Myth Or Disrespect?
January 7th, 2021
Disrespect will continue.
Joe can just hear it now. The same folks who are unimpressed the Bucs pounded three NFL second-class teams to end the season won’t blink an eye if the Bucs win Saturday night at FedEx Field.
Dan Graziano of BSPN has sort of a playoff preview article where he explains a myth surrounding each team. For the Bucs, Graziano said it is a myth that their offense is in overdrive because they mopped the floor against two teams looking for new coaches and general managers.
The 43-year-old Brady leads the NFL in pass attempts that travel 20 or more yards downfield. This was a major criticism of the Bucs’ offense before their bye, when they were losing to the Rams and Chiefs and we were wondering why Arians was asking Brady to do stuff Brady didn’t used to do. Since the bye, Brady is 13-for-25 passing for 452 yards and six touchdowns on throws 20-plus yards down the field — all league-leading totals that function as a statistical middle finger to those who questioned the strategy.
However, the combined record of the three teams the Bucs have beaten over the past four weeks is 16-32 (they played the Falcons twice). Brady has completed 47% of his deep passes with nine touchdowns and no interceptions in Buccaneers wins and 21% of them with one touchdown and five interceptions in their losses. All five of their losses came against teams in the playoff field. Only one of their wins did.
Arians can brag all he wants, and Brady is the best of all time because of his work in January. But the Bucs now need to string together three straight wins against playoff teams to reach the Super Bowl. It’s fair to be skeptical.
Well, those same losses Graziano sites, where Brady supposedly had a bad game, were just as much if not more so on the shoulders of Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, who either waited way too long to adjust or simply had bad gameplans. You pick. Maybe both.
And if the Bucs beat the 7-9 Redskins, the same folks will scoff that the Redskins are a one-trick pony with a quarterback so beat up he should be sent home for good out of human decency.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:04 am
meh, they mopped the floor because they finally started listening to TB in play calling. That and they won the coin toss and did not start out in a bad position. This D can hunt, they’re just soft in a dogfight. The O can put up big numbers, but not when they’re predictable…..and to be fair, when TB is off the mark in the 1st few passes.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:07 am
They did what they are supposed to do to the bad teams and it is a great showing for the 1st playoff game. Think the bucs smoke the WTfs
January 7th, 2021 at 11:10 am
This is all ridiculous. Rodgers plays the Bears, Vikings, and Lions twice in the same season and while yes his numbers are impressive it’s not like the NFC North is a powerhouse of a division and all I hear is how he’s the second coming of Christ. This needs to be a two way street by the media. Critique our schedule fine but then do it for the others as well. (Not a shot at you Joes, just saying the whole entire media in general).
January 7th, 2021 at 11:10 am
Barring injuries, the Bucs have the ability to beat any other team. Should be a fun ride. Close games. But a game in Tampa is definitely possible.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:16 am
If the Bucs had squeaked by the Falcons (like the Chiefs did), then I would would be skeptical. But the Bucs did to the Falcons and WFT, exactly what a playoff caliber team should do.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:17 am
Lions, not WFT.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:20 am
A huge part of the reason that the Bucs struggled against the Rams and the 2nd Saints game was that Marpet was out with a concussion, and they hadn’t figured out how to replace him effectively. That meant that the pressure was significantly more on Brady than normal.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:23 am
Fair point and beating Washington will only add to the skepticism; although they looked pretty damn good throttling the Packers earlier this season. Bucs have looked both amazing and abysmal this year. Anything can happen, I’m just happy they’re playing in January for a change.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:24 am
I posted this in an earlier thread that is STILL in the corner (even though I was put in the corner 3 months ago for no good reason)
Wash DL 47 sacks………Wash OL 52 sacks allowed
Bucs DL 48 sacks……….Bucs OL 22 sacks allowed
Not to mention they play the Eagles,Giants, and Cowboys TWICE.
Who exactly should be afraid?
I mean c”mon…… they play in the worst division in football and still couldn’t have a winning record!
January 7th, 2021 at 11:26 am
The oline is healthy and the Bucs have figured, the defense makes plays, and the offense figured out who they are. Bucs win.
PS Devin White tweeted he is virus free. He encouraged his teammates and said he is ready to play!
January 7th, 2021 at 11:26 am
What’s new?
The Buc’s have been disrespected from inception.
And as for the media (as a whole) being “one sided”….. Really? You’ve just noticed this?
January 7th, 2021 at 11:32 am
They’re the Washington Football Team you dimwit!
January 7th, 2021 at 11:37 am
They’re still the Redskins to me.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:39 am
Hey! The oline is healthy and the Bucs have figured, the defense makes plays, and the offense figured out who they are. Bucs win.
PS Devin White tweeted he is virus free. He encouraged his teammates and said he is ready to play!
January 7th, 2021 at 11:39 am
My thing is we haven’t convincingly beat a team with a great pass rush have we? I am not saying we cant but we wilted against the Bears and the Saints teams with a great pass rush. Hopefully Smith and Wirfs and crew are up to the task. They have looked great but bring on a superior pass rush and I am extremely scared that Smith will show us why alot of detractors are out there saying draft another tackle or move Wirfs to the left side.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:45 am
Come on guys!!! You know they started cooking when BL read JBF and saw where TBBF was begging for first down play action…..you know it’s true……
Now….on Saturday……I’m begging Bowles to blitz the safeties…..Winfield & Whitehead…..Don’t worry about deep passes……Smith will try to dink & dunk.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:51 am
I actually have to agree with Gaziano – to a point. His stats certainly don’t lie. But, I think the Bucs kicked ass because they were clicking on all cylinders. It just happened to be against lousy teams. We know how good the Bucs are playing now, but for the casual observers out there, we’re going to have to put up those kick-ass performances against teams with winning records to get any respect. If the Bucs don’t beat the WFT, they don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. If they win, and the Bucs take their A-game to the Divisional round, people will start to come around.
January 7th, 2021 at 11:54 am
As ling as they continue calling screens, playactions and press coverage and play a clean game they will win. The redskins are a really decent team and their record doesnt really reflect that when Alex Smith is playing.I do think they should win the game by two posessions but dont take washington lightly. I will take the bucs really seriously though when they beat the packers again because I believe the pakers underwstimated the bucs.
January 7th, 2021 at 12:57 pm
Next season the Bucs will be in the Super Bowl.
Not this season.
Sorry.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:02 pm
“And if the Bucs beat the 7-9 Redskins, the same folks will scoff that the Redskins”
Joe I thought we’re not supposed to call them Redskins anymore to appease the foolish left…the indians might get mad too. 🙂
January 7th, 2021 at 1:11 pm
Chicago played the Saints to overtime when they faced them, so don’t count them out to eliminate the Saints.
IMHO, if we can get to Green Bay, we will beat them just like we did in Tampa.
A Super Bowl with us in it is not beyond the realm of possibility.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:14 pm
I’m a proud, card carrying lefty – I’m not offended by the WFT’s old name, but nor am I dumb enough to keep using it in an attempt to be edgy.
They’re the Washington football team.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:40 pm
3 losses by 1 or 3, only the two Saints losses were embarrassing. Third time will be tge charm and we win!
January 7th, 2021 at 2:37 pm
Wins will take care of themselves. It’s important not to lose focus this week and just get the W.. Who gives a f— what Graziano thinks. The fans have waited too long for this.