Tony Dungy Identifies Litmus Test For Bucs
October 22nd, 2020
“Byron, protect me.”
Is the Buccaneers offense fixed? Father Dungy, the Hall of Fame former Tampa Bay head coach, was asked that question this week.
His answer might surprise you.
Father Dungy isn’t going there yet. so he said on The Rich Eisen Show.
Tom Brady is a fantastic timing-chemistry guy, Dungy noted, explaining that he’s sure Brady will get better as the season goes along with this new teammates. But that won’t be the key to the Bucs offense thriving against the toughest teams.
“The key to the Buccaneers, can they protect Tom; if you can rush him with four guys, which Chicago was able to do, you’re going to have a chance to stop him,” Dungy said. “If you can’t rush Tom Brady with four guys, if you have to blitz, he’s too smart. He sees the blitz, he gets rid of they ball, they got people who can beat 1-on-1 coverage. If you choose not to blitz but you can’t rush him, he’s going to pick you apart.
“So the test for the Bucs to see if it’s fixed: can you play a team like Chicago that can pass rush with four guys and create havoc. If you can protect then, you’ll be in good shape. But I think they’re going to be good. I think they’re a force to be reckoned with. Is it totally there yet? I don’t think so.”
Father Dungy is always insightful and he’s not wrong. But how many NFC teams have a pass rush like the Bears’?
Probably only the Rams and Saints, and those three, along with Seattle, likely are the teams standing in the Bucs’ way.
October 22nd, 2020 at 6:00 am
Dungy says: “if you have to blitz, he’s too smart. He sees the blitz, he gets rid of they ball, they got people who can beat 1-on-1 coverage. If you choose not to blitz but you can’t rush him, he’s going to pick you apart.”
Very well summarized.
Best coach the Bucs ever had, hands down. The Jury is still out on Arians for various reasons.
October 22nd, 2020 at 6:16 am
my issue is when chicago was disrupting Tom …. why didnt they call more quick short pass and run plays to counter that…. ??
October 22nd, 2020 at 6:37 am
The pass rush of the Bears is for real, but it was the Bucs undisciplined play , a horrendously bad call on Shaq, and J Dean could have sealed it but dropped the INT. The only team that has beaten the Bucs is the Bucs. We see you Nawlins, Drew just come on down and get your whoopin, your turn behind the woodshed is coming baby. GO BUCS!!!!
October 22nd, 2020 at 6:39 am
The playcalling vs Chicago should have been adjusted in the second half to try and get the ball out quicker. Tom was getting killed hanging onto the ball longer. That and Todd Bowles was playing soft on third downs.
Thats why they lost to Chicago
October 22nd, 2020 at 7:08 am
I’m not all in yet either, too much inconsistency. That said, Dungy acts like the bears manhandled the Bucs. The reality is Bucs we’re choking them out and fell apart with dumb penalties and mistakes. Get a healthy fournette back and play that game in a couple weeks and see what happens lol.
October 22nd, 2020 at 7:14 am
2002 Gruden is the BEST coach our Bucs ever had.
He came in that year and rebuilt the offense with O-linemen, RB, TEs and receiver.
He motivated the defense with challenging them to score TDs and they did. The defensive players were glad to see Gruden treating them equally as he treated the Defense which Dungy did not which was express by them.
Dungy brought us a great defensive scheme with the Tampa 2. The scheme was executed beautifully by the players specially Lynch and HOFers Brooks and Sapp. All 3 players drafted by Wyche before Dungy got here.
I would love Dungy as my neighbor but as a coach he felt short. Dungy was never going to get passed Philly. Anyone who thinks different probably also thinks Winston was a year away from being able to cut his INTs to 10 per year.
Gruden allow Buccaneer fans to experience the ultimate when it comes to being a football fan. Not only did we go to the Super Bowl but we WON! The Falcons and Panthers don’t know what that is along with many teams in the NFL. But before you go there remember the Raiders also new Gruden’s offense. I guess they were left with the wrong coach to be successful.
After 2002 we got to know more of Gruden. He got us to the playoffs 2 more times. His ego makes me have a different opinion of him the rest of the years he was here. No I didn’t want him back here when he returned to coaching.
I do believe Arians was not part of the lost decade. When Arians arrive everything changed that includes GM (draft picks), Offense and Defense.
The only thing that can stop this team in 2020 is “The Sickness.”
Go Bucs!!!
October 22nd, 2020 at 7:51 am
Gruden got us the SB…….he gets my vote…..
This offense will have arrived when teams can no longer double Mike Evans because the rest of the weapons are killing them.
The defense has already arrived….they just need to stay there.
October 22nd, 2020 at 7:58 am
August that’s was hilarious. Thank you for that sir. Lol
October 22nd, 2020 at 7:59 am
Off topic, but a Bucs topic…Ali Marpet restructured to save $4.25 million on this year’s cap!! Who are the Bucs getting?
October 22nd, 2020 at 8:22 am
What lost us the Chicago game was the penalties, plain and simple. If your defense allows 20 points, we should be able to score 21. I don’t care what anyone says. Penalties killed us on offense that game.
October 22nd, 2020 at 9:31 am
danny
BINGO!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 22nd, 2020 at 9:34 am
I agree Danny! I hope we see them again and bust their &&$)$ like we should’ve without help from the refs!
Go Bucs!
October 22nd, 2020 at 10:48 am
Dungy is an authority on defense. I still remember his “so called” offense here.
October 22nd, 2020 at 11:21 am
And just because they have good rushers on the team doesn’t mean they’ll be effective against THIS team!! … It’s all about matchups!! And also the bears talked a ton of crap on the field all day and I think it got in Tampa head!! The bears were the men on the field that day but I think our defense found their manhood against the Packers and when we meet the bears again in the playoffs it’ll be a different story!!!
October 22nd, 2020 at 11:36 am
I’m throwing the Bear game out the window. Most teams that have to travel for a Thursday night game start out behind the 8 ball. Let’s also remember it’s a game we lost by a point at the very end. I’d be willing to bet had that game been in Tampa we would’ve won. we probably beat them with a normal game week.
October 22nd, 2020 at 11:57 am
Dungy needs to stay away fro speaking about offense
He had teams that could have gone to SB
It took Gruden to get here to win.
October 22nd, 2020 at 12:11 pm
Stat-heads will of course remind you that the 2001 Dungy-led offense was statistically superior to Gruden’s 2002 offense.
Like Sapp said, Dungy baked the cake, Gruden put the icing on it.
October 22nd, 2020 at 12:53 pm
Why no GOAT Moniker for Brady?
Where’s the other 50% JOE??
October 22nd, 2020 at 1:26 pm
The offense had better not be fixed… passing for 166 yards is fine and dandy when you’re up by 24, but I expect a lot lot more out this offense. Have to get Evans healthy, that’s the biggest thing, and keep Godwin on the field for more than 1 week at a time.
October 22nd, 2020 at 3:07 pm
Missing in Chicago were Evans (not remotely close to full speed) and Godwin.
Evans at 80% does not need to be doubled, and missing Godwin means more resources can be dedicated to the pass rush.
What stopped the Bucs in Chicago was NOT the pass rush, but bone-headed penalties and a couple of horrible calls. Generating a pass rush is easy on 2nd and 32 (or whatever it was.)
October 22nd, 2020 at 3:27 pm
Rod they were running well and obviously just tryna get out the game injury free after they scored that last TD run. Why would they air it out and help the other team out with dead clocks and more time to score. Can tell someone of you people dont know winning complimentary football and it shows. Agrees on need Evans and Godwin to get healthy. Shouls grab AB when hes back from suspension the depth. Beind your top 2 is too suspect.
October 22nd, 2020 at 4:38 pm
Any guy that wears a hat with his own logo on it to a press conference, instead of the team’s logo is a TWAT.
October 23rd, 2020 at 9:52 pm
If we had just kept rushing with RoJo, the 4 man pass rush would not have mattered and we could have won that game.