One Too Many Additions?
December 5th, 2020
Looking ahead.
As usual, a former Bucs offensive lineman watched the Bucs face the Chiefs, and he offered his insight into the state of the team and its play.
And that would be former Bucs guard and popular local sports radio personality Ian Beckles. On a recent edition of his podcast, “In the Trenches,” Beckles explained how the Bucs must get 10 wins to assure themselves of a playoff berth.
He’s not overly confident given how the Bucs stunk in the month of November.
Beckles referred to the Bucs as a “Jekyll and Hyde” team. “They could win three of the next four games and easily lose three out of the last four games as well — but they ain’t losing to Lions. They are awful,” Beckles said.
Beckles gave his thoughts on the Bucs’ final three opponents (they play the Dixie Chicks twice):
On the Vikings:
“Now the Vikings have won four out of five and they will run it down your throat,” Beckles said. “But I like the Bucs’ matchup against the Vikings because nobody runs it down [the Bucs’] throat. Nobody. The linebackers, the front seven are legitimate. … But if you don’t beat the Vikings you are done.”
On the Lions:
“Defensively, the Lions are as bad as I have seen,” Beckles said. “I don’t know how the Bucs don’t put 45 on the Lions. You can take that one to the bank.”
On the Dixie Chicks:
“I said at the beginning of the year when the Falcons couldn’t beat anybody, the Bucs won’t beat the Falcons twice in three weeks,” Beckles said. “That’s hard to do. The Bucs probably won’t beat the Falcons twice. So they have to figure out a way to get three wins.”
In general, Beckles believes when the Bucs are clicking, they are as good as anyone. But watch out if they are not clicking.
“They play great halves of football,” Beckles said. “Even the wins, they put together one good half of football. That tells me they can beat anybody and they can lose to anybody.”
On Carlton Davis:
“We brought in Carlton Davis to be our shutdown corner,” Beckles said. “But let’s get this straight right now: He is not [Marshon] Lattimore. He’s not Jalen Ramsey. He’s not that. Very few are.
On Tom Brady:
“Quarterbacks in their first year with Arians throw a lot of interceptions and there are some good names in there,” Beckles said. “Tom Brady is making as many mistakes as Jameis did, I am sorry. Thing with Jameis is, Jameis got out of a lot of his problems. Tom can’t get out of a problem. And Tom isn’t putting up the numbers Jameis put up. Jameis put up numbers, like 350 a week [passing yards] last year. Every week. I’m not saying Jameis is a better quarterback than Tom. I’m not even saying Jameis gave us a better chance of winning. But [Brady] doesn’t seem like this crazy upgrade at the moment.”
On Antonio Brown:
“What is AB doing?” Beckles asked. “Is he doing anything other than celebrating when he gets a first down? What is he doing? He’s not the reason why we are losing but he’s not bringing anything. Not yet anyways. He’s definitely not as good as advertised. And I don’t know if he didn’t just completely mess up that locker room and that wide receiver room, which would inevitably mess up the quarterback room as well. I’m not sure that’s not the case. “
On the defense:
“This defense is starting to turn into last year’s defense,” Beckles said. “Real quick. That’s the long and short of it. No one runs the ball on us, just like last year. If we rush the passer we win. If we don’t rush the passer we lose. Our DBs aren’t good enough. Very few people’s DBs are good enough.”
On turnovers:
“In games that we have played against teams that are better than .500, Tom Brady has 13 touchdown passes to 9 interceptions,” Beckles explained. “That’s against teams that are better than .500. So who the hell are we going to play in the playoffs? One of those teams. And we are 2-4 in those games.
On slow starts:
“We have been outscored 52-7 in the last four weeks in the first quarter,” Beckles moaned. “That ain’t — it ain’t gonna work.”
Beckles noted that the Bucs have given up 318 completions, most in the NFL. But that number is likely bloated he said because teams cannot run on the Bucs and therefore don’t try.
“There is something missing and I don’t know exactly what that is, but we’re missing it,” Beckles said. “At times we look fantastic and at times we look like we can lose to any team on the planet.”
As always, Beckles welcomes feedback and encourages listeners to submit Bucs questions by e-mailing him at IanBeckles@RadioInfluence.com.
December 5th, 2020 at 8:33 am
Beckles is good at listing the problems….but did you notice….not one suggestion for solving them.
December 5th, 2020 at 8:41 am
The most significant thing I got out of Beckles’ observations was about AB; the rest of it is as obvious as it can be. Maybe we will see in future games or the playoffs the special thing that AB brings to the table. At this point, I don’t see it. He does not draw coverage away from anyone and therefor opens up the field; he has not shown any better ability than Godwin or ME.
So far, all AB is doing is taking targets away from ME and Godwin (and Gronk/Brate) – THAT would contribute to a lack of chemistry big time.
December 5th, 2020 at 8:41 am
^^^ That is very true TBBF
December 5th, 2020 at 8:56 am
Brady is making as many mistakes as JayMiss?
Better check your sheet on that one Ian.
Brady ain’t looking great lately but he’s nowhere near the Soiled Messiah’s ineptitude.
December 5th, 2020 at 8:56 am
Bringing AB, other than the obvious, has slowed down the development of the young receiver s. Godwin and Evans, other than injuries, and Gronk are all that the team needed.
December 5th, 2020 at 8:57 am
But I guess BA is not about development!!!!!!!
December 5th, 2020 at 8:57 am
He’s not the coach TBBF. It’s not his job to fix the problems. He is simply breaking down what this team is right now.
Based on the current standings I think 9-7 will get them into the playoffs. No wildcards teams from either the NFC East or central. That leaves the Bucs, Rams, Cardinals as the only three legitimate contenders for the 3 wildcard spots. Vikings would have to go on a tear.
Having said all that Beckles is spot on in his analysis. Unless something changes drastically they will get bounced and be one and done. IMO if that happens it will be a big failure by the front office, coaches, and players after the commitment they made in the off season.
December 5th, 2020 at 9:05 am
The sheep could have known all this long ago!!!!!!!!! They just needed to pay attention and learn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its time for the much requested “Realist Repost”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“El Buco Realisto Says:
May 7th, 2020 at 7:18 am
Well, they say that teams can take their personality from the head coach, and is there a more “OVERHYPED” coach then ole stale biscuit?????
Forget what the win totals will be, how many national interviews will ole stale biscuit do??? Ole stale biscuit loves the camera more than She-mc93 did!!!!!!!! Now that is saying something!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe the “real” fans would be more excited about this team, if it was 2015!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No confidence in ole stale biscuit and licht bulb!!!!!!!! Some fans are impressed with on the field performance and not the offseason shopping!!!!!!!! The “real” fans have only seen player “replacement” and not player “development”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It time to herd the sheep, and put them back in the pen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 5th, 2020 at 9:26 am
Beckles just described a mediocre football team. Good enough to beat anyone and bad enough to lose to anyone. No ability to sustain a high level of play obviously a characteristic of good to great teams. This all falls on Brady’s shoulders.
Defense is easily gashed by the pass and gives up points quickly putting too much pressure on Tom especially when the run game is abandoned rapidly.
Arians was given the keys to the best team on paper in a long time and has done absolutely nothing with it.
December 5th, 2020 at 9:31 am
And then after Bucs beat Vikings, Beckles will predict NFC Championship game for Bucs… it’s all Blow with the Wind BS
December 5th, 2020 at 9:36 am
How so Alan? As of right now the Bucs are a mediocre team that is inconsistent. This is not based just on the KC game, but the season as a whole. I guaranty nobody will be saying the Bucs are SB bound if they beat a mediocre Vikings team.
December 5th, 2020 at 9:37 am
Beckles is such an idiot. He says Brady is not an upgrade at QB, and he wants to cite stats?
Let’s start with the record. Wins and losses are the only stay that matters.
Why is the record better? Because the team is playing better. Why is the team playing better? Because their leader is not some ass clown grabbing Uber drivers and sitting around this king about how to be cool with things like eating Ws.
2-2 gets them in. And then the new season called playoffs begin. If they can’t get to 9-7, then it is a bad year and Arians should be fired.
December 5th, 2020 at 9:55 am
I’d like to see a comparison of games before Brown, and games after Brown. It seems to me, the offense was making gradual, incremental improvements, but regressed quite a bit after Brown was signed.
December 5th, 2020 at 10:01 am
The BradyBunch-
If Bucs contain Cook and pressure Cousins, they should win – then they’ll have media momentum again.
December 5th, 2020 at 11:10 am
@Boltsfan17 … “Defense is easily gashed by the pass and gives up points quickly putting too much pressure on Tom especially when the run game is abandoned rapidly.”
Please tell me your autocorrect went wild and flip-flopped things on you Bolts. IMO it’s exactly the other way around. Bucs’ OFFENSE is starting games much too slowly in our losses with too many 3-and-outs, putting too much pressure on the Bucs’ DEFENSE. Throw in too many untimely giveaways (where have we heard THAT before?) and that just adds more pressure on the Bucs’ D. Even in some of our wins, it’s taken a spark from our defense (takeaways?) to light a fire under this Bucs’ offense.
Example: Packers game? Bucs offense had 2 drives in the 1st qtr & punted TWICE. Offense held the ball for 4:48 mins out of the first 19 mins until the Bucs’ defense generated TWO quick takeaways and voila … Bucs were suddenly ahead 14-10. Bucs’ D totally shut the Packers down after surrendering 10 pts in the 1st qtr, forcing SEVEN punts & TWO INTs.
Example: Chiefs game? Bucs offense had 4 drives in the 1st qtr & punted FOUR times. Offense held the ball for 6:17 mins out of the first 21 mins until the Bucs’ defense generated a takeaway and voila … Bucs offense came alive & scored a TD, pulling us within 17-7 of the Chiefs.
Bucs’ offense has to start faster to keep this defense fresh longer. We don’t have the depth on defense to keep running this defense back onto the field every 2 mins early in games. That’s one reason I think why our pass rush suffers for stretches in games. MIGHT even be having an impact on the Secondary, because with good offenses passing so much, our Secondary is getting run ragged it looks like when opponents go higher tempo (which they seem to quite a bit). Guess all I’m saying Bolts is that what the Bucs’ offense does (or doesn’t do) impacts our defense just as much as vice-versa.
December 5th, 2020 at 11:14 am
Ok children. My 66 year old butt is going to say this once. Ian beckles sucked. Been a dedicated fan since day one. I have suffered the worst seasons and celebrated the best. Always have I given the players the best of my fan ship and respect for just making it to the highest levels.. When I hear negativity like this it makes me wanna go off like a rocket. We are one of the best teams in the league. Period. That’s thanks to Tom Brady and Bruce Arians, for their leadership and their skill level and to critique within those parameters is fine., but to take it to the kind of fatalistic levels this guy takes it to just shows why he never attained the ring of honor in Tampa. Shaddup and don’t talk about, denigrate or even address or approach the Goat without respect in yo tone. Thank ya….dumbass!
December 5th, 2020 at 11:16 am
El Bucco Fake-A-Leasto: You lost all credibility when you came up missing when the Bucs were playing well. You couldn’t/didn’t post for a couple of months because your negative narrative would be laughed at. What are you gonna do if the Bucs win the last 4 games, besides hope and pray that the Bucs lose their first playoff game?
December 5th, 2020 at 11:34 am
I said it after the 1st game after AB played, in which the offense & the defense played like crap, and I’ll say it again, the players gave a message to Brady & the Bucs that they weren’t on board with Brady shoving AB down their throats. We had a tight knit group that played very well before AB. And look at how they have played since. While I rarely agree with Beckle’s observations, I certainly agree with this one.
December 5th, 2020 at 11:39 am
I’m fine with one and done.
December 5th, 2020 at 11:42 am
El Buco Realisto: I take that back, you never had credibility. If you’re actually a Bucs fan and not a troll, what is it that you like about the Bucs? Is there anything you can say that’s positive?
December 5th, 2020 at 11:44 am
Dan Williamson…dayum.
I agree. He’s the GOAT for a reason.
December 5th, 2020 at 11:51 am
Nice pic joe, been watching tom green traveling the country in his van on his YouTube channel. Still a weirdo.
Mark my word: the vikings will have a season low in rushing attempts against the bucs. Jefferson and thielen hit over 100 yds recieving. Good prop bets.
That being said we can beat them if Brady stays clean
December 5th, 2020 at 12:09 pm
Bucs claim they got championship skin in the game? Then Run The Table. We got 4 games left. Run’em. Then we can say we got something.
December 5th, 2020 at 1:06 pm
We are clearly missing out on perhaps the best run offense (bucs wise in a long while when used) as far as an option let alone the any chance at play action that might keep defenses honest. Makes no sense to play like you’re 3 scores the whole game, or use play action when you haven’t actually ran the damn ball at all after Rojo got 3 straight weeks 100yd games. Followed by a week with 3 run plays. We got all of the passing weapons in the world and its clear that they don’t see the same thing. Less stars at a time(freshness), and less base packages with a rotation of freshness stars doing their thing regardless just being on the same page for the defense is giving you will lead to everyone’s confidence levels where they need to be with each other. But, if you don’t run the ball guess what defenses are gonna defend against.
December 5th, 2020 at 1:37 pm
“ I’m not saying Jameis is a better QB than Tom”
Really?
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
December 5th, 2020 at 1:57 pm
Is the Tom “would you like some sausages” Green with Ian?
December 5th, 2020 at 1:58 pm
Yeah, Beckles kinda lost me there. I’m usually listening to whatever that man has to say, but Brady has 11 int’s 3/4 the way thru the season, JAMEIS had 5 in a game TWICE
December 5th, 2020 at 2:17 pm
They look like a team with a bunch of new players that was thrown together with no offseason . Inconsistent. Have been all year. Even in the wins. Chiefs been together for 3 years. Saints for god knows how long. Rams for several years. Bucs have a lot of ground to make up but I still think they will make a run this year.
December 5th, 2020 at 6:45 pm
The only game game threw 5 int was the London game last year.
December 5th, 2020 at 9:58 pm
A week 12 comparison
Winston , 3,659 yards, with 22 touchdowns, 20 interceptions and a 5-7 record.
Brady, 3,300 yards, with 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 7-5 record.
Hard to fathom how Winston is better than Brady based on these stats.
December 6th, 2020 at 9:49 am
D1
Not to mention the six rings…
December 6th, 2020 at 12:04 pm
Jmark ,
Yeah …there’s that too…lol
December 6th, 2020 at 3:28 pm
Spot. On.
December 6th, 2020 at 3:33 pm
Boltsfan- You’re blaming the defense for our offense doing nothing but going 3and-out drive after drive after drive to start every single game???
Give. Me. A. Freakin. Break!
You think Tom Brady, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, Cameron Brate and Ronald Jones can’t score points during the beginning, SCRIPTED part of the game every week… bc of the defense?
Yikes.