It’s The Offensive Line
November 8th, 2020
Safe.
It’s such a habit for some people, they don’t know how to change the narrative.
If Joe had a dollar for every person hollering about the Bucs offensive line the past few years, and if Joe had a dollar for every comment on this here website where people were outraged about the line, Joe might have retired.
Joe always caught flack for not singing what these parrots squawked — that the Bucs offensive line was the root of all evil and responsible for everything from a pandemic to taking five days to determine the land’s Chief Executive in what usually takes five hours.
Joe always thought the offensive line was average to good. This outraged many readers who tried to convince Joe otherwise.
(Now if you want to argue in 2014 the Bucs had a heinous front line, well, you would be correct.)
The Bucs are getting excellent protection this year for park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting quarterback Tom Brady.
Now comes another of Joe’s irritants. Joe doesn’t have much use for the PFF tribe. It’s a great scam the Cris Collinsworth-owned outfit has executed on the public and Joe only wishes he would have thought of it. While the PFF tribe does some good stuff with stats, they try to shove their GD grades down people’s throats and Joe wouldn’t wipe his rear end with them.
But Joe has to doff his cap to Collinsworth and his Irish dorm room Belicheat, Jrs. They actually pumped out something useful this weekend. Joe wishes they would publish more stats like these and lose the damn software for their friggin’ grades.
Alas, a major element of their money-making racket is to sell grades to suckers who haven’t maxed out their credit cards yet. So they won’t quit polluting the internet with sad grades. (Sigh.)
It seems, per the tribe, no quarterback in the NFL has faced less pressure than Tom Brady. And guess who is doing the blocking — it ain’t Dallas’ front line!
Keeping the pocket clean for Tom Brady was a big question coming into the season and the OL has done just that
He has not been under pressure for 78.8% of his 321 drop-backs this season – the best percentage in the NFL#GoBucs pic.twitter.com/XJYZnPj9SK
— PFF TB Buccaneers (@PFF_Buccaneers) November 7, 2020
Tonight left guard Ali Marpet is down and out with a concussion. Joe Haeg will likely replace him.
The Bucs will need Haeg to play lights out. The Bucs need superior play from everyone tonight, and that includes the entire front line protecting Brady.
November 8th, 2020 at 5:50 am
Thats a long way to go to simply say…the O Line hasn’t been half bad, they need to keep it up and Market isn’t playing, so Haeg needs to perform.
November 8th, 2020 at 6:26 am
Didn’t know that Marpet was in concussion protocol Joe. How/when did it happen? Not very often that OLinemen get concussions that I can remember.
November 8th, 2020 at 6:32 am
I see your point about fans complaining about the O line, it’s exactly like the Joe (you) that whines about pass rush in every podcast when the Bucs are tied for second in the league in sacks.
November 8th, 2020 at 6:33 am
But you’re all about production.
November 8th, 2020 at 6:49 am
Happened against the Giants. He’s been in concussion protocol since Monday.
November 8th, 2020 at 6:53 am
Driving over from orlando in a few hours
Cant wait for the gAme Tickets were steep but all good.
Here is to hoping the Former W fan boyz stay in hiding for another week
Cause that means we won.
This may be the most important buc game in the last decade
November 8th, 2020 at 7:10 am
The Oline has pass blocked great……those two sacks vs NY were definitely on TB.
November 8th, 2020 at 7:13 am
Brady made the oline better. Quick decisions and throwing the ball away is the key.
November 8th, 2020 at 8:39 am
They are calling for gusty winds tonight, so I am leaving my D and fence at home for the game tonight. First game I will be attending this season! But I will be sporting my new TB 12 Pewter jersey. And a poncho. Looking for JPP and Shaq to hit Brees enough that he forces a pick or two!
Once that happens, the D will shut them all the way down!
November 8th, 2020 at 8:54 am
Blogtalkfootball
I was worried about rain too and getting poncho
I think no rain forecast now as of this morning
November 8th, 2020 at 8:55 am
Agree 100% , Joe, and that goes for run game as well.
November 8th, 2020 at 9:56 am
Joe, sometime you really need to express how you feel about PFF’s grading system.
November 8th, 2020 at 12:28 pm
Donovan Smith may be exposed without Marpet there to help cover for his lapses. Better put a 6th O lineman over there most of the time and roll Brady right!
November 8th, 2020 at 2:01 pm
The offensive line is looking better than last year because we draft a RT in the first round and Bruce Arians change the offense from the no risk it no biscuit to a Patriots offense . There are no long route trees like Arians offense is . That’s why he didn’t tell Brady to gain 20 extra pounds because he was going to take a lot of hits .
November 8th, 2020 at 2:37 pm
He didn’t tell winston to gain 20lbs either, what’s your point?
November 8th, 2020 at 3:35 pm
Oneilbuc-
You are right about the rookie right tackle, he’s been fantastic. Plus, Gronk and the running backs this year are blocking better.
But most of the routes did not change. There are still long developing routes. Brady makes quicker decisions and goes shorter more often than Winston ever did. Winston simply held the ball too long and was not as decisive