Clyde Christensen: Losing Antonio Brown “A Big Blow”
September 30th, 2021
Interesting take from the Buccaneers’ quarterbacks coach.
Clyde Christensen doesn’t seem to have much of a filter. He loves to talk and he’s interesting and seems candid.
The Bucs let him loose on their Buccaneers Total Access show at Buccaneers.com this week and Christensen lamented missing furniture-hurling, bicycle-throwing receiver Antonio Brown against the Rams.
Joe didn’t consider Brown a big loss (he was on the COVID list) but perhaps the powers inside One Buc Palace were punched in the gut.
“That’s A.B.’s kind of game,” Christensen said. “He’s kind of a guy when the really bright light comes on, he just rises and raises his level of play. So that was a perfect game for him, this game, too, [against New England]. These high-profile games, he just seems to come alive in.
“So it was a big blow not having him there because I think he would have provided us some big plays. He always has provided big plays in those kinds of games. So I do think it was a blow.”
Whether Brown’s absense made a real difference is unclear. But Joe agrees that Brown brings a lot of juice in big games.
With a special Sunday Night Football approaching, a massive showcase for the upcoming free agent who also was cut by the Patriots, Joe expects high-engery Brown to be jumping out of his skin.
September 30th, 2021 at 9:31 am
Also did not help having three starters on defense out of the game.
September 30th, 2021 at 9:45 am
There was a perfect storm working against us vs Rams……..AB, JPP, SMB, out…..Dean drops an easy int early…..shanked punts (Pinion rarely does that)…..Gronk lets pass slip off his fingertips…..untimely penalties…..
Who knows if AB would have made a difference….but he usually does.
September 30th, 2021 at 9:49 am
TBBF – All good points. Better luck (and personnel) this week.
September 30th, 2021 at 9:51 am
Splash Players make splash plays in big games. He was missed on Sunday for sure!
September 30th, 2021 at 9:53 am
AB is the best receiver on the team and he will prove that the rest of the season. He didn’t douch in Atl but had two passes that would of.been huge gains if not one a TD if their DB didn’t leap and barely break them up with his fingertips. He is a studd.
September 30th, 2021 at 9:55 am
Still love Mike Singletary’s quote… “I want winners. I want people that want to win.”
September 30th, 2021 at 9:57 am
Unless they planned on having AB play defense as well, wouldn’t have mattered.
September 30th, 2021 at 9:58 am
AB stretches the field on a way that our other WRs don’t. I think having AB would’ve impacted the Rams’ defensive game plan quite a bit actually, as well as our offensive game plan obviously.
September 30th, 2021 at 10:00 am
AB would’ve made a huge difference in Los Angeles (covid cost us a game). And pissing away a 2nd rd draft pick on Kyle instead of a CB also cost us a game & a 1st Rd bye in the playoffs & a shot at the Superbowl.
September 30th, 2021 at 10:04 am
Love that everyone thinks we’d draft a starter CB in the second round….
September 30th, 2021 at 10:13 am
huge blow. he would have been the guy to throw those outside balls to in the backfield. He’s got the wiggle to break them big.
He was very much missed and TB would have been targeting him a lot more than trips on his own feet, cooler throwing, pouty Mike Evans.
September 30th, 2021 at 10:29 am
asdf — It’s not just a starter at CB, it’s about an All-Pro at every position where we have an injury or any player having a mediocre day ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
But have you recognized no one tells us the name of the player he would have drafted. Guess it makes it easier for them to tell us in three or more years X would have been there at 64.
I bet you no fan of any team was bitching about not drafting Tom Brady during his rookie season. That started during his sophomore campaign.
September 30th, 2021 at 10:34 am
but… but… but… BA said Antonio is just the Gravy…. are we now saying that AB is actually the main course… of course after Brady and Gronk.
September 30th, 2021 at 10:38 am
On the post route where Tyler Johnson was a shoe string away from a long TD, AB takes that to the house in my belief… I think AB being out was a huge blow
September 30th, 2021 at 10:46 am
No fault of Tyler’s but he hasn’t seen action that much needless to say passes. In AB’s absence Miller, Johnson & Brate were targeted more because the keys were on Evan’s and Godwin. That’s a huge relief on Rams D, Brown has to be paid attention to whenever he is on the field. He is also used on reverse plays and quick screens where these others but Brate are not. Huge loss. BA needs to get off the juice.
September 30th, 2021 at 10:51 am
You are nuts if you think losing AB was not a big deal lol people do not understand the difference he makes and the fact that he gives Godwin and Evans a run for their money as Bucs best receiver which is saying a lot
September 30th, 2021 at 11:14 am
Mike is a hall of famer, but he has his doubters still. Godwin has the potential to be one as well, but Brown, when he’s good mentally and at his peak, is just on another level. If Brown hadn’t wigged out, he’d be a no brainer for the hall of fame. Sunday is gonna be fun!
September 30th, 2021 at 12:17 pm
AB is a different type of receiver, and one that Brady obviously loves using. So losing him, and replacing him with Scotty Miller is about as big of a letdown as you get. Tyler Johnson is a better WR than Miller, but lacks the speed and quickness – so he’s not a good replacement since he’s just a different style of WR. That’s why the team drafted Darden, they clearly see him in the physical mold of AB and I think they were hoping that next year you could plop him into that role – the same way the team is hoping Johnson will be far enough long to replace Godwin since they’re not going to have the money to pay everyone.
September 30th, 2021 at 12:30 pm
Though I think highly of Evans and Godwin, AB is the best WR in terms of intermediate route running. The Rams defensive secondary was playing for the deeper passes and it worked as their outside corners and safeties did a great job. Meanwhile the Ram D Line was winning battles with the Buc O Line, making those longer pass plays a pretty bad idea.
The Buc attack was sort of schizoid. Timid, predictable runs and short passes to start, then an attempt to look deep. What helped the Bucs was that the pass attack started getting wins in the deeper intermediate routes. That’s also where AB shines as he’s one of the craftier technicians on the field, particularly on those intermediate to deep intermediate routes.
I said it before, I’ll say it again: The silver lining in this loss is that the Rams never saw the Bucs fully-loaded in terms of personnel, but the Bucs did see the Rams’ A-Game with full personnel. These two teams will meet again, and of the two teams the Bucs will find it easier to make adjustments while the Rams will not have as clear a picture as to what Bucs offensive game plan might look like.
September 30th, 2021 at 1:31 pm
Joe, any chance of Sherman dressing for this Sunday, even if only to be fill-in for injured players??
September 30th, 2021 at 1:50 pm
There is always a chance, sure. But both Arians and Sherman said it was unlikely he would/could play Sunday. Sherman even said it was “foolish” to think he could play Sunday because he doesn’t know the defense yet.
So if a guy can’t play, not sure the Bucs would activate him for Sunday’s game.
September 30th, 2021 at 2:59 pm
Thanks Joe!
September 30th, 2021 at 8:04 pm
AB doesn’t drop a pass, runs precise routes and can make moves with the ball. He’s a true weapon and we need him back.