Picking The Rams Feels Like A Reach
September 26th, 2021
He will find a way.
The long-time senior columnist/podcaster Greg Rosenthal of NFL.com makes a good point about selecting the Bucs to win today’s game against the Rams.
If you pick the Rams, you are picking a team that has beaten a couple of woeful offenses in Andy Dalton and the Bears and Carson Wentz and the Colts.
The Bucs offense is a whole different animal.
Additionally, the Bucs are Super Bowl champs. And oh yeah, there’s this guy named Tom Brady pulling the trigger.
There is so much to like about each of these teams that it’s almost easier to list what isn’t going well. For the Bucs, right tackle Tristan Wirfs is off to a slow start, and the team’s defense has taken a step back. For the Rams, the defense has made big plays but has forced just three punts. The special teams have struggled. These might very well be the best two teams running the two most efficient offenses in football, but I feel like I know this Rams squad so much less that picking them to beat the reigning champs is too much of a projection.
Now Joe is going to stick up for Tristan Wirfs, but Joe fully understands what Rosenthal is getting at.
Last year, Wirfs was so damn good, he set an absurd standard for both himself and other right tackles. Five-star play, well, Bucs fans almost became spoiled.
This year, Wirfs hasn’t had been as good. Wirfs is still having a strong year, but he’s not mauling people as much.
As Joe always likes to type, when someone has a lot of success, opposing coaches have all offseason to study film and try to find a way to take him down a peg or two. Perhaps that is what is happening?
Hey, if Wirfs’ not-as-dominant play is the issue, the Bucs and Bucs fans have it damn good.
In other words, don’t worry about the pride of Iowa.
September 26th, 2021 at 1:03 am
IDK what everyone else seemed to see but I saw Wirfs tackling two people at once several times and thought he was doing better than fine.
September 26th, 2021 at 1:24 am
I hope Donnie Donuts didn’t get Wirfs to follow him to Krispy Kreme during the off season !? Perhaps teach Tristan how to conserve energy by anticipating the end of the play and stop playing a second early ?
September 26th, 2021 at 2:00 am
I think the more Tristan hears this type of criticism that he’s “fallen off” the more he’s going to be motivated to kicking butt.
September 26th, 2021 at 6:34 am
Joe – edit “Carson Wentz and eagles” [colts]
September 26th, 2021 at 7:48 am
Carson Wentz got traded back to the Eagles?
September 26th, 2021 at 8:01 am
In the Dallas game, Wirfs had his hands full. There were plays that he was not controlling his man. I was surprised to see that, because he has been so dominant. On the play where Rojo had the ball punched out, that was Wirfs man. Lawrence came off his block by Wirfs and caused the fumble by Rojo. So room to grow for our “RT for the next Decade” He is obviously a stud, but room tp grow for the 2nd year RT. There were other plays where Wirfs was not being his Dominant self. But as they go everything will be fine with the possible future HOF RT.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
September 26th, 2021 at 8:16 am
DeMarcus Lawrence didn’t get $100 M for nothing.
September 26th, 2021 at 8:29 am
I read somewhere that our pass defense is #11 in the league when you factor in the number times teams are throwing it on us (yards given up per attempt or something like that).
I think JD, CD3 and co. are doing okay and pass rush will only get better. I feel like this Rams team will be a good test, but even if we fail this week, we are still sitting pretty.
September 26th, 2021 at 9:11 am
Yeah Rams D hasn’t looked good yet. Any given day tho. Be ready today at game time and it’ll be fine
September 26th, 2021 at 9:40 am
Have thought long and hard on this game due to the matchup and post-season implications. Ignoring the tried and true clichés of game outcome dependent on turnovers, penalties and injuries….it would seem no more complicated than Brady and the Bucs outscoring the Rams, especially in the second half when Brady has at times faded. (I know, my mother said “I have a good grasp of the obvious”!)
I seem to recall that our old nemeses used to be the “slow start”, now it appears that at times we have a sluggish finish.
Last week, 2 Pick 6’s late provided the majority of our winning margin. We will NOT see that happen here…we need to get into the endzone…and not let up until the bell rings.
September 26th, 2021 at 10:39 am
Including his 4 years as Head Coach in Cleveland, Belichick is 63wins–74losses without Tom Brady.
September 26th, 2021 at 11:09 am
Carson Wentz doesn’t play for the Eagles, and the Rams didn’t play them. Great reporting as usual by Joe.
September 26th, 2021 at 11:16 am
Timbucs2 Says:
September 26th, 2021 at 8:29 am
I read somewhere that our pass defense is #11 in the league when you factor in the number times teams are throwing it on us (yards given up per attempt or something like that).
I think JD, CD3 and co. are doing okay and pass rush will only get better. I feel like this Rams team will be a good test, but even if we fail this week, we are still sitting pretty.
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Bucs Pass Defense is ranked 30th out of 32 teams NOT GOOD any way you want to look at it.
Hey Todd, please Dial 1-800 PAS RUSH.
GO BUCS!!!!!!!
September 26th, 2021 at 11:36 am
It will be a shootout. Brady will come out ahead of Stafford because Stafford had been a gunslinger for years and it got him nowhere.
He will try to manage the game better and make a couple of mistakes.
Both defenses have endless possibilities, but neither has put that on the field yet, whichever one comes closer will influence, but not win the game.
We will see it all play out again in the Championship game, both teams will make strides today but the Bucs back ups and rookie have more of a statement to make.
September 26th, 2021 at 11:51 am
Be nice to see a statement game from the Bucs today. Kick Rams butt, and put the rest of the league on notice. Go Bucs!!
September 27th, 2021 at 12:08 pm
Senior Colummst huh? Woeful offenses? Only thing woeful is your analysis of this game!! Who did the Bucs play again? Right Dallas & Atlanta. Granted Cowboys has a better offense than Chicago, maybe even Indy BUT Dallas & Atlanta have inferior Defenses than Chicago & Indy. Not only but Rams 2 opponents were in the playoffs. You didn’t pick the Rams because you “don’t know them”, 🤔 curious? Face it THE BETTER TEAM WON TODAY!@@