Jordan Whitehead’s Physicality Respected

January 26th, 2021

Status for Super Bowl unknown.

As Joe stated earlier, it was cool as heck to watch the Bucs defense in the fourth quarter clamp down on the Packers down their starting two safeties.

For most teams, this would have been a death sentence. The Bucs were fortunate that one backup (Andrew Adams) is a former starter and the other (Mike Edwards) is good enough to be a starter.

Of course, it would be much better in the Super Bowl is starting safeties Antoine Winfield and Jordan Whitehead were back on the field.

Whitehead has always impressed Joe with his John Lynch-like nose for hitting. It’s a welcome throwback in the current not-so-hard, anti-hitting league that NFL strongman Roger Goodell has watered down.

Whitehead injured his shoulder when he blasted Packers running back Aaron Jones loose of the football in the third quarter, which turned into a critical Bucs touchdown. It was one of two fumbles Whitehead forced Sunday.

It is expected that Winfield and his gimpy ankle will be good enough to play in the Super Bowl. Whitehead? Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians mentioned it is too early to tell. We likely won’t get an update from Arians until his next media availability (unless he pops up on SiriusXM NFL Radio before then).

Whitehead’s hard-hitting style has sure impressed his teammates. Carlton Davis, for one, took to Twitter to prop up his fellow defensive back.

Yes Whitehead can hit and Joe loves it so. Whitehead is about as close to an enforcer that Goodell will allow.

Can the Bucs win the Super Bowl without him? Perhaps. But Joe would feel a whole lot better if brittle Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins thought twice about catching a pass over the middle because he senses Whitehead’s footsteps.

24 Responses to “Jordan Whitehead’s Physicality Respected”

  1. unbelievable Says:

    How long does a separated shoulder take to heal?

  2. August 1976 Buc Says:

    One thing is for sure, they will have all offseason to heal, no more games left. Lay it all on the line. GO BUCS!!!!

  3. ModHairKen Says:

    Thank you, Mr. Whitehead. Your play this podt-season made a real difference.

  4. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Whitehead is definitely a throwback, he could’ve been a Safety for the 1970’s Oakland Raiders defenses.

  5. james west Says:

    hope we get him back, edwards does a good job, but he ain’t no whitehead

  6. Tbbucs3 Says:

    I’d rather have Kelce have a big game on us than Hill burning us again. Gotta have a strong 1st half cant let the game get out of hand like it did last time.

    Mahomes has rarely faced a consistent pass rush and now with their LT tackle being out, the front 7 has an opportunity to make Mahomes feel uncomfortable. The D plays best when it’s JPP, Shaq Barrett and Devin White making plays.

  7. Smashsquatch Says:

    It used to be taboo to go low but since the NFL has worked so hard to keep helmets from butting players are left with no choice but to go low. Whitehead plays like a modern day Lynch. Hard hitting safeties set the tone. Get well Whitehead, I want to see another FF from you on Super Bowl Sunday.

  8. Robert Says:

    Jordan “The Crusher” Whitehead

  9. Bird Says:

    Of late he has been putting his lead shoulder in the opponents hands/ football and not necessarily center of their torso. It has knocked some balls loose.

    Hope whitehead plays.
    Winfield is the best so he is priority #1

  10. Conte Piscateli Says:

    Yes Whitehead is a hard hitter, but if you watch the tape his technique and form is about as good as you can teach it. He never hours people high it’s always thought to knees, head to the side. Text book

  11. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    You hate it when players get injured but that forced fumble was extremely instrumental in our win……it was worth it…..and I think Jordan Whitehead would agree….

  12. Adrnagy Says:

    separation shoulder 2-12 weeks depends on injury.
    Dislocated shoulder 6-12 weeks.
    Rotator cuff 4-6 months.

    Most likely done. Unless is minor

  13. Darin Says:

    The rule change has helped Whiteheads game. Instead of going high he’s creating turnovers. And dang he gets there quick. Boom

  14. pewter941 Says:

    Well, hopefully he can knock Hill out of the game.

  15. Rob in Land O Lakes Says:

    Pewter941….. Everyone needs to remember Hill’s backflip into the end zone in the first meeting. Bowles needs to play that on a loop in the DB room.

  16. Logan Says:

    Not to be “that guy” Joe, but Whitehead didn’t get hurt on the fumble hit; he got hit when he flipped Jamaal Williams.

  17. UGotRobbed Says:

    I’ve heard a couple people (one on GMF) say he hurt it on the fumble hit, it wasn’t that hit that caused the injury, but a similar hit on another Packers back on next series (I think). If it’s a dislocation, he won’t be back for the SB. GO BUCS!!

  18. Cannon Says:

    I seem to recall Lynch playing with a separated shoulder.

    Specifically, he separated it on a play, and had them pop it back on the sideline and he went back on the field.

  19. Cee Says:

    With the presence of White and Whitehead, the Bucs have one of the most physical defenses in the NFL. Bringing Vea back absolutely made us even that more imposing. Not to be ignored or forgotten, we knocked out Adam Jones and Deonte Harris, not playing dirty, but with clean hard completely legal hits. It made not accounting for them easier for us. This is a dimension of our Defense not to be ignored. We make Wrs hesitant to make catches, and All Pro mobile QBs from making dashes to the goal line in all or nothing game on the line situations. They don’t want to get hit!

  20. Jmarkbuc Says:

    Draft ( cuz I got nothing better to do ) :

    DL/ Edge
    QB for the future
    OL
    Safety/DB depth
    LB
    DL

  21. BuccoDav Says:

    A separated shoulder is very painful. When I separated mine, it was 2 weeks before I could use my right arm to do much… It was a month before I felt I was healing. But I wasn’t a professional football player with access to the best therapy and drugs available.

  22. David Webb Says:

    Not to miss the point, but I think he actually hurt himself on the series following his forced fumble. Seems like he missiled one of the other ‘backs, flipping him like a cartwheel.

  23. Brandon Says:

    I separated my shoulder on the first play of the game once at the beginning of a season. I played the entire game on it not knowing what was wrong. I never sought medical treatment and just assumed I called the end of my collarbone. I played our next game two weeks later without a ton of issues. A few years later when I was getting X-rays on the other shoulder, the doc could see the other collarbone was bowed up and asked what happened. I told him and that’s when I found out I had a separated shoulder. There’s different degrees, mine was fairly bad but it didn’t bug me too much. The only thing that hurt in the gym was shrugs. His could hurt a lot worse but an injury like mine has a lot to do with pain tolerance.

  24. Delawest Says:

    Easy with the John Lynch comparison. This Secondary needs too put together
    one more solid performance, because our secondary makes me feel like

    Winston use to make me feel every game. You never know what you were
    going to get.