Sean Murphy-Bunting Says He’s Dialing Up His Game Every Snap, Still Bitter About NFL Ranking
January 30th, 2021
You know the world has changed when Sean Murphy-Bunting is getting phone calls from The Jim Rome Show for a visit.
Hey, Murphy-Bunting is the first cornerback on earth to lock down an interception in his first three career playoff games. He deserves the spotlight.
Joe’s surprised the Hall of Fame hasn’t requested to display his jersey to honor the achievement that included picks of two future Hall of Faers.
Murphy-Bunting was at ease on the national radio show, especially when Rome asked him if he has consciously raised his game for the playoffs.
“100 percent; each game, each play I got out there I’m looking to do better than what I did the last play,” Murphy-Bunting said. “And that’s just how I go about every day of my day-to-day business. I mean, I work like I have nothing to lose but at the end of the day there’s always a lot more to gain and a lot more to achieve, and so I’m just constantly putting in the efforts.”
Murphy-Bunting went on to say the Bucs’ secondary has a “savage mentality” and they’re collectively still pissed about the NFL Network preseason ranking that pegged their cornerbacks as the worst in league.
For those who missed that gem, here it is below:
Who's got the best lockdown CBs? 🔒⬇️
Ranking all 32 units. (via @cfrelund) pic.twitter.com/egr0SIPUGp
— NFL (@NFL) September 2, 2020
January 30th, 2021 at 1:54 pm
Someone once said offensive linemen were like salt, you never remember what brand you by. Might have been Blaine Nye.
January 30th, 2021 at 1:54 pm
Well SMB , NFL network likely has the lowest pay rate for broadcasters in football so what do you expect. Just keep up your good work, I suppose it’s good he has that chip on his shoulders.
January 30th, 2021 at 1:59 pm
Don’t try and make a Super Bowl play, let the game come to you!
Patience Grasshopper!
January 30th, 2021 at 2:09 pm
This is a JOKE.
Yeah, SMB is playing well in the playoffs with the INTs he’s been able to come down with. But how has his play been over the entire season?
SMB and Dean are responsible for many of the losses we had this year. They were BURNED many, many times.
It’s funny how so many seem to forget about how BADLY they played almost all year. There’s a reason our Passing Defense was ranked in the bottom 10 of the NFL.
If it wasn’t for SMB’s playoff performance, there was a very good chance he might have BEEN CUT from the Bucs in the offseason.
Let’s see if he shows up in the Super Bowl.
January 30th, 2021 at 2:10 pm
NFLN wasn’t wrong then. Glad it’s motivating.
We still have lapses. Hoping for our best game in the last game.
January 30th, 2021 at 2:15 pm
SMB was not very good in coverage. All year he really only headlined with splash plays not so much coverage, but he’s just putting a wrap on his second year. Remember last year they were doing pretty well at the end of the season as well. Let’s hope he is blooming into a good CB and shows more of what he can do the what he couldn’t .
January 30th, 2021 at 2:17 pm
Brady, a bit harsh on SMB. He has reportedly been dealing with an injury all year and has finally gotten healthy. And voila, he’s playing better. Imagine that. No way he would have been cut with the team knowledge of the injuries he’s played through. Bad take.
January 30th, 2021 at 2:23 pm
He must be doing something right. Joe doesn’t know of too many bad coverage corners who start for Super Bowl teams who have three picks in three playoff games (one in each game).
Picking off Taylor Heinicke? OK, fine. Picking off Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers? All coverage corners should be so awful.
January 30th, 2021 at 2:28 pm
I wonder if we will ever find out what injuries he was playing with this season that hurt his production for a good part of the season? Glad to know he is healthier now and making plays when they matter most!
January 30th, 2021 at 2:30 pm
Cmon Joe SMB and Dean have not been good. Joe has written dozens of times that the secondary is the team’s weak link and it didn’t end the regular season as good as it was at the end of 2019. But they’ve made plays all season, and that’s escalated the last two games. Joe’s not going to throw cold water on impact plays. –Joe
The pick off of Brees, he was beaten on the route and Brees threw it right at him.
Don’t wanna look at the Lazard pick too closely. Glad that sometimes calls or no calls go your way. Let’s hope he turns it up for SB. Mahomes ain’t no joke.
January 30th, 2021 at 2:36 pm
Poor Jmark.. suspect he is a Saints fan, or a former minion of America’s QB, who is crying over a poor and impotent season from his heroes. Superbowl Baby. Scoreboard. But you are right about something. Mahomes isn’t a joke, unlike some bitter posters.
January 30th, 2021 at 2:54 pm
While I agree that SMB and Dean looked bad at times, so do a majority of corners in the NFL. The league changed a lot of rules (from when I was young) to make it a scoring league. They both have raised their game in the playoffs, at least partly because of Bowles having a better game plan.
January 30th, 2021 at 2:55 pm
2001
Been a Bucs fan my entire life.
Doesn’t make me a hypocrite or blind to what is obvious. Dean And SMB overall have not been good for most of the season, more than one of Joes articles pointed this out ( by his own admission).
Denying what is obvious is never a good thing.
As I have said twice on this thread already… I hope he has his best game yet.
Too complex for you to understand?
Go Bucs!
January 30th, 2021 at 3:06 pm
cynthia frelunds takes on anything nfl are hot garbage
January 30th, 2021 at 3:54 pm
FFS, they are in the Super Bowl and people want to tear the DBs down for crap that happened weeks ago?
Look, you soft keyboard cowards, sell your Bucs gear and go cheer for GB, NO or the Redskins.
January 30th, 2021 at 4:00 pm
What is tough to understand is a supposed fan that can’t appreciate the fact that we are on the doorstep of a World Championship. These come along once every decade or two. Is this team perfect? No. But these Dbacks have played well the last few games…the ones that really count.
Newflash…the Gruden SB team wasn’t perfect either. The Offense had many holes. But that doesn’t take away the joy of a championship. And the fact that that team rose up, as did this one, to get to the SB. And some of those players had the games of their lives.
Very sad that a supposed fan can’t bask in a team playing well, especially the last 7 games…one on the verge of a championship. Try to enjoy the moment, if you can. If you really are a fan, Life is too short to be so anal.
January 30th, 2021 at 4:11 pm
Mod hair
Mahomes and the Cheetah and Kelce coming to town.. call it anxiety.
And who knows? Maybe they read JBF and take it as further motivation, works for me.
Everybody, and I mean everybody knows Bucs secondary has been a liability for years. It’s not a crime to say it out loud.
For the last time, I hope they make Mahomes look foolish and seal a SB win for us, it would be a beautiful irony.
Go Bucs!
January 30th, 2021 at 6:45 pm
SMB has been tied for defensive MVP with White during the playoffs!!!
January 30th, 2021 at 6:45 pm
Like the Entire team, our very young secondary has gotten better every week.
For the first few werks, they really struggled.
Since the bye week- they have been very good.
We blitz more than any team in the league. You cant keep blitzing, if you dont have great Corners. Blitzing leaves them on an Island- and they have been holding up! Our defense has given up the least amount of 20+ plays in the league!! While leading the league in blitzing!!
Thank you Mr.Davis, Mr.Murphy-Bunting, and Mr.Dean, among others.
Our 3. cornerbacks are all tall- 6’ or taller. They are fast and physical.
I cant wait to see how Mahomes deals with them, along with Vea in the middle!
We just need our 2 safeties, and Antonio Brown to get better! Thats our biggest worries.
January 30th, 2021 at 6:56 pm
It’s really hard not hammering on SMB for his play this year and even in the playoffs. Man does he have some big plays for the Bucs in the playoffs!! Then he has plays that you don’t even see him in the picture when receivers can’t the ball or catch a TD. I would love to not call him “burn me” Bunting but he just hasn’t been a complete player yet for multiple games. I really thought Dean was going to be the stud corner behind Davis, and he still might, but SMB is really making a case for it. He needs 1 shutdown game next Sunday and then I think he’ll get everyone’s belief that he’s gonna be the man!
January 30th, 2021 at 6:59 pm
One last thing…. me and my kid were talking about every level of the Bucs have a veteran player that the young guys can look up to in their groups…… except the secondary. I think to get those kids to the next level they really need to find one this year. I was really hoping in the beginning of the year they could talk Talib into coming back and helping. Not the best off the field mentor, but on the field he really could have helped those young guys.
January 30th, 2021 at 7:27 pm
Glad the team is playing well obviously… would venture to guess that I’ve seen a lot more ( as in all) Buc history than some here.
Not ready to put SMB in the Hall just yet. Maybe after Sunday.
Go Bucs!
January 30th, 2021 at 8:11 pm
the bucs secondary is supposedly :
“the not ready for prime time players”…
they get no respect…
that can all change sunday night…or be etched in stone
January 30th, 2021 at 9:12 pm
Howard has to chime in on this kid.
SMB reminds Howard of Ben Zobrist.
Why? You ask.
Because in Zobrists first year Howard was critical of him.
Howard though Zobrist was going to be short-lived in the bigs.
Zobrists first year wasn’t great.
SMB.
Howard had the same feeling last year.
This year Howard feels humbled in his error
the same way he was when Zobrist became a legend.
SMB is now a big-play, deep in the playoffs, ball-hawk
Stay humble, kid
and go become a legend
January 30th, 2021 at 10:19 pm
All I’m saying is 4 times since 1976, this team has been to the NFC Championship and now twice to the Super Bowl.
Embrace this moment.
No team has 22 All Pros.
For just the next 176 hours, commend the team and envision the game for the happiness it will
bring.
Anyone who is a Buc fan has deserved this moment.
January 31st, 2021 at 10:15 am
Dean has been very good this year despite what Collinsworth said.
Dean gave up opposing QB completion pefcenf of 61.4 and rating of 85.4. Davis by comparison was 61.9% and 87.6 rating. He also allowed 9.3 yards per completion.
Last season they were the only duo in the league to allow 50% or less completion percent as well as in top 5 in pass break ups.
If you don’t know what you’re talking about then you should really STFU.
That preseason rating is about as any other poorly thought out opinion that lazy observers spew. Best trio of CBs in the NFL reside in Tampa.
January 31st, 2021 at 2:25 pm
Actually the secondary was playing decent in the beginning of the year. Dean looked like he was building off his strong finish from last year. SMB got injured early on and his play fell badly. Same thing happened to Dean in the middle of the season… he started looking lost. Then he got injured too.
But they have started to improve again during the post season (SMB finally healthy).
Not elite, but they are opportunistic. Their biggest struggles still come in zone coverages.
Just don’t leave any of them on an island with Hill. Gonna need to double him / have safety help.