When It All Came Together
August 3rd, 2021
Jamel Dean
Bucs fans tend to think the change in the team after the bye week was on offense.
Point to whatever you want: Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians opening up the playbook.
Or maybe finally the playbook was finally understood by 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, helmet-tossing, football-punting, Bucs-Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady.
Whatever, something happened to this team after the bye and it led them to eight consecutive wins and a Super Bowl win.
Well, yesterday, cornerback Jamel Dean said the young secondary found its rhythm after the bye. He couldn’t directly put his finger on it, but after the bye, Dean said the Bucs’ secondary found magic.
“Honestly I think a lot of things started clicking for us after the bye week,” Dean said. “I don’t know what happened, it just happened.
“I was just thinking to myself, ‘Maybe we just finally grew up.’ Once we realized we all grew up, we started looking at each other and started seeing the same thing, pointing at the same thing. We were like this is kind of a connection as if we’re twins or something.’”
Joe may have an answer as to why everything came together for the Bucs secondary later in the year.
SiriusXM NFL Radio hosts Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller, of “Movin’ the Chains,” were doing their annual training camp tour yesterday with the Belicheats (Kirwan and Miller are scheduled to come to Bucs training camp Aug. 11).
Now Joe normally doesn’t give two flips about the Belicheats. But Bill Belicheat did a sitdown with Kirwan and Miller. That is rare, so Joe listened.
(When Belicheat is in the mood, he’s a fascinating listen on football. Sadly, he’s rarely in the mood.)
Belicheat made the point that many players who normally would have made a jump in performance from their rookie years to their second years, or from their second years to their third years, had that natural development and evolution delayed because there was no offseason last year.
Could that be what happened with the young Bucs’ secondary?
That their natural development was just stunted with no offseason last and everything clicked after the bye? When normally it would have come together after OTAs, minicamps, a regular training camp and preseason games?
That never crossed Joe’s mind until Belicheat mentioned it.
August 3rd, 2021 at 5:26 am
The secondary became better after the bye because the coach did not send an extra player to blitz.
August 3rd, 2021 at 6:02 am
The team had an epiphany then used their old slogan to get it done #SeigeTheDay (meaning, let’s not waste Tom Brady while we have him).
August 3rd, 2021 at 6:15 am
Dean’s pick-6 against Rodgers when they were down 0-10 to the Packers was the turning point in the season. Arians said that much himself “In the Current.” (I think I’m on my third time watching that series beginning with the preseason.)
Also….
Happy Birthday Thomas Edward Patrick Brady!
August 3 is a day I’ve added to my personal birthday calendar for annual reverence and celebration.
August 3rd, 2021 at 6:30 am
I keep thinking as a Bucs fan, these guys are all young and DEVELOPING. We have yet to see them peak. Think about that. Save for a few veterans, most of the defense are young players.
If I had any concerns, it would be quality depth at certain positions.
August 3rd, 2021 at 8:18 am
Don’t have to overthink it Joe, pass rush stepped up after bye week, not a coincidence
August 3rd, 2021 at 8:45 am
Good thing they did figure things out because that first half against KC (regular) was an embarrassment.
August 3rd, 2021 at 9:48 am
Playing 3 teams in disarray for the last 4 games of the season had to be confidence and momentum boosters too.
August 3rd, 2021 at 10:55 am
Sometimes you have to step away from what you’re doing in order for it all to come together for you. The team was still thinking instead of playing by instinct and the bye came at a perfect time, it allowed them to rest from so much thinking and allowed their instincts to catch up. I relate this to my time in Navy boot camp, for six weeks the daily physical training was crushing me then we had work week where we did no PTing and when we went back I was in the best shape of my life and it was no longer a struggle. The mind and body need rest.
August 3rd, 2021 at 12:12 pm
Bill Belichick made an excellent point IMO, but there’s still more at play here. Easier schedule after the BYE probably helped. A week’s rest probably did too.
Plus I’m thinking that motivation played a big part also. They were within striking distance of a wildcard spot at the BYE week (7-5) … motivation. They were healthy … motivation. And they had just played 2 teams (Rams & Chiefs) very tough. Although Bucs lost both games (27-24 both games), those 2 games probably gave them a pretty good idea of what it’d take to step it up & run the table. And run the table they did.
August 3rd, 2021 at 12:16 pm
Bowles called very different gameplans after the bye. I think that was the different
August 3rd, 2021 at 1:18 pm
the main difference i could see is the gameplan. the games we were attacking on defense, even early, we were good. when we play that soft zone, we get torched. i hope that bowles has figured that out
August 3rd, 2021 at 2:17 pm
Yeah, I think we went to more of a man under with safety help over the top. I too hate our soft zone.
August 3rd, 2021 at 2:33 pm
It was a perfect storm for the Bucs defense. Getting embarrassed by the Chiefs early woke them up and lit a fire under them, from the players to the coaching staff. From there, they let the guys press more and play their style with help over the top and relied on the front four to do their job and get to the QB quickly. and the players and coaches were all in and doing everythiing in their power to have a better gameplan and execute better on the field, and they were supremely focused and determined from that point on to dominate their opponents.
August 4th, 2021 at 2:16 am
2nd half of the first Falcons game! You could see it. Brady waved off a play, called an audible. It worked. After that you could could the entire team gain confidence. Breaking ATLs hearts is a TB 12 specialty.
The team and coaches just rolled from there, with each great play contributing to the greater whole!
But let’s be honest here Joe. We all thought that secondary was trash for a minute. No more. Love this team! Go BUCS!