Watch The Scoreboard Light Up
May 20th, 2021
“Tommy, let’s pull a Barry Switzer this year and try to hang half-a-hundred each week.”
Yesterday Joe was listening to the best damn football radio show in the land, “Movin’ the Chains,” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
It’s damn good radio, co-hosted by former Bucs quarterback Jim Miller and former Bucs scout Pat Kirwan (fun fact: it was Kirwan who famously turned in the card at the 1986 NFL draft to then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle with the Bucs’ selection of Bo Jackson).
The two are old-school football guys. And both have railed and continue to rail on the watered-down NFL offseason. They seem to believe players should be working at their teams’ facilities from March through June, and resume two-a-days in training camps.
So it was interesting to Joe that both admitted that this past season, without any offseason activities or any preseason games, they both thought NFL offenses would struggle big time and that defenses would dominate.
The opposite happened.
In fact, the Bucs averaged both 30 points a game in the regular season and in the playoffs. When did you ever dream that would happen?
Well, per Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports, this shouldn’t shock Bucs fans. Again, per Kerr, the Bucs have had one of the NFL’s best offenses the past three years.
Most points in #NFL — last three seasons
1. #Chiefs — 1,489 (31.0 PPG)
2. #Saints — 1,444 (30.1 PPG)
3. #Ravens — 1,388 (28.9 PPG)
4. #Buccaneers — 1,346 (28.0 PPG)
5. #Rams — 1,293 (26.9 PPG) pic.twitter.com/q3BuYoSwmk— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) May 19, 2021
So Joe will go back to this, since Joe is going to keep harping on it until July because it blows Joe’s mind.
The Bucs had a quarterback who, for roughly 75 percent of the regular season, did not fully grasp the playbook — yet the Bucs rang up points like a basketball team.
And foot-rubbing, car-littering tight end Rob Gronkowski was out of shape for the first few games — he was a different player down the stretch and in the playoffs than he was early.
And the Bucs were just getting furniture-tossing, bicycle-throwing receiver Antonio Brown warmed up.
Now, Gronk should be in better shape and knows the playbook. Brown should be in good health and know the playbook. And the same goes for park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller-coaster-scared, numbers-rules-peeved, Bucs-Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady!
Could the Bucs soon average 35 points a game?
May 20th, 2021 at 12:17 am
Let the points rain B-D
May 20th, 2021 at 2:07 am
Unless we have injuries on defense which allow the opposition to score more points, our running game is too good, too useful, for that to be likely. But hey, as long as we win, does it really matter?
May 20th, 2021 at 6:03 am
Keep the O-Line healthy.
May 20th, 2021 at 6:45 am
Dont forget a running back that can catch a dang ball and move the chains for more points
I hope 35 points a game is a goal of arians and leftwich and brady this year
They have the talent to do it.
Think about it…the saints and bears game hurt their season pts per game. Doubt that happens again this year.
May 20th, 2021 at 6:58 am
O-line and let’s not forget the addition of Bernard. They were missing the receiving RB last season. One of Brady’s favorite targets.
May 20th, 2021 at 7:31 am
We have added Bernard & Darden…..and will have OJ back…..the arrow is pointing up for our Offense.
May 20th, 2021 at 7:37 am
Crazy to think the offense has NOT reached its full potential yet. Like you said down the last straight they were lights out. Bring em all back with a off-season oh snap. Man can’t wait for the season to start let’s goo
May 20th, 2021 at 7:54 am
I agree about Moving the Chains, great show.
The Late Hits show that comes on next with Alex Marvez and Ryan Leaf is terrible. Marvez does nothing but kiss everyone’s a$$ that comes on the show and Leaf is just plain stupid he brings nothing and he forgets what he’s saying mid sentence constantly. Unlistenable.
May 20th, 2021 at 8:40 am
They could. But with this defense 35 per game won’t be necessary. I’ll be the fan screaming at the TV seeing Brady dropping back to throw with three score lead in the fourth. Use this stable of RBs, keep those O lineman moving forward and Brady’s jersey CLEAN!
May 20th, 2021 at 8:45 am
I think 30 points a game is a good target. That gives the running game room to flourish. Given the preponderance of passing in today’s NFL, other teams are also going to score more often. I think 30 points should keep us at a very comfortable win margin in most games.
May 20th, 2021 at 9:22 am
Offense should score more, at least 32 per game
Defense should be better
Complacency? Brady will not allow it.
Injuries are the only concern and out of our control (Oline, protect Brady!!!)
Undefeated season? Very well could happen. AND Brady “would trade two SB rings to have an undefeated season”.
Should be one very exciting year.
May 20th, 2021 at 10:13 am
The better the defense is the more the offense will get the ball. That means more opportunity to score points. 35 per game could be low.
May 20th, 2021 at 11:00 am
I’m thinking 32 ppg on average, with hopefully a lot more time of possession, meaning we are playing good defense and sustaining drives on offense.
May 20th, 2021 at 1:40 pm
We should be better.
May 20th, 2021 at 6:24 pm
1st yes if the D also plays the way that they do S.A. to Pat Kirwin his book “Take your eyes of the ball” for a lack of better words.. opened my eyes to all sorts of aspects of football and the organization that puts it together!
May 21st, 2021 at 5:50 pm
Brady played all season nursing a knee.
Gronk had to detox from partying
Antonio was…antonio for a bit
Playoff Lenny was still miffed.
I say watch out. They know what it takes and know how to win