Playoff Monster
January 25th, 2021
Bucs CB matches Hall of Famer.
Through the offseason before BradyMania hit Tampa Bay, Joe referred to then-rookie cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting as “all he does is make plays.”
Joe wrote this about SMB because he led the Bucs in interceptions. Not great with three, but hey, he was a rookie.
This year, one could argue SMB hasn’t made that sophomore year jump that so many NFL players make. Perhaps it just took a while?
SMB has played in three playoff game, all this season of course, and he’s had a pick in each game.
The last player to do that? Per NFL Research, you may have heard of the last guy to do that. Someone named Ed Reed.
Sunday’s pick of Aaron Rodgers was, well, some people like Gary Gramling of SI.com think SMB got away with one there.
Yup, This Is a Missed Call: That is a significant tug of the shoulder but subtle enough (just subtle enough) for Sean Murphy-Bunting to get away with it.
No holding lol pic.twitter.com/fORzejHplz
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) January 24, 2021
Well, maybe Allen Lazard didn’t sell the flop enough. Just ask Tyler Johnson.
January 25th, 2021 at 5:11 am
Officiating seemed inconsistent all game. Missed false starts, a blatant delay of game, late hit on Brady… I think the pack had their fair share of gifts for 95% of the game. So here are some crocodile tears that you didn’t get one call.
One thing was clear, the refs swallowed their whistles unless it was obvious, as Joe intimated they would in the game day post,
January 25th, 2021 at 5:20 am
I was glad (and suprised) the refs were lighter yesterday on the handplay, but the Bucs did get away with some for sure. But it wasn’t the Bucs who made the awful call to go for the field goal instead of the TD on 4th down, and it wasn’t the Packers who failed at a prevent defense to keep the Bucs out of the end zone just before the half. So all is fair, all is good. What was great about yesterday is yet another different set of guys stepped up while some others (Brady/Evans) even faltered a bit, to still get the win. The first playoff game was abombominal by many players, especially the D. The second had an abysmal start by the special teams but lights out by the whole D. Yesterday all did enough to eek out a win again but special teams, expecially Succup and Mickens did their jobs well. That is great synergy, complementary football. We hadn’t seen that often until late in season. Here’s to hoping Brown, Whitehead, and Winfield heal well over the next two weeks.
January 25th, 2021 at 5:29 am
Given a game of missed calls, here’s one that stuck: The DPI call on the Pack that let the Bucs run out the clock for the win. Aaron Rodgers said it was a bad call because the ball was so high over Tyler Johnson’s head. Well, that’s a matter of opinion, but the call was the call. Like the OPI call in 2010 that kept the Bucs out of the playoffs, let the Packers into the playoffs, and enabled them to chance to go on to win the Super Bowl. So, what goes around comes around. That’s why it’s best just to keep the pie hole shut sometimes and take the calls that go your way as they come, and don’t whine about the ones the don’t. This time, the Bucs are IN the SB!
January 25th, 2021 at 5:42 am
Why is all the talk about the Bucs getting away with penalties so over the top ! This team has been hosed many a day and the breaks went our way for a change ! Fire the cannons! I was dam pleased to watch a game without the yellow laundry flying all over the field ! The NFL needs to take note and make an effort to duplicate the results !
January 25th, 2021 at 5:53 am
It’s a judgement call. Did he get away with one? Sure. Can you call holding on every single play? Sure.
Did Tyler Johnsno’s jersey get spread out like a laundry sheet? Yep. Can’t fix stupid.
January 25th, 2021 at 6:02 am
Our secondary is not made for zone, especially soft zone. It is made for aggressive man. The problem also is when they play press they’re not physical enough as I witnessed Davis and Bunting getting shoved around at times, probably because they’re accustomed to soft coverage for so long. The next two weeks they need to spend their time strengthening up and practice being more physical and stop letting the receiver dictate to them where they’re going to run
January 25th, 2021 at 6:04 am
I was worried this would happen. I’ve admitted to several people that SMB got away with two penalties. It’s getting tiresome explaining to the Wisconsinites that their precious team doesn’t always get shafted. Refs swallowed the whistle on a lot of plays. I saw three holds on Shaq and Smith had a roughing the passer on Brady.
Mike Pereira has a beautiful explanation on the reason why it was called that way. SMB got away with it cuz it was so close and bang bang. King had gotten picked on all game and had his jersey tugged so much for a long time. The reason it was late was cuz it was the back judge 20 yds away.
Any close game that doesn’t go the Packers way, the fans complain about it and not the fact that they choked. I think LaFleur chickened out, was praying Brady would throw a 4th pick. I was stunned he didn’t go for it on 4th down. The other thing that these delusional Packer fans think is that we’d punt the ball. No chance Coach No Risk It No Biscuit punts the ball on 4th and 4 with over a minute left. If we hadn’t of gotten the PI, we would have ran another play. A stop on 3rd down doesn’t guarantee them getting the ball back. Local radio will be interesting this morning.
January 25th, 2021 at 6:22 am
Reading what Buck Rogers said reminds me of a Justin Timberlake song, Cry Me A River. We all witnessed our linemen getting held constantly with no calls made. We all saw the hand checking down field and no calls so it was obvious the zebras were commanded by the NFL warlord “to let em play” which I’m glad they did. Bunting did commit a penalty….. according to regular season but these are the playoffs. The Packemuptostayhomers can blame two plays that cost them that game, the beeyouuuteeefuuulll td pass to Scooter and field goal at the end of the game. What’s so great about that last play is now Roger Doger is contemplating leaving Green Bay! Suhweeett!!!
January 25th, 2021 at 6:22 am
imagine what’s being said in green bay today…
“king got worked”…”king got worked”
January 25th, 2021 at 6:22 am
I chalk the Packers loss up not to bad calls, but to the fact it was so cold in Green Bay yesterday, and the Packers are just not up to playing in that kind of weather.
January 25th, 2021 at 6:33 am
If they’re not calling false starts theyre not calling much. Until they do. Only reason they’re whining is because it was very late. I found that odd too but cant argue with the mugging. If Bucs lost they’d complain about their missed calls. Part of the mindset these days. Other part is celebrating every tackle even if the guy picked up 30 yards. Pathetic. Do your jobs. Then cash the checks. Now smile
January 25th, 2021 at 6:35 am
we had so many drops…
and brady was reverting to looking like he did in the 2nd saints game of the season on some of those 3rd and 4th quarter throws…
the tipped int off evans hands wasn’t really brady’s fault…
i think when brady starts to revert to throwing the ball like in the saints game, is kind of what you’ll see more before he retires…he did say something like “i’m not retiring until i suck” to willie mcguiness…he might have thrown about 5 really bad balls…when those become the norm from week to week he will officially be an old man…right now i think he just loses it for a small amount of time and can correct it either in game or week to week…but when it’s the norm he’ll hang ’em up…how long can tom stay sharp long term is the question…hopefully for 2 more years…if not, at least next year
January 25th, 2021 at 6:40 am
early on godwin had a drop and as he was jogging back to the huddle for the next play all i could wonder is:
“when will the dropsies go away for chris…we can’t win like this”…
then he pretty much got his sheet together and had a very good game…
then mike sorta got butter fingers throughout the game…prolly that cold weather got to him…
next game should be warm and toasty
January 25th, 2021 at 6:48 am
Living on Cape Cod I have witnessed Brady greatness for 20 years. I have to admit I wanted him to win this game more than any other. The hate for TB-12 from all the Massholes is insane jealousy. Kraft and coach bill can’t fail quick enough for me. Go Bucs. Tear K.C. apart.
January 25th, 2021 at 7:37 am
folks, it’s usually the losers that complain about penalties. After I read several comments, I realized “what the frick, WE WON!!!!!” This is the best analogy. What always happens when there is a bunch of dumbass teenagers on the beach and a bad guy chases them. They ALWAYS look behind them. What ALWAYS happens? They fall down and go to “bimbo heaven”
January 25th, 2021 at 8:02 am
@DavidBigBucFan99 Says:
January 25th, 2021 at 6:02 am
Our secondary is not made for zone, especially soft zone. It is made for aggressive man.
I tend to agree.
A difference between this game and the Aint’s game is that Rodgers takers deeper drops and tends to want to throw down field more.
The upside is that the D line has more time to get to the QB and performed as they needed yesterday. They were IMO, the number one reason we won yesterday.
The downside is that when you do not get to Rodgers and you play the press, they are not going to be in position every play against a great team. Then MVS and Adams get their TD’s because you leave a corner on an island.
January 25th, 2021 at 8:04 am
Watched their pressers……Rodgers…”gutted”……of course they are complaining about refs…..we do it all the time…
I think Brady gets more calls than JW….that’s for sure.
January 25th, 2021 at 8:08 am
One thing was clear from the start, the refs swallowed their whistles, and decided to let the players play.
January 25th, 2021 at 8:15 am
Figure I’d give anyone an update from Wisconsin radio. An insider that frequents 97.3 The Game from Milwaukee WI called our defense dogs. They are nasty hard hitting dogs. Only a small grope about the holding call how it was weird they swallowed the whistle until that play. He kinda shrugged it off, however.
January 25th, 2021 at 8:22 am
Seemed like old school football yesterday. Refs let the boys play.
January 25th, 2021 at 8:44 am
refs let em play through out the 1st 3 quarters….refs missed 2 holding calls vs shaq…i thought for sure refs were trying to give the game to rodgers….
GO BUCS!!!!
January 25th, 2021 at 8:45 am
Yesterday proved that refs can keep their flags in their pockets and you can still have a lot of offense (57 pts). It is so much greater to watch football without every other play having illegal contact, PI or holding.
January 25th, 2021 at 9:30 am
The greats use those subtle “holds” all the time on offense and defense. Sometimes you get caught sometimes you don’t. Great play by SMB, I’ll take the aggression these DBs are playing with and live with the random penalty for being too handsy.
January 25th, 2021 at 9:43 am
Was actually refreshing not having a flag on every third play, also I will have some whipped cream on my humble pie on SMB, 3 pics in the playoff’s,not to shabby!
January 25th, 2021 at 9:51 am
There are always some bad calls or suspect calls or calls that don’t take place that are questionable. I firmly believe 99% of the time it all evens out.
The Saints a couple years ago have a legitimate gripe.
The Packers have absolutely nothing to bitch about except the decision of their head coach to kick a field goal when a touchdown is needed
January 25th, 2021 at 9:54 am
Refs had the flags sewn to their pockets. GB Oline held on virtually every pass play
January 25th, 2021 at 12:20 pm
SMB battled all year, and its paying off this post season. I feel like this defense is dangerous because these young players are showing up and making plays the opposition never accounted for. Now, Vea is back and JPP and Shaq come to life. Not sure if its enough to slow down Mahomes, but Im cool with these underdogs. Everything we get from them is just gravy because noone ever counted on the secondary to begin with.
January 25th, 2021 at 12:32 pm
“OH GAAAAD! CAN I HAVE SOME WISCONSIN CHEESE TO GO WITH MY WHINE?”
January 25th, 2021 at 2:19 pm
Plenty of holding on both sides of the ball. Refreshing that it wasn’t called for the most part. I’ve bitched for years that the NFL needs to get rid of it. Only exceptions would be players deliberately trying to kill each other. Bucs have been mauled for years by the zebs. Packers can go suck on it. Crybabies.
January 25th, 2021 at 7:44 pm
It was a bad no-call, but Karma’s a b!tch and we have been screwed over by bad calls so many times. Karma owes us a lot more, but it’s a start. 😋
January 25th, 2021 at 11:50 pm
Don’t be too hard on Rodgers. He’s our next qb !