Bad Spin On Bucs Receivers’ Greatness
July 26th, 2021
Most reasoned and seasoned NFL observers believe receivers draw pass interference calls, especially the great ones.
Mike Evans, for example, gets his share of calls on flailing defensive backs, as does Rob Gronkowski.
Evans got past the flagrant push-off habit he had early in his career and found ways to temper it and make it more referee-friendly. It’s one of many ways he’s grown his game.
NFL super-insider Peter King, however, appears to have a somewhat different perspective on defensive pass interference. Per his Football Morning in America column today for NBC Sports, King notes that pass interference calls are tied to the name on the quarterback’s jersey.
Tom Brady “has drawn” a lot of calls, especially last year.
Tom Brady and the DPI. Brady drew the most defensive pass-interference calls (23) than any quarterback has drawn in the last 37 years. More grist for the officiating conspiracy theorists who think Brady gets Jordan-like treatment from the officials.
Reading this irked Joe. C’mon, Peter. The Bucs are loaded at receiver and tight end and defenses can’t cover all that talent. That’s why the Bucs got all those calls.
Sure, Brady might get preferential treatment from officials when it comes to taking hits from pass rushers, but on pass interference calls?
Joe thinks implying that is an injustice to the historic Bucs receiving/tight ends corps.
July 26th, 2021 at 8:10 am
One needs to consider Brady is a 21 year savvy vet. Im sure when he’s making his reads if he sees a receiver getting held or anything extra he tosses a safely placed ball their way because all refs eyes are gonna be drawn to that area of the field thereby increasing the chance it gets called. Another point is id guess mike Evans is top 7 in drawing PI calls every year hes been in the mens leauge. Add in Gronkowski and yeah i can see how we had more pi calls than anyone in 37 years
July 26th, 2021 at 8:24 am
Sometimes you just get lucky with calls/no calls-
During NFC Championship, Bucs got the interference call when the Packers’ DB pulled Johnson’s jersey.
But right before that, Devin White got away with a jersey tug at the Bucs’ goal line.
July 26th, 2021 at 8:33 am
The Bucs have top notch talent receivers and I believe refs are less tolerant of questionable contact against top receivers and let some contact against lesser rated receivers slide. Same holds true for elite quarterbacks who tend to get more ” protection” calls than second tier qbs. Status has its perks.
July 26th, 2021 at 8:51 am
I have nothing nice to say about King, so I’ll stay quiet (one of my new resolutions) other than to say that he is wrong. 😛
July 26th, 2021 at 9:20 am
AlanBucs,
You are exactly right.
I saw that too.
Hopefully our luck holds out a little while longer.
July 26th, 2021 at 9:30 am
Could it be a product of Brady’s ball placement…..he puts the ball where only his receivers can catch it…..therefore they aren’t going after the pass but after the receiver.
With Jameis….they didn’t focus on the receiver;….they saw the ball coming their way therefore no reason to interfere.
July 26th, 2021 at 9:45 am
The Bucs have gotten the wrong end of the stick penalty-wise for so long, I’m happy that anyone on the Bucs would be considered for preferential treatment.
July 26th, 2021 at 9:48 am
Well the one benefit Brady won’t have, they won’t high five him after a td. That was the funniest thing ever, Brady trolling the refs!
July 26th, 2021 at 10:07 am
Agreed SufferSince76, decades of getting screwed by the officials – Remember Jerry Markbreit ? That guy hated the Bucs… lol. At any rate, the refs never call holding on KC , did King mention that?
We have great receivers that can draw penalties from short,slow DB’s trying to do anything to defend against our WR’s. Maybe King needs to write about that….
July 26th, 2021 at 11:32 am
That’s nonsense. Evans gets mugged almost every play out there, and a lot of times is 3 or 4 yards down the field from where his jersey is.
July 26th, 2021 at 11:36 am
Hey…when you are a 5’10, 180 lb. guy and you are trying to guard a Mike Evans or Gronk, and they know where the play is going and you don’t, how are you going to cover him? That is the bottom line. Frankly, unless you are faster, and you can jump 40″, you don’t have much of a chance.
July 26th, 2021 at 11:51 am
I mean, how does a 5 yard chuck/contact rule mean anything, if guys can mug you 15 yards down the field when the ball is in the air?
July 26th, 2021 at 12:03 pm
Smart corners and safeties grab for a split second and let go quickly , and they grab at the right location on the jersey where the tug is not as obvious by stretching the jersey excessively. Buc defenders have become masters of this as SMB did on the Rodgers int right before the half that changed that game dramatically. Cannot help but wonder if coaching has not brought about their mastery of the quick grab in the right spot.
July 26th, 2021 at 12:13 pm
I agree with TBBF: a DB must get frustrated with superior ball placement, and get over aggressive.
On the flip side, that ball placement also means a Mike Evans does not have to push off as much to get the ball.
July 26th, 2021 at 12:30 pm
Just haters trying to find some excuse….
The Refs
Too much talent
Evans is too big for the NFL
The Refs dont give Brady preferential treatment. Heck last season Tom coudn’t even get a high five from one.
July 26th, 2021 at 1:33 pm
One research article shows that TB did not get any favor treatment when he played for the Patriots.
July 26th, 2021 at 1:33 pm
I think the question is a great one and is a testimonial of how great we are at the receiver position. It’s fair to ask if Brady gets a sort of Michael Jordan treatment, but Jamies Winston didn’t. 2019 the Bucs had only 17 yards less in drawing DPI for the whole year than New England, and NE played in the playoffs. BTW, the 2019 Bucs didn’t have Gronk or AB either.
So the guy that threw more picks than anyone in NFL got the same DPI benefit as the GOAT in 2019. Now in 2020 Brady gets great receivers and what happens? His receivers benefit from the most DPI in the NFL by a long shot. In 2020, Winston can’t even get a starting job and Brady had the better receivers than he did in 2019. Proof: the Bucs benefitted the most from DPI and New England was last. Thank you Mike Evans. You’ve been one of the best ever at drawing DPIs from Winston and now Brady. You own the NFL 1,000 yard early career stat yet you only have gone to 2 Pro Bowls. Evans and LVD are the 2 most underrated players I have ever seen
July 26th, 2021 at 3:15 pm
Let’s just say since Brady arrived the officials seemed to gotton a lot more fair. 😵💫
July 26th, 2021 at 3:35 pm
Haha! I hope he gets better treatment, he’s Tom friggin Brady, and he’s ours, enjoy!
July 26th, 2021 at 3:39 pm
Peter King gave “Cuties” a Thumbs-Up on Netflix.
July 26th, 2021 at 8:57 pm
When Brady played for the Patriots thier offense would make it up to around their 40yd to 50yd line they would do a play action deep pass. Basically go for it on first or second down. If the safety bit on the play action Brady throws deep to the receiver who got the one on one coverage with a defensive back and no over head help from a safety. That DB knows if that ball is caught it has a high chance of being a TD. That DB also knows even if he can tackle the receiver with zero yds after the catch that puts the Patriots close to field goal range with a first down. So the DB would get a little more aggressive. Often drawing a pass interference call. Brady has been doing this for years. If the Safety doesn’t bite Brady doesn’t throw deep. He throws to the running back and still gets positive yds. This play has a little down side. It’s a Hey let’s take a shot here if it’s there great if not that’s OK too. The pass interference is just the icing on the cake.
July 28th, 2021 at 9:10 am
It must have really irked ya Joe! Keep it up Mr. KING!! Notice no paragraph of Kings Red highlighted post… Yay!