“The Best”
October 21st, 2020
Cleaning up.
What Joe is about to type is sheer heresy to many Bucs fans.
NFL fans in general love to gripe about their team’s offensive line. Bucs fans are no different. If Joe were to listen to some, Joe would have thought we were all transported back to 2014 (now that was truly a heinous offensive line).
The Bucs’ current offensive line is like the 1970s Raiders by comparison.
(Joe has noticed people used to holler about how Dallas has such a wonderful front line. Anyone see a Dallas game recently?)
One man Joe personally knows is sure to throw gas on the fire of the offensive line hollerers. That would be Mike Tanier of Pro Football Network. Tanier called the Bucs a Super Bowl contender and believes the best unit of the team isn’t the wide receivers, isn’t the tight ends, isn’t the linebackers, but the offensive line.
Yes, really! It’s an outfit Tanier calls “Brady’s Heros.”
The offensive line
We saved the best for last. Where would Brady be without Tristan Wirfs, Ali Marpet, Ryan Jensen, Alex Cappa and Donovan Smith? On the ground all the time, that’s where. Wirfs became a meme when Khalil Mack suplexed him on Thursday night in Week 4, but he would be an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate if linemen were considered for such awards.
The Bucs line commits more penalties than the most lines, but holding is often preferable to a hit on Brady. And when Brady has a clean pocket, which is often this year, he looks like he’s still in his late 30s.
For Joe, that is high praise. And Joe believes Tanier makes a very valid point:
The goal of the offensive line should not be five pancake blocks on each play, which Joe is convinced many believe to be the lowest expectation, hence why people always grumble about the front line.
Rather, the goal of the offensive line this year could be and maybe should be, to keep Brady’s jersey clean.
October 21st, 2020 at 11:06 am
give goodwin a raise!!!….lol…
GO BUCS!!!!
October 21st, 2020 at 11:11 am
Smith and Wirfs are not in the same league as Henry Lawrence. Our o-line was exposed in Chicago.
October 21st, 2020 at 11:13 am
Wirfs has been a huge upgrade, but so has Rojo running hard and Brady quick delivery. A lot goes into a good OL.
October 21st, 2020 at 11:17 am
Smith was getting beat Sunday Brady was avoiding it by pocket awareness a couple of times.
October 21st, 2020 at 11:34 am
AB is eligible next week and probably coming to play with Brady
October 21st, 2020 at 11:37 am
I will give them this much, they have 2 or 3 games they haven’t given up any sacks and that’s good, but they were exposed in Chicago and they struggled to keep their blocks. Rojo running like a thunder storm will definitely help. It seems to me Brady is holding on to the ball a little longer than I’ve expected looking for the deeper routes and for the most part he’s been able to. That hip toss by Mack never understood it didn’t get unsportsmanlike conduct with the ref standing right there. That gives me belief the refs were trying to influence the outcome of that game.
October 21st, 2020 at 11:52 am
Atl – lmao stop. You say that matter of factly as if you have legitimate sources giving you inside information. But hey, he’s probably coming to Tampa you guys! Cool bra
October 21st, 2020 at 11:56 am
we had CHI beat if it wasnt for the penalties….
i wouldve loved to see the defense that went against the packers go against the bears….those were two different game plans….
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 21st, 2020 at 12:04 pm
I keep hearing, “We were exposed in Chicago.”
Exposed to what? A rookie trying to stop a Mack truck?
Overall, I think Brady has had above average to, at times, superior protection from this incarnation of our OL.
Granted, I don’t watch our lineman on every play. Like most, I’m following the ball. But there have been many times this year during a pass play where I’ve thought, “Wow, Brady has some time back there.”
I know, for the most part, we kill the OL, especially Donovan Smith.
But let’s give credit where credit is due. For the most part they’ve played pretty darn well in both pass protection and the run game.
October 21st, 2020 at 12:07 pm
“Joe” has to know Dallas has 4 outta 5 starters injured, right?
October 21st, 2020 at 12:21 pm
Chris I think it’s now 5 out of 5. I believe Martin I think is his name sustained a concussion the other night.
I’ll give credit when they deserve it. The Oline played great on Sunday. I hope we continue to see that type of play for the remainder of the season and beyond.
October 21st, 2020 at 12:40 pm
Christopher. Dallas? Who cares? Not me, that’s for sure. No, new NFL bully boys are our very own Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dallas glory days long since past. Ask Aaron Rodgers, he’ll tell you.
Go Bucs!
October 21st, 2020 at 12:45 pm
” the goal of the offensive line this year could be and maybe should be, to keep Brady’s jersey clean.”
Ummmm…. you’re setting the bar too low Joe. If they are a football’s teams offensive line then keeping the QBs jersey clean should always be the top priority.
October 21st, 2020 at 12:45 pm
I like Mike, but still calling Fournette and McCoy a thing and praising Tyler Johnson, and excising Vaughn, Justin Watson, and Carlton Davis from even being mentioned was a bit of a miss.
October 21st, 2020 at 12:48 pm
Even the players say they have set a new standard now after that packers beat down, I beleive they have figured some things out and will only improve every game, I like chucky but he is going down sunday..
October 21st, 2020 at 12:48 pm
JimBuc, I wasn’t talking to you, I was talking to the seemingly “terrible reporter” that Joe sometimes is: crowing about how bad the vaunted Dallas line is while forgetting to mention they’re basically starting Wells, Cappa, Shipley, Stinnie, and Haeg.
October 21st, 2020 at 1:04 pm
I rewatched the game yesterday and a couple plays after tom got poked in the eye he scooped up a bad hiked ball low and to his left with his left hand and step up and a little to the left into the pocket and hit gronk for the TD. That was special and also it was 31 to 10 when greenbays lineman went down so the beat down was almost over when that happened in the 3rd..
October 21st, 2020 at 1:09 pm
Bucs O Line has definitely performed well this year in pass pro, minus the Chicago game, and have done really well with the run game. Need to let those guys keep attacking and running the ball, as that helps with the play action game and keeping Brady clean.
October 21st, 2020 at 3:04 pm
“…he would be an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate if linemen were considered for such awards.”
I’m still bitter over the fact that Cadillac Williams would have been a unanimous Offensive Rookie of the Year selection in 2005, but Bloated Chowderhead & Boston Homer Peter King voted for Logan Mankins.
October 21st, 2020 at 3:47 pm
Chris, was thinking the same thing. Their O-line is really beat up now!
October 21st, 2020 at 4:35 pm
Thank you! Some of Donovan Smith’s criticisms are fair and warranted but the O-Line as a whole have been very good.
October 21st, 2020 at 4:36 pm
They’re finally starting to gel in the run game!! No complaints from me!! They had a bad night and could find a better LT…. But maybe not too!!!
October 21st, 2020 at 8:13 pm
the rework of Ali’s contract makes one wonder if we are making room for another WR
The injuries have been an issue
HR Rays BTW
October 21st, 2020 at 10:27 pm
HeyItsAdam Says:
October 21st, 2020 at 3:04 pm
“…he would be an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate if linemen were considered for such awards.”
I’m still bitter over the fact that Cadillac Williams would have been a unanimous Offensive Rookie of the Year selection in 2005, but Bloated Chowderhead & Boston Homer Peter King voted for Logan Mankins
____________
Typical Homer statement by those that don’t understand what a huge bust Williams was after his three qqgame start to his career. He managed FIVE more 100 yard games in his carer after the first three. BTW, he couldn’t catch a cold until his 3rd-4th season in the league. Perhaps the most overrated RB in Bucs history and that is really saying a lot considering the other guy that fans mistakenly think is Canton worthy.