Ira Kaufman’s 10 Takeaways From Bucs-Packers
January 25th, 2021
Bill Currie Ford is a Tampa tradition since 1959. They’re awesome Bucs fans and so charitable in the community. Shop now at BillCurrieFord.com. New year, new deals! And remember their nationwide lifetime warranty on new and used vehicles. Ira loves his 2020 Ford Escape, cherry red.
BY IRA KAUFMAN
Whoever said 2021 would be a better year is off to a heck of a start.
The Bucs continued their shock-and-awe assault on the NFL by taking down a division winner on the road for the third consecutive week.
Tampa Bay finished an astonishing 9-2 away from home and now returns to the friendly confines of Raymond James Stadium to face the AFC champion Chiefs.
At 6:19 p.m. Tampa time, the 2020 Bucs watched the final seconds tick off as a dynamic franchise chapter was written at historic Lambeau — where Warren Sapp sacked Brett Favre three times in a playoff matchup 23 years ago. The Bucs lost that game, but they had arrived as an NFC power.
On Sunday, they arrived and made history.
You talk about a team victory. Start with five guys up front who continually gave Tom Brady a clean pocket. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin contributed big catches, Rob Gronkowski rumbled for big yardage on a key tight end screen and Scotty Miller ended the opening half in dynamic style.
Leonard Fournette showcased his power and guile with a TD run and Ryan Succop was cool under pressure. For three quarters, Brady was very sharp, always a step ahead of Green Bay’s defense.
The real stalwarts were on defense, led by a second-year inside linebacker emerging as a national star in the making. Once again, Devin White was here, there and everywhere.
Jordan Whitehead and Sean Murphy-Bunting led the charge from the back end while Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul took turns putting the squeeze on Aaron Rodgers.
The Bucs are going to the Super Bowl.
Those are words Buc fans feared they would never hear again in their lifetime.
Kansas City has been established as a mild favorite, even with Tampa Bay playing in its home stadium.
The defending NFL champs are hoping to run one back while the Bucs are hoping to walk down Dale Mabry with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. They’ve come too far to be denied.
Here’s how an NFC wild card trumped a No. 1 seed, sending a battered Rodgers to mull his options during a bitter offseason:
* There will be much discussion about Green Bay coaching decisions, but don’t be distracted … the players decided the outcome and Tampa Bay had the better players. While Rodgers was under siege, Brady enjoyed stout protection from an offensive line that has exceeded all expectations in the
postseason.
* Whitehead may never be a ballhawk, but he’s a big hitter who relishes contact. He forced a pair of fumbles with textbook technique, jarring the ball loose with precision before departing with a chest injury Green Bay fell on the first miscue, White scooped up the second deep in Packers territory, setting up a Cameron Brate TD catch and a 28-10 lead.
* Byron Leftwich deserves a bow for calling a good game. Tampa Bay converted 9-of-14 on third down and the Bucs ran often enough to keep Green Bay’s pass rush off balance. Arians gets the credit for allowing himself to be talked out of a punt in the final seconds of the first half. Miller capitalized on an atrocious defensive alignment and Brady couldn’t believe his good fortune.
* With three sacks, Barrett went a long way toward nailing down that lucrative contract extension he craves. He picked a good time to emerge from a prolonged slump and it was good to see the 2019 Shaq knifing around the edges with that rare lean.
* White’s 15 stops were seven more than any other player Sunday. He may not have made the Pro Bowl, but White deserves a prominent place among the league’s Top 100 players when the new list comes out in the summer. He may have already passed Lavonte David in terms of impact, and that’s quite a mouthful.
* Davante Adams is so good at his craft that the Bucs should be pleased with their coverage against him. Adams gained only 67 yards on his nine receptions and his longest catch was for 15 yards. He has a knack for taking over games, but Adams was contained fairly well by a young secondary playing without Antoine Winfield.
* In crunch time, Tampa Bay’s defense stepped up to the challenge against the NFL’s highest-scoring attack. Green Bay’s final three possessions ended with a pair of three-and-outs and a FG. It was the second time within three months that Todd Bowles frustrated the soon-to-be league MVP. Shutting down a proficient Packers ground game once again was a big help.
* Godwin is experiencing obvious lapses in concentration. What makes it so surprising is his history of having strong hands and making the difficult catches in traffic. That said, he still ended up with five receptions for 110 yards, including a sensational 52-yard grab early in the second quarter that turned momentum back in Tampa Bay’s favor after Green Bay had tied the score 7-7.
* The Bucs lost the turnover battle, played much of the afternoon with backup safeties and couldn’t muster much of a running game, yet still beat the NFC’s top seed in a challenging venue. That’s called resilience, that’s called believing in your teammates. Brady, of course, makes it all possible because he instills confidence in 52 other players, many of whom have never faced the pressures of January football.
* The Bucs became the first wild-card club to reach the Super Bowl since the 2010 Packers, led by a quarterback named Rodgers. That was the year Green Bay edged out the Bucs and Giants, who also finished 10-6, for the NFC’s final playoff slot. A decade later, Buc fans got their revenge. Tampa Bay has reeled off seven consecutive wins since the bye week, confidence is off the charts and Tom Brady is healthy.
It’s too late to stop now.
It’s Ira! Stop in and ask for Ira’s good friend Sean Sullivan, the Bill Currie Ford general manager, for a JoeBucsFan discount. He will help you personally in person or by phone and email
January 25th, 2021 at 9:12 am
Wonderful article Ira you and decamp thought TB would lose!!!!!!
January 25th, 2021 at 9:19 am
well said IRA!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
January 25th, 2021 at 9:28 am
I will note that all 3 Brady picks were targets to Evans….who was covered…..It seems like forcing the ball to Evans (an old Jameis trait) doesn’t work well for Brady either….thankfully, Brady doesn’t do it often.
The offense didn’t allow but 1 sack… and that was a coverage sack…..Brady just doesn’t take sacks…..our Oline has been stout all year….looks like they will all be back.
January 25th, 2021 at 9:37 am
Thank you Bucs!! It’s nice to see our coaches out coaching the opponent’s. Todd Bowles has the defense fired up! BL comes up with some creative plays. ( BL please play action more on 1st down). Getting to the SUPER BOWL WAS A TEAM EFFORT!! The Buc’s defense supports the offense when necessary! Tampa Bay Bucs enjoy your victory! You’ve earned it!!! GO BUCS!!!
January 25th, 2021 at 9:39 am
Nothing against Shaq Barrett, but he and JPP seemed to be getting sacks and pressures because of a certain NT called Vita Vea returning to the lineup.
The return of Vea was huge difference on defense
January 25th, 2021 at 9:39 am
this article is so on the money ira !
great read and great write up
January 25th, 2021 at 9:41 am
Why cry over the Propaganda Bowl when you can go to the Super Bowl and Bowl NFL immortality!!!!!!
January 25th, 2021 at 9:51 am
We need to cover Tyreek Hill like we did Adams yesterday. Take advantage of those two back-up tackles that are playing.
January 25th, 2021 at 9:57 am
The best testament to the Bucs D was the fact that Brady turned the ball over 3 times and the Bucs still won the game. A true rarity.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:00 am
TB12 made some bad throws. I have no problem throwing a 50/50 ball to Evans but he had no chance to come down with 2 of those throws.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:11 am
“The Bucs became the first wild-card club to reach the Super Bowl since the 2010 Packers”
Pack never should’ve been there. Remember the Bucs got hosed by a horrible OPI call against nutty Winslow Jr in the end zone. Should’ve been 11-5 that year.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:27 am
Ira was on the money and he is correct about Godwin and the forces to Evans. Godwin has always been sure handed but during the playoffs had it not been for the great third down conversions to the unheralded Buc players like Fornette, Tyler Johnson and Cam Brate, these drops could be deflating.
As far as Mike Evans is concerned, he has been somewhat one dimensional, if he can’t get behind the corners, he is struggling coming back to make catches or even just to be aware the ball is coming. The good DB’s can cover him on the sidelines because he isn’t a threat to come back to the middle of the field.
With a precision quarterback like Brady who relies on tight route runners and timing, Mike’s game is perhaps dare I say (as he is the best Buc receiver ever and a possible HOF) not fitting into what Brady does.
Evans is who he is and he is most effective with a mobile quarterback that can move around and buy time for Evans to run downfield for jump balls and get behind the secondary on free lance plays. For the future the Bucs will need a speedster receiver to be the deep ball target for Brady. His timing with Scotty Miller is better than it is with Mike Evans.
I suppose I’m being critical but thats just what I’m seeing in this offense.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:27 am
I agree Pa Prvateer:
Vita did not show up in the official statistics, but he was pushing two linemen into Rodgers face on passing plays.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:34 am
Wow, that Sexy pose Ira’s doing on that hot red car. I bet a lot of young guys are going to be headed over to Bill Currie Ford ! And there’s nothing wrong with that !
January 25th, 2021 at 11:57 am
Should’ve been 11 things Ira. One heck of a touchdown run by Leonard
January 25th, 2021 at 11:59 am
buxszntkt
LMAO!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!
January 25th, 2021 at 12:30 pm
It’s the Ira Bowl! …Chiefs-Bucs
January 25th, 2021 at 2:05 pm
The 1st interception , looked like Brady was expecting Evans to turn inside deep sideline when he went outside deep, the 2nd interception bounced off Evans hands – was a little high but Evans has to get that one, the third was a pressure on Brady interception.
Can’t give enough credit to the Bucs’ D !! And thanks to Packers’ coaches for some bad decisions.
January 25th, 2021 at 2:08 pm
The only way the Packers even made the playoffs was a tiebreaker with the Bucs because of guess what, a controversial OPI call on Kellen Winslow II, so i don’t need to hear them crying about the right PI call. Pack never should’ve made the playoff in 2011.
January 25th, 2021 at 3:32 pm
and how about that boy Stinne proving he belongs.
January 25th, 2021 at 7:53 pm
Good stuff Ira!
January 25th, 2021 at 8:31 pm
Best of many classic articles you have written Sage!
January 26th, 2021 at 6:19 am
Kick ass article as usual sage. Just one small correction.
The Bucs are NOT going to the Super Bowl.
The Super Bowl is coming to us.