Statement Game
November 23rd, 2021
Proved a point last night?
You could tell by the way the Bucs players spoke after the game that some were royally peeved at their two-game losing streak entering Monday’s game against the Giants.
Even Mike Evans told Sara Walsh of NFL Network that losing back-to-back with the talent the Bucs have was “unacceptable.”
And how and to whom the Bucs lost two was unnerving.
Nick Shook of NFL.com is convinced the way the Bucs opened the game that they were wanting to make an example of the Giants for the Bucs’ sins of the past two games. Boy, did they.
Shook said Monday night was a statement game that put the NFL on notice. The Super Bowl champs aren’t just going to roll over.
The Buccaneers entered Monday night intending on making a statement, and they delivered. After falling to Washington and displaying a lack of defensive fight in Week 10, Todd Bowles’ defense answered the call Monday night, forcing three turnovers (two that mattered), harassing Daniel Jones and causing frequent chaos for New York’s offense. Even without Vita Vea, the Buccaneers were able to consistently collapse the pocket, putting Giants guard Will Hernandez in a clown suit on multiple occasions and neutralizing the threat of Saquon Barkley. Jones was often running for his life, and was only able to convert one of New York’s three fourth-down attempts. The Giants’ best shot at competing came as a result of a timely interception off a deflected pass, but from there, they watched their chance of an upset melt away because of a lack of an ability to do much of anything offensively. Bowles’ unit looked better than it has in weeks, and Monday night could be a jumping-off point for the Bucs much like Week 14 was for last year’s champs.
The return of both Rob Gronkowski and Sean Murphy-Bunting were huge factors last night. Gronk is Gronk. No need to detail there.
SMB had three picks in the playoffs last year and you could argue his pick in Green Bay right before halftime set up the wonderful Tom Brady bomb to Scotty Miller. Take that Miller touchdown off the board and the Bucs lose 26-24.
So yeah, with Gronk and SMB back, while the Bucs are still not at full-strength, they looked more like the team we expect to see.
November 23rd, 2021 at 5:31 am
Statement game? What statement? “We can dominate 3-6 teams?” Come on. This is like Tyson beating Seamus McDonagh. Big whoop.
November 23rd, 2021 at 5:40 am
ModHairKen Says:
November 23rd, 2021 at 5:31 am
Statement game? What statement? “We can dominate 3-6 teams?” Come on. This is like Tyson beating Seamus McDonagh. Big whoop.
^^^^^^^^^
A win is a win in the NFL. Several Bucs “fans” were picking the Giants (you know who you are).
November 23rd, 2021 at 5:56 am
I agree the early drives were statements but the offense fizzled and we left points on the board. Next week is a much better barometer of our team
November 23rd, 2021 at 6:14 am
A much needed a$$-whoopin’!
November 23rd, 2021 at 6:35 am
This shows that Bucs players need to play angry and stay angry. That’s the only way that they are going to get back to the playoffs and repeat. Eye of the tiger!
November 23rd, 2021 at 6:51 am
The team played really good but lets just not overreact, like when there are losses. The NYG is not a team that you can make a Statement game in my opinion. What i liked more from this game was i saw many snaps for M.Edwards at the slot in place of Cockrell, something that i thought should be happening more in the previous games too. Hopefully when Carlton Davis and Vean return we can see a more aggressive Defense. Good performance, solid win. Go Bucs.
November 23rd, 2021 at 7:36 am
We left a lot of points out there……I do like the way our Defense elevated the intensity later in the game….I think they were very inspired by the Ray Jay crowd,,,,
There is no question that the return of Gronk & SMB helped.
As of late…..anytime we beat the spread, it’s a statement game.
November 23rd, 2021 at 7:45 am
Christos … ‘What i liked more from this game was i saw many snaps for M.Edwards at the slot in place of Cockrell.’
Yea verily to that! We may not have Davis back yet, but Dean & SMB did very well outside and Edwards did an excellent job at nickel IMO (was in there on over 2/3rds of the 58 def snaps). Secondary started a little soft I thought, but looked like they got a lot more aggressive as the game wore on.
Todd Bowles also had an excellent interior DLine rotation going IMO … Suh (52%), RNR (52%), McLendon (48%), Gholston (36%). QB pressure seemed to improve as the game wore on, so maybe keeping guys fresh is a key to prevent 4th qtr meltdowns?
Overall Bucs won the Turnover Battle (3-1) & the TOP Battle (35:39 to 24:21) as well as the ‘Conversions Battle’ (limited the Giants to only 2 of 12 on 3rd/4th down conversions, while our offense was 7 of 14 on conversions). Bucs played some great COMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL & were in control just about all the way. Now we’ve gotta figure out how to translate that to road games since our next 2 games (Colts, Falcons) are away.
November 23rd, 2021 at 7:57 am
Great win…BUT, let’s see what we do against a team that is picking up steam and playing very well next week. Glad we positioned ourselves well in the NFC South, but we gotta show we can beat a good team next week. LFG!
November 23rd, 2021 at 7:59 am
I expect the Aints to lose Thursday so that’ll help but gotta keep pace with the Cardinals!!! Them Cards are very annoying with NOT losing when they “should lose”!!!
November 23rd, 2021 at 8:55 am
Yeah it is a statement game. You should beat the hell out of inferior teams. If you cannot do that, you’re going nowhere. Next week will be tougher, but Indy does not have as many weapons as the Bucs. If the Bucs run defense plays to its abilities, Indy is toast.
November 23rd, 2021 at 9:04 am
westernbuc, EXACTLY! Offense came out on fire and fizzled and Brady knew it. Would of like to see Rojo more he was getting it going but Lenny came up big as well. That Brate dropped killed the potential score before the half. I get Perriman he has had little time with Brady, the Mannings torched him for slowing down on the route. If AB comes back this offense will be unstoppable. The oline was AWESOME in pass and run blocking. Again this is a 3& now 7 team a statement game would be beating Indy at home. Cudos to Bowles he obviously did some homework and BL for the creative first half. Not a fan of a bubble screen on Bucs 12 yd line, you saw what can happen.
November 23rd, 2021 at 9:10 am
For coach Judge:
Sometimes I feel
Sometimes I feel
Oh Lord sometimes I feel
Like I’ve to been tied to the whipping post
Tied to the whipping post
Good Lord, I feel like I’m dyin’
See ya, don’t want to be ya. NY press can be vicious, can’t wait to read their post game laments. Goodbye, Judge. Your docket has been cleared.
LETS GO BUCS!
Lets go Brandon!!
November 23rd, 2021 at 9:31 am
Proved they can beat a bad football team at home……thank-you Mike Evans for giving the Giants a touchdown “on a Thanksgiving” platter with that ridiculous “going right through your hands” pass from TB12 on the 10-yard line.
Rubber meets the road in Indy where the Colts are on a roll and Bucs have short week road game….
November 23rd, 2021 at 9:36 am
This team needs a big win on the road. Need to start getting on a roll.
November 23rd, 2021 at 9:42 am
Joe Judge was one of the Patriots old coaches that stated Patriots could of won all the conference titles and SB’s with any QB,.it was all coaching. Suck on that awipe.
November 23rd, 2021 at 10:16 am
Listnfrmafar. He wasn’t lieing Belichick develop Brady rather you like it or not . This the stuff I be talking about you trying to take credit from the team and coaching staff !! Look at the Patriots now ?? Look at Mac Jones looking just like that 2001 Brady . I told yall Belichick will develop Jones the same way he develop Brady.
November 23rd, 2021 at 11:33 am
Mac Jones was a great college quarterback at a major university. It’s a crime that he fell to the patriots. I still don’t understand that. Yes Belicheat is coaching him up but it’s not like he’s trying to coach Ryan Leaf or Mr Pick 6.
November 23rd, 2021 at 12:14 pm
Nobody was saying Mac Jones was good at the beginning of the season. Now he’s good and don’t forget every player he threw too or hand the ball to were top first round draft picks . Go look at what Trask did to Alabama with just 2 guys to throw too and with no running game. Mac Jones went to a perfect situation because of the coaching staff just like Brady did back in 2001.
November 23rd, 2021 at 12:15 pm
We running Belichick offense right now.
November 23rd, 2021 at 12:58 pm
Hey Joe, any word yet on whether Vita Vea will be back in time against the Colts? No doubt that will be a “statement game” for the run defense after the way Taylor ran in his last game.
November 23rd, 2021 at 1:28 pm
Oneilbucyall not even close to Belichick offense. Mac Jones hasn’t thrown a pass longer than 15 yards. They rely primarily on the run. I don’t think Mac Jones has thrown more than 2 maybe 3 games over 200 yds. Carson Wentz is more accurate passer. What else you got?
November 23rd, 2021 at 1:48 pm
Oneilbucyall, first off Joe Judge shouldn’t be a NFL head coach. He was a QB coach at NE, if he is so good why does his QB suck so bad? I know you’re going to say Brady had a good run game but the backs were a retread Antwion Smith & Jr Redman not exactly HOF material. Also if they were running Belichick actually Josh McDaniels plays Bucs would be 9-1.
November 23rd, 2021 at 3:34 pm
Listnfrmafar. You must haven’t seen the past 3 games haven’t you?? But you can’t take nothing from Belichick the Patriots looks like the Patriots of old . Belichick understand that defense wins championships.
November 23rd, 2021 at 4:49 pm
Could that because he is a defensive coach? So when KC win the SB that was due to their defense? 49ers with Montana & Young?
November 23rd, 2021 at 4:53 pm
Oh oneilbucyall by the way in 2001 the OC was Charlie Weiss and the offense at that time was designed around Drew Bledsoe, a long ball passer.
November 23rd, 2021 at 6:10 pm
Listnfrmafar Charle Weiss said they built the offensive playbook around Brady because he was young. The defense carried the offense go look up what Charle Weiss said about the first three superbowls what him and Belichick did that year !! I know you are a Brady fan and a Patriot fan so you should know this about the 2001 Patriots. When Brady leaves you will be back a Patriot fan so I want my bucs to develop Trask because he’s and should be the future of my team the bucs.
November 23rd, 2021 at 8:09 pm
Oneilbucyall Drew Bledsoe was the starting QB in 2000, he was injured in the Jets game, that was when Brady started. So what your telling me is they knew Bledsoe was going to puncture his lung before it happened and they built the offense prior to the injury? Bledsoe was their franchise QB. Later that year Brady injured his ankle and Bledsoe started and won a playoff game against Pittsburgh. Belichick had no idea at that time who he was playing in the SB, so your theory about Weiss doesn’t hold up for 2001 SB. Brady was injured one year & was replaced by Matt Hastleback, if Bill is such a great QB developer why didn’t they make the playoffs the only year Brady was out for the season?
November 23rd, 2021 at 8:13 pm
Oneilbucyall I have 2 words for you, Jarrod Stidham. Look it up.
November 24th, 2021 at 8:34 am
Statement games only count if you keep making the same statement week after week. Hoping this is the start of something big. GO BUCS!