Bucs Helping Bucs
January 18th, 2021
Sean Murphy-Bunting makes Michel Thomas eat leather after SMB’s second-quarter pick.
Before Bucco Bruce Arians ever coached a game for Tampa Bay, he referred to “Bucs beating Bucs” and ran with the phrase for a long time.
When the Bucs played like crap and lost, it was often “Bucs beating Bucs.” Dumb mistakes usually led to opponents taking advantage and winning.
Well, last night, you could say the Bucs won because of “Bucs helping Bucs.”
It wasn’t a pretty game, especially from the Bucs offensive side of the ball. But when the defense got turnovers and excellent field position, the offense didn’t re-gift the present, and instead deposited the ball in the end zone.
All four Saints turnovers were difference-makers in the game. Every single one.
Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports noticed the same thing. and what he called “underrated success” of the ground game.
For too long last night, the Bucs offense reverted to its pre-bye week ways for some unknown reason. Run the ball on first down. No play-action passes. Few players in pre-snap motion. And just like when the Bucs offense tried that form of offense for much of the first three months of the season, the offense was pretty damn stagnant.
But the defense set the Bucs offense up with key short-field possessions. All three Bucs touchdowns were scored off Saints turnovers, three drives that totaled just 63 yards.
Bucs helping Bucs.
January 18th, 2021 at 9:13 am
Great team win….
Offense and defense played lights out…..
GO BUCS
January 18th, 2021 at 9:14 am
I have criticized this coaching staff in the past but simply put “WOW!” I did not see this coming! This has always been my team and I will sweep up the confetti when all is over but it feels good to be proud of my team and the effort these men showed last night! Go Bucs!!!
January 18th, 2021 at 9:22 am
I thought the Bucs Offense played great, as in smart and careful with the ball. Yes, Godwin and Gronk could have put the game away earlier by making some very difficult catches, but overall, the O was awesome by not giving away the ball and scoring when the D gave them great field position.
January 18th, 2021 at 9:35 am
Was this BA & BL’s plan to make Saints think they were going to see a different O, so give them the old O? Not sure but early on it looked scary, especially the 3rd down low % bombs, HATE those. Only underneath stuff was a few screens to Godwin and Fournett 5 yders. Godwin this is PO’s gotta make those catches. D & O line awesome. Now that is the definition of TEAMWORK!
January 18th, 2021 at 9:46 am
Different teams. Different game. Different strategies. Just win, baby!
January 18th, 2021 at 9:54 am
List
Brady had fournette and Godwin open in the flat on both 3rd&short….Brady missed the read…along with a couple throws to GRONK….
GO BUCS
January 18th, 2021 at 10:00 am
Can someone help out with pint coverage next game
January 18th, 2021 at 10:03 am
one thing, shore up that kick coverage, special teams almost killed us, other than that no complaints high five for Mr Brady, the D, the RB’s, the O line, and our field goal kicker, great job
January 18th, 2021 at 10:04 am
Be careful what you wish for…the ‘Aints had their safeties so deep they were in a different time zone. The basically told the Bucs beat us with your run game.
The Bucs obliged. That was the best run blocking I’ve seen in a long, long time from the Bucs OL. There were actually holes for LF and ROJO and both of them made the most of it.
We truly have a pick your poison offense. I’d have to be a DC tasked with stopping this offense. It’s very deep…except at QB. I’d love to get two players from Alabama and if it took every draft pick we have to pull it off I’d do it.
Get the QB to back up Brady and learn…and get Surtain Jr to complete the D.
January 18th, 2021 at 10:34 am
As soon as SMB grabbed that ball he stuck his hand right in Thomas’s face like “Get off me man!” I now have hope for SMB.
January 18th, 2021 at 2:39 pm
Brady did miss Fournette being wide open on that attempt he threw to Gronk in the endzone. I remember one other play where he forced it (maybe to AB) instead of going to the open guy. Otherwise he was pretty spot on with his reads.
But I desperately hope someone does ask BL why they went back to their early season, run for 2 yards on every single first down, barely use play-action, game plan again? I thought we moved past that predictable nonsense.
January 19th, 2021 at 9:31 am
I can only imagine the speed of the game. Brady has a few seconds to scan the field, I am sure not always enough time to see all options. Gronk was open on both crossing patterns. He dropped one and Brady led him to far on one midfield. Everything is timing and a fraction of a second means a lot.