Five Things
January 11th, 2021
Yes, this is abbreviated. But hey, who is still hungover from Saturday night’s win? It’s still Victory Monday, playoff-style!
It’s all about points
There is nothing more important in the NFL than points. Nothing. You can say you must run the ball because the date on your phone reads “January,” or because that’s the way George Halas did it in the 1940s or Mars is behind the moon.
(Just for fun, if the Bucs went ground-and-pound Saturday night because they read a calendar, you think they win?)
Points win games. You know, the scoreboard?
So Joe was happy as hell the Bucs rang up 31 on Saturday night without too much effort. This is why Bucco Bruce Arians wanted park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking Bucs quarterback Tom Brady.
This is why Brady wanted furniture-tossing, bicycle-throwing Antonio Brown. This is why the team got Leonard Fournette off the scrap heap.
And given the times Bucs drives stalled in the red zone, you have the feeling that the Bucs may have been able to push 40 points.
Funny, you don’t hear too many people in the aftermath of the wild card round win over Washington mocking the Bucs for racking up points against trash teams.
Arians is right: Points, not yards, win games.
Bravo to the offensive line
You sort of smelled this coming. But even the result shocked Joe.
Loudmouth rookie defensive end Chase Young, who is going to be a damn stud, hollered about a week ago he wanted Brady. Arians cautioned him that he should be careful what he wished for.
Joe thought Young would have a quarterback hit or two. Maybe as much as two sacks if he was on fire. Instead, he was a borderline no-show.
Young had three tackles. That’s it! The much-maligned Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith turned Young into his little female dog Saturday night.
Was that Smith’s best game as a pro? It was certainly his best showing in a high-profile game. Unfortunately, the Bucs prior to this season rarely played in a high-profile game.
Keep it up, Donovan!
The Brady effect
Brady is a programmed robot. Try to get him to talk about a game beyond the next opponent, he simple will not do it. Won’t even go there. Refuses to even acknowledge a specific opponent past his next game.
That seems to have rubbed off on the Bucs, particularly Smith. After Saturday’s game, Smith was asked about winning his first playoff appearance since being drafted in the second round in 2015.
Smith wouldn’t even crack a smile. “We have work to do,” Smith said.
Granted, Joe sometimes thinks Smith would rather go to the dentist than do a press conference. Not that he’s nasty to reporters, it’s just not his thing. That may have played a part in him shoulders-shrugging his first playoff win.
Joe thinks it’s the Brady influence.
Think about it: The Bucs won their first postseason game since pounding the Raiders to win the Super Bowl 18 years ago. For long-time veterans like Lavonte David and Mike Evans, even Smith, they’ve never been through this.
You didn’t see or hear of any wild celebrations. It was like, “Cool, we won. Let’s get back to Tampa and grind.”
Brady not only has instilled a modicum of discipline on this team, but also it seems a little sense of confidence.
Leonard Fournette saves the day
Ronald Jones was unable to play with a quad injury. It’s still murky how this happened or why. It seems reasonable to believe RoJo got injured in warmups? (He was on the injured list with a quad issue earlier in the week. (If he were hurt before warmups, he would have been inactive, which of course he was not).
The way Fournette described the situation, it seemed RoJo got injured right before kickoff when he said after the game that starting “was a surprise to me.”
A quad injury is pretty nasty. Baseball players often miss three-to-four weeks or so with one. Even Fournette said, “Injuries like that, it’s bad.”
Fournette made the best of a bad situation. Indeed.
Despite RoJo practicing as the lead dog in the backfield all last week, Fournette came in cold and had the best game of the season, running for damn near five yards a carry. Fournette was a huge part of the Bucs’ offense in the early going.
Just think if Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht hadn’t been aggressive in the offseason, the guy who likely would have come off the bench to replace RoJo would have been the notorious Dare Ogunbowale.
Yeah, Fournette is just a bit of an upgrade there.
What Fournette did Saturday night was the definition of a true pro.
No more Lovie Smith imitations
Joe was appalled by how the Bucs defense got worked by a friggin’ XFL backup. Joe thinks this happened for several reasons.
Based on Arians’ postgame comments, it seemed the Bucs prepped for Alex Smith and in fact, Arians said the Bucs defense wanted to play Smith. Did a GD quarterback for the St. Louis Battlehawks scare the Bucs defense? Sure seemed like it.
At best — at best! — the Bucs were clearly not prepared enough. How else to explain how a stiff of a quarterback ran over, around and through an NFL defense like a 25-year old Jim Kelly? It was embarrassing how Washington receivers got open time and again like antelope in a virgin Montana prairie.
Part of this was the Bucs had no pass rush until the very final minutes, outside of Kevin Minter’s tipped pass on a blitz that led to an interception. Someone, please let Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett out of hiding. They haven’t had a sack since the win over Minnesota in mid-December. It’s now January 11.
If Shaq and JPP are owned this coming Sunday night against New Orleans the way Washington locked down the two, it’s going to be a terribly long night next weekend.
Lastly...
(Yeah, this is six items. Joe lied in the headline.)
How freaking cool is it that the Bucs are two wins from a Super Bowl appearance? Yeah, still a long way. But man, this is fun. Almost makes Mondays worth getting up and going to work happy.
It’s been so damn long, Joe forgot what a rush it is in the days following a playoff win. Let’s hope this weekend isn’t the last one this season.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:04 am
agreed, but you gotta give Heinekie props. He balled out!
January 11th, 2021 at 11:05 am
Racked up 31 points was nice. Cmon tho Bruce!! Should have been 32 and a two score game!! Chasing points in the first half when a PAT would have put you up 2 scores? Little league stuff that almost came back to haunt him. Lets tighten up the coaching too!!
January 11th, 2021 at 11:07 am
Love the last point. So damn cool that we’re two wins from the SB. And that’s with the greatest quarterback of all time at the controls.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:08 am
AB will be the difference in this game. Lattimore will lock on ME13, Jenkins on Godwin or AB. Brady will find the open guy. This defense needs to crowd the LOS and challenge Brees and his 5 yard passing offense. White vs Kamara will be fun to watch.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:08 am
Weird, cuz I’ve been trying to tell you guys that for frickin years! Like every single time someone mentions how good or bad our offense or defense is ranked based on yards, which are completely meaningless!
All that matters is points. Simple as that.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:11 am
Props to Donovan Smith. Can we expect the same kind of game against the Saints, Joe? Remember Cam Jordan and his insulting Tweets? Please, please, please, bring this up to Donny Smith if you get to ask him any questions.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:16 am
That 2-point conversion call was dumber than a rock. Whose “ bright” brain fart idea was it? BA. Hopefully, he doesn’t repeat it against the Aints.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:26 am
The Bucs gave up 355 points (22.1 average), 8th fewest points allowed in the NFL. So if points given up are ALL THAT MATTER, the Bucs defense is great then, huh? In the top 75%, why would anyone ever complain? Because we watch the games, and see it with our own eyes.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:29 am
BL is providing the points….
hopefully bowles can provide stops!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
January 11th, 2021 at 11:31 am
I wish I had recorded a play where JPP pulled a Haynesworth and totally dogged it on a play. He came out of his stance with nothing and stood there. He did nothing. Very disappointed in his effort at times.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:31 am
Joe , sometimes a player like Heinicke that was not judged by the so called “experts” to be NFL starting QB material opens eyes with his outstanding play , grit , and sheer determination. Please do not diminish his performance by saying an XFL QB scared the Bucs D , any D would have been surprised by the level of play Heinicke exhibited. Mike Piazza was a career 230 hitter in the minors , but when given the chance against MLB talent , he elevated his game and was a career 290 hitter. Devin White with fresh legs should scare the hell out of the Saints.
No team has ever beaten Brady 3 times in a season and that will not happen here. Bucs are on a roll and they’re headed to the Super Bowl !!!!!!!!!!
January 11th, 2021 at 11:32 am
Here in the Big Easy Saints fans are already looking forward to their NFC championship opponents, it’s like the W has already been eaten. The air is so thick with smug the Bucs will want to have plenty of o2 on the sidelines. Please, for the love of God bring some D!!!!!!!!
January 11th, 2021 at 11:33 am
Putting up points against Washington is one thing and putting up points against Saints is totally whole different thing. We put up 3 points last time
January 11th, 2021 at 11:39 am
You have to give Heineken his due. The guy was quick on his feet and quick with his decision making. We helped him some but the guy was a competitor that’s for sure.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:41 am
Sorry Joe, I’m not going to totally discount the play of Heinicke. Gotta give the kid props. As Dungy pointed out, he was making great reads and completed throws into tight windows. Some just as he was getting hit.
I do agree that there were receivers wide open a few times, though. DB’s need to tighten up against Brees and company.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:44 am
we put up 3 point last time should have an asterik by it *with BL offense
clearly they have switched to Brady ball. whole different ball game!
January 11th, 2021 at 11:47 am
Bowles defense is a mirror of the old Patriots, bend don’t break. Keep everything in front of you and get to QB. Problem is if you don’t get to QB it becomes chaos. Brees is showing his age, Brady is not. NO won’t be able to keep up with scoring as long as oline plays like Saturday. NO has NOT seen this team, they may come in a bit lackadaisical and before they know it’s a mirror of the Cleveland, Pitt game and Payton is looking for excuses.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:47 am
The last game against the saints was week 1 of AB. Things are different now. And washington’s defense is theoretically about as good as the saints.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:51 am
Lamarcus: Washington had one of the better defenses in the NFL. I know, most of us think of the Saints as invincible after what they did to the Bucs the last time they played. The Saints might be a young Mike Tyson, but the Bucs could be Buster Douglas on Sunday.
January 11th, 2021 at 11:55 am
the 1st 2games vs the saints we were still trying to figure it now on offense…
BL has this offense and brady playing at an super high level….
GO BUCS!!!!
January 11th, 2021 at 12:01 pm
It’s time for the BUC’s COACHES to step up!!! Rise up ..come up with a SUPER GAME PLAN !! COACH UP THE PLAYERS!! Especially the defense! Get the players executing!! Making plays!!
Remind the player’s how they got humilliated the last time! Maybe a trick play or two( Bears game Sunday- of course the bear’s receiver let the ball bounce off his chest in the end zone)
Sorry.. I’m pumped!!
January 11th, 2021 at 12:08 pm
Playing in a “quiet” Superdome will be advantageous. Play a clean game with very few penalties and no turnovers will result in a Win. Brady will send Brees off into the sunset. TB12 lives for the playoffs , look for Gronk to bust out in Nola.
January 11th, 2021 at 12:12 pm
very early on the d-line might need to rag doll brees…
no worries of a penalty, just run right thru him…
might be a job for kong suhhhhhhhhh
January 11th, 2021 at 12:23 pm
I suspect Heniken would have lit up most any team the way he was playing……not just the Bucs…..
We left a lot of points on the board…….and, yes….our defense was soft……
Make Brees beat us deep……
January 11th, 2021 at 12:26 pm
“(Just for fun, if the Bucs went ground-and-pound Saturday night because they read a calendar, you think they win?)”
Yes I do and I’ll tell you why.
“Fournette came in cold and had the best game of the season, running for damn near five yards a carry.”
Not because of the calendar but because controlling TOP would have done the job on this particular opponent.
January 11th, 2021 at 12:28 pm
“How freaking cool is it that the Bucs are two wins from a Super Bowl appearance?”
I tell you, going on my games and stats app, its pretty cool seeing only eight teams for the next slot of games and were freaking one of em!!
January 11th, 2021 at 12:29 pm
Heinicke might be the FTFKATR starting QB next season. He showed a lot of moxie, and I don’t think he was playing over his head.
Some guys from small schools just need a chance, while some guys from larger schools get too many chances. Haskins, I’m looking at you…
January 11th, 2021 at 12:36 pm
Clodhopper, it was the mix run, pass that made everything work. Bucs are a pass first offense for good reason but having the ability to run keeps the dline on their heels. Don’t change a thing and see if they can keep up with Bucs O. 6 dropped balls and Evan’s nursing a knee. I love our chances.
January 11th, 2021 at 1:00 pm
“Two wins from a Super Bowl” makes me want to pinch myself and simultaneously throw up from nerves. I became a big Bucs fan when I moved here in 2011, so I don’t know what this feels like or how to react. I CAN’T HANDLE IT!!! TOO… MANY… FEELINGS!!!!!
January 11th, 2021 at 1:11 pm
Cobraboy: A friend of mine is a Washington fan, he like the way Heinicke played against Carolina earlier in the year. He’s looked into Heinicke and says he’s good but gets hurt a lot (not surprising by his size and how hard he plays).
January 11th, 2021 at 1:11 pm
*Liked
January 11th, 2021 at 1:40 pm
@Joe in Michigan
Cam wasn’t even the problem nearly as much as Trey Hendrickson was. He simply owned Donovan Smith up and down the field.
He missed yesterday with a neck injury, so maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll miss next week too, but New Orlean’s pass rush still looked fierce.
January 11th, 2021 at 3:52 pm
“The Brady Effect” AKA clear evidence of l-e-a-d-e-r-s-h-i-p in the locker room. What an impact TB12 has had with his fellow men on the team!
Yes, if he’s a scrub who can’t produce then his mindset, work ethic, and consistency of focus/attitude/effort would just make him look like some underacheiving football dreamer.
But consider the abundance of reports about how regularly and widespread his communication is with his teammates, not just with one position group but with all of them. He uses everything he’s about as an example, uses words to build relationships, and then continues to put in his own work to produce and show proof that the way he’s going is the right way to go. That’s leadership.
January 11th, 2021 at 4:19 pm
If the Bucs are going to beat the Saints, they are going to have to score a lot of points, but based on what I’ve seen the last 3 or 4 weeks, I think they are in a good place. It’s going to be wild ride but I believe the Bucs are going to find a way to finally put together a great gameplan and execute against the Saints. You can’t let the same team beat you 3 times in one season.
January 11th, 2021 at 10:26 pm
Give Kamara and Thomas the attention they deserve and if you lose let some other slap beat you.
DO NOT LET KAMARA AND/OR THOMAS BEAT YOU BOWLES!