October 9th, 2020 at 6:44 pm
He will be starting at LT next season
Cap flattening and DSmith can’t get out of his own way with the mental errors and lack of hustle as an edge player
I’ve said all along Smith is an AllPro Guard
With him and Marpet flanking the Redbird we would absolutely dominate the inside ground game
I’d do it now – put Haeg at RT and Cappa to the bench as depth
Just dreaming of course
October 9th, 2020 at 7:04 pm
Yeah I didnt even think about Wirfs much last night. Not with D.Smith folding all Night.
And Ive defended Smith butthat was my last straw. The guy is unreliable garbage. I dont care good he played in other games he always gags up a poor effort game. We can all expect at least one or two more awful games from him this year.
And as bad as he got pushed around last night what bothered me most was the pentalties. Two of them came when we were moving the ball with momentum. His head just aint in the game.
D. Smith is a total buzzkill. Hes like a dry hump at a bachelor party.
October 9th, 2020 at 7:14 pm
Oh and GO RAyS!!!
Make everything allright in the sports world
October 9th, 2020 at 7:46 pm
This season is going down the drain very quickly.
October 9th, 2020 at 7:50 pm
Not worried about Wirfs at all. He had that one really bad play where he just whiffed. And a couple others where he simply got beat by Mack. He was bound to look like a rookie sooner or later.
Also noticed Evans and Gronk colliding on routes few times last night.
Lots of poor execution from multiple guys, with D Smith leading the way again.
October 9th, 2020 at 8:03 pm
I don’t get how the Joes don’t see why the fans are so down on Donovan. I think it wouldn’t be so bad if you could see him giving effort every play. But his body language makes it seem like he doesn’t care.
October 9th, 2020 at 8:07 pm
Another RT in the third round.
October 9th, 2020 at 8:19 pm
Well, Donovan tries, but the constant motion and holding penalties suggest he struggles. Take heart, though – lots of good tackles will be available in the next draft. If we can get Alex Leatherwood out of ‘Bama, we will be set at both tackles for the next 10 years.
October 9th, 2020 at 8:32 pm
Here’s to hoping he doesn’t get Brady hurt this year and we can move on from him.
October 9th, 2020 at 8:44 pm
BITTER! Are you joking. If you have been a fan of the bucs for more than 12 months than you know that was a well played game for the bucs.
We usually blow it in front of national TV. When I say blow it, I mean like 28 points in the first quarter by a crappy team. The bears are now 4-1. Yes, they are the bears. But hell… we are the BUCS.
Well done last night. We clearly won that game. But were robbed by the refs. Again. We looked good.
October 9th, 2020 at 8:46 pm
and one more thing
smith over kwon… really.
Who on this board still thinks that was a good decision?
October 9th, 2020 at 8:56 pm
Kahlil Mack 23,5 Mil per year
Tristan Wirfs 4 mil per year
I think Wirfs earned his keep…..
October 9th, 2020 at 9:29 pm
Wirfs is a legitimate badass. I’m glad he’s a Buccaneer.
For all the idiots who are picking him apart or griping about D. Smith, just go cheer for the Falcons.
October 9th, 2020 at 9:45 pm
Wirfs is an asset… DS though a tough dude is a border line liability and I am not an accountant!
October 9th, 2020 at 9:53 pm
@waytogobucs at the time you’ve gotta remember Kwon was hurt and they didn’t know how he’d be once he returned.
October 9th, 2020 at 10:03 pm
Look at Wirfs legs!
They are tree trunks!
Wirfs will be an All-Pro RT one day.
October 9th, 2020 at 10:13 pm
The whole line broke down for a lot of the second half. They played fantastic in the first half. Overall he played fantastic against an all pro. Something has got to change with the penalties. The offense couldn’t do anything in the second half because missed plays and stupid penalties cost them drive after drive after drive. As good as the line has been playing the last three weeks, and the second half, they are what cost them a lot of those drives
October 9th, 2020 at 10:38 pm
Go Rays!! That was an awesome game!
October 9th, 2020 at 10:48 pm
you leave wirfs where he is this year…he’s doing very well…
if dumping smith in the offseason, that’s when you make the move to left tackle for wirfs (if at all)…
give wirfs time to acclimate and learn the position with offseason film study, and then ota’s, camp and pre-season…
personally i would leave him right where he is for a while…
mack was shut down for a good portion of the game…had a few bursts of terror, but it could have been worse…
the body slam play was overblown for the media hype and the national audience…
wirfs and mack seemed to lock arms or something and mack heaved him, and wirfs sorta let his body go with the forward movement…imho
i swear it was more science than strength…
but the video and media hyped it because they had something to work with…
mack might be the most notorious player on the bears, so they gotta run with and over hype everything he does…
don’t get me wrong, dude is a baller…
wirfs had an ok evening, but was not the problem last night
October 9th, 2020 at 10:48 pm
RAYS!!!!!
October 9th, 2020 at 10:52 pm
I hope I don’t ever hear anymore from PR or Arian’s how good lazy ass Smith is. He is garbage. Of course thanks to Licht he’s laughing all the way to the bank. If it were me he would be riding the bench the next game. I said back when TB came aboard they better do something about LT or Smith is going to end TB long career. They better get a LT in the draft next year or move Wirf’s over & draft a RT.
October 9th, 2020 at 11:03 pm
RAYS11111
October 10th, 2020 at 12:02 am
If D Smith has too many more games like this past one then he will have to be benched. Not sure if moving a rookie in this crazy season would be wise but something has to change. The penalties he gives up on a weekly basis have to stop.
October 10th, 2020 at 12:03 am
I’m not worried about Wirfs. He is the real deal.
October 10th, 2020 at 4:51 am
I am bitter, but Wirfs will be fine. Mack is a top 5 edge guy and makes 20+ mil per for a reason.
October 10th, 2020 at 8:04 am
Mack is a game wrecker – so it’s difficult to shut him out completely, but I thought Wirfs was good for a rookie again. Donovan Smith sucks rocks though.
October 10th, 2020 at 9:14 am
Wirfs was solid
We can’t win with Smith
October 11th, 2020 at 11:05 am
76 is the problem.