“Bucs Will Go Undefeated”
August 10th, 2021
“Bryon, I’m going to text the Glazers and ask them to give you a raise right now.”
Tampa Bay’s march to going undefeated this season very much will be about running back Giovani Bernard, says one prominent former Buccaneer.
Yes, undefeated. That means 20-0 and a Super Bowl title with Tom Brady riding a 28-game winning streak that will signal the end of his career.
That’s the prognostication from former Bucs blocking icon Michael Clayton, a teammate of Jason Pierre-Paul on the champion Giants of 2011.
Joe was intrigued as to why Clayton made that bold proclamation on WDAE radio.
After reminding the world that he was drinking the Kool-Aid very early last year, claiming the Bucs would march to Super Bowl glory, Clayton explained that the Bucs’ dominance this season may be about the finishing touch to their offense and depth.
Clayton says he believes the offense’s improvement will revolve around the usage of Giovani Bernard, who he called a key chain-moving component out of the backfield.
Per Clayton, Bernard “changes the dynamic of the football team and makes the offense complete.” He’s also high on the depth throughout the offense, highlighting Ronald Jones and Tyler Johnson.
The Bernard take can be argued many ways. Bucs running backs caught 80 balls last season. If Bernard scores that third-down back gig and proves reliable, Tampa Bay might end up with 100 catches by running backs with Bernard hauling in 70 and producing more than the guys who caught the balls last year.
Clayton argued that the Bucs’ failures in the short-passing game cost them a few games last year.
August 10th, 2021 at 3:04 pm
This is the same guy that thought Jay-Miss should have been given the $100+ million dollar contract and blamed the Bucs receivers for running the wrong routes on most of his interceptions.
August 10th, 2021 at 3:09 pm
Brady is even more dangerous with a pass-catching RB. It’s what helped ignite that seemingly impossible, come-from-behind win against Atlanta during Super Bowl LI. Too many passes were dropped by RoJo and Fournette last season, drops that ended up killing drives. A pass-catching RB also creates space and opportunities for others. If Bernard still has gas in the tank, he’s going to be quite an asset.
But going undefeated? To me the goal is winning another Super Bowl.
August 10th, 2021 at 3:10 pm
^^^Fock undefeated. Just get back to the big dance!
August 10th, 2021 at 3:13 pm
Great ..it definitely wont happen now 😂
Clayton is never right and just put the jynx on the perfect season
All kidding aside. No way that happens. It hasnt happened in how many decades since the fins?
Every teAm will have a down week or two
Now i think 14 wins (in 17 game new season) is definitely possible
That first round bye in playoffs should be the goal
August 10th, 2021 at 3:21 pm
I remember Clayton ripping everything the Bucs did for at least 2 years.
I guess if you now predict them to be 20-0 then it is easy if they fall a step or lose a game for him to go back to his criticizing ways again.
I agree with PassingThru. It would be great if we have home field advantage through the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. But ultimately, I do not care if we get in as a wild card again and ultimately win the whole thing.
Look at the Lightning. They were not close to the best record and as the playoffs started there were 3 or 4 teams with better odds then them to win it all. All that mattered is they won back to back Stanley’s.
All that really matters is back to back Lombardi’s.
August 10th, 2021 at 3:22 pm
“If Bernard scores that third-down back gig and proves reliable…”
Bernard has already proven this year over year. With Brady’s penchant for hitting running backs with check downs, I think catching 70+ balls for Bernard is a foregone conclusion. Barring injury of course.
August 10th, 2021 at 3:33 pm
Joe…in the picture…Byron not Bryon.
Coming from a guy that said Hape rather than Hudson in another article.
August 10th, 2021 at 4:03 pm
We’re Buccaneers
We’re claiming all the booty in 2021 …
20-0
Super Bowl
Super Bowl MVP TB12
MVP TB12
DPOTY White (sorry Shaq)
Sack leader Shaq
DROTY Tryon
Parlay that! ‘Cuz ain’t nobody gett’n nothing.
(Except OROTY. Trevor Lawrence, You’re welcome.)
August 10th, 2021 at 4:14 pm
I also think that Bernard will be a nice addition to our RB stable, but in reality he’s not the HUGE upgrade in terms of pass-catching ability that some seem to imagine.
Giovanni has a career (8 years) pass-catching average of 74.8%. Personally I think that’s quite good for a RB, but not phenomenal. What is impressive is that last year he averaged 79.7% (caught 47 out of 59 balls thrown to him). THAT will be phenomenal if he can duplicate it IMO.
But RoJo isn’t as bad at pass-catching as so many seem to think. He has a career (3 years) pass-catching average of 72.5%, not great but not atrocious either. Problem is that he regressed last year with Tom Brady throwing to him (only caught 28 out of 42 balls thrown to him for 66.7%). Not a good look.
Fournette faired quite a bit better IMO. He has a career (4 years) pass-catching average of 76.9%; actually better than Bernard’s average. Last year he did fairly decent with Tom Brady; averaged 76.6% (caught 36 out of 47 balls thrown to him).
Although their pass-catching percentages aren’t all that dissimilar INO, Bernard has averaged 8.5 yds/completion over his career. RoJo is averaging a little less at 7.7 YPC, while Fournette is averaging 7.3 YPC over his career. Again not huge differences but every yard counts. Tend to think that the real differentiator in terms of who gets the most snaps will be (1) 3rd down performance; and (2) pass blocking.
August 10th, 2021 at 4:35 pm
Fournette is a better pass-catching back than RoJo, but he isn’t a natural pass-catching back. He hesitates to secure that ball, he has an inability to consistently catch a pass in stride. And unlike Bernard he benefited by having Brady throw passes to him last season. That’s huge; Brady doesn’t throw passes that get his targets killed, just the opposite. His passes tend to give RBs great yards after catch.
August 10th, 2021 at 4:44 pm
It’s NOT going to happen! If we are sitting at 15 and 0 or 16 and 0. That means we have licked down home field. So no started for one it two games. B.A. would be a moron to risk injuries when the 1 seed is a lock.
August 10th, 2021 at 5:18 pm
Drunkinybor… I don’t think BA would sit the guys, because he yesterday said all the guys will start in the preseason games, which we know but for the young guys, is pretty meaningless. I think he will give the vets rest days. But I think he believes in momentum and keeping guys sharp, as well as fresh.
August 10th, 2021 at 5:33 pm
mark2001…That’s a good point however I just don’t see him playing starters more than a half if we have the number 1 seed locked down. If somebody were injured he would look like Ultimo butt head. I know B.A. and the guys will coach there hearts out to win those games and make history. I just can’t see anyway you risk injury when it doesn’t matter.
August 10th, 2021 at 5:50 pm
Undefeated would be great but very hard to do. But we do have the best leader in NFL history and with little or no serious injuries anythings possible. GO BUCS 20-0.
August 10th, 2021 at 5:50 pm
Drunkinybor. I heard a coach or player said, the biggest threat to injury is when you play half in…less than full speed… playing not to get hurt. He is running training camp mostly that way. Pushing the O.. Pushing the D. As well as the other things I’ve mentioned. Often times those bye weeks are the most dangerous for a team on a roll…unless they really need the time to heal up. The teams often come out flat. You noticed Arians already criticized how the Offense came out flat after the day of in training camp. He wants them to start fast, play hard, and play to the end. I thing we will see a good rotation, and good number 2 guys ready if someone is injured. But how you play from one game to another and momentum loss, is right up there with minor injury. Injuries? Who knows when and where?
August 10th, 2021 at 6:04 pm
APG…. APPRECIATE PERSECTIVE GRATEFULNESS…
THANK GOD for other Buccaneers Websites!
August 10th, 2021 at 6:16 pm
Absent too many Vita Vea situations, I expect them to go undefeated
August 10th, 2021 at 7:29 pm
As long as the Bucs go undefeated in the playoffs, all will be well.
August 10th, 2021 at 7:37 pm
Just beat the boys
August 10th, 2021 at 8:11 pm
I’d be happy with just another Lombardi. Almost no one wins back 2 back in this era. It’ll be a memorable accomplishment just to do that.
But I do think winning the division and getting the #1 seed is going to be much more important this year because there will be full stadiums again. So every game is going to be critical.
August 10th, 2021 at 8:32 pm
Crazy talk, let’s just focus on beating Dallas. One game at a time….
August 10th, 2021 at 9:44 pm
Just having Bernard come out of the backfield will freeze a lot of safeties.
Other than that, don’t get ahead of yourself, but undefeated would be the cherry on top.
August 10th, 2021 at 11:48 pm
No undefeated season this year please. Maybe next year. If we go undefeated this year, I think Brady walks away and calls it a career. I would like him back for a third year if possible, so just another Super Bowl this year and then go undefeated the following.
August 11th, 2021 at 1:59 am
Twenty and oh, until it ain’t so!!
August 11th, 2021 at 6:16 am
20-0 till it ain’t so
Go Bucs
August 11th, 2021 at 6:42 am
Blocking icon, now that’s funny,Joe. I was at a home game with New Orleans
years ago, when a group of Michael Clayton special guests wearing Saints colors
took front row seats. Hard for me to excuse that. Unfortunately for them some of our fans showed their lack of class and threw projectiles at them.
August 11th, 2021 at 2:33 pm
Screw all that talk it’s like a good time with a girlfriend n yall think it’s gonna last forever 😂