Giving Offensive Line Its Props
December 7th, 2021
Typical pocket for Tom Brady.
Maybe you heard this and maybe you haven’t but it’s a wild pair of stats that may make your head jerk back and forth like a “Looney Tunes” cartoon.
The Bucs lead the NFL in pass attempts. That’s really no shock. But here is the shocker:
The Bucs have given up the fewest sacks.
Usually, if you come across a stat like that you start doing your own research. But it’s true.
Former eight-year NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, who works for all sorts of different media outfits, cut a YouTube video for “The 33rd Team“ on Monday. There, he made a point to call the Bucs’ offensive line the best in the NFL.
“I don’t think they get the attention they deserve,” Schwartz said. “They are really good, guys. What stood out to me was how in control they were the entire game.”
Schwartz broke down the win over the Colts in the video and made observations that included Bucs’ offensive linemen.
Ryan Jensen: Vastly underrated in my opinion. … He finishes very well. … People for some reason don’t respect Ryan Jensen and I just don’t get it. All he does is pancake people and guides one of the best offenses in the NFL. He’s sloppy, he’s got red hair, he’s angry and he gets all firey and no one gives him the love he deserves.
(Joe thinks in some circles that means playing past the whistle.)
Donovan Smith: Playing the best of his career. His hands are better this year. I don’t like that he two-hand punches so much, he kind of grabs. But it works for some guys.
Nick Leverett: Pretty good for a third-string guard.
Schwartz added that he thinks Tristan Wirfs should be an All-Pro and again raved about how Smith is having his best NFL season.
There’s not a whole lot for Joe to add. If you lead the NFL in pass attempts and yet have the fewest sacks, your front line is doing something right.
December 7th, 2021 at 5:02 am
Jensen is a freaking stud. TB12 about to win NFL MVP at age 44. 1st Buccaneer to win it
December 7th, 2021 at 5:13 am
Red Jensen is the guy you love to hate…unless he’s the center for your favorite team. The line has done a great job…and Brady gets rid of the ball and/or steps up in the pocket vs drift and run into sacks.
December 7th, 2021 at 5:34 am
Not giving a sack is as much the offensive line as the QB knowing to throw the ball away in a busted coverage situation.
December 7th, 2021 at 6:08 am
There’s no arguing those stats. This line has played extremely well.
December 7th, 2021 at 6:23 am
This is where good coaching good students come to play. Unfortunately it doesn’t translate to the defense. It’s hard to completely blame Bowels and the other coaches when guys are constantly jumping off sides, missing tackles, taking bad angles and getting juked out of their jockstraps when they’re lined up and should make the tackle. That is why this offense has to carry the team because the defense is so up and down. If they played like the 2nd half of the Colts and Falcons games we’d be less pessimistic about it but that just hasn’t been this whole season.
December 7th, 2021 at 6:59 am
Winny Testaverde
Jensen’s face actually turns a light purple during games. Quite a sight to see
But yes our oline and backups are definitely a solid group
December 7th, 2021 at 7:23 am
Jensen is a hockey player trapped in a football player’s body.
December 7th, 2021 at 7:35 am
Criticism is answered with achievement.
December 7th, 2021 at 7:35 am
It helps to have a qb that gets rid of the ball.
December 7th, 2021 at 7:47 am
And as joe knows two of those sacks where unnecessary at the end of the saints game.
December 7th, 2021 at 7:51 am
I’m still waiting for a couple of these clowns who said the online was trash explain themselves. How do you go from almost 60 sacks to low twenties two years in a row??????? We where constantly told that this team from ownership to the people who cut the grass sucked. But we where fine at QB what gives?
December 7th, 2021 at 8:40 am
STOP denigrating the defense-they are playing great. Simply put , the D is flying around all over the field and creating turnovers(Winfield great int in Colts game and the fragrant one Desir with poke out in Falcons game) and getting sacks. D has been put in a bunch of bad spots by Brady INT’s lately , but they are still getting it done. I guess I expect way too much from the neophytes that propagate JBF.
December 7th, 2021 at 8:52 am
On National TV, Howie Long praised our Offensive Line.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:02 am
I think this definitely supports the old adage that the less you hear about an offensive line, the better that unit is at its job.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:03 am
How do you go from almost 60 sacks to low twenties two years in a row??????
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Tom Brady vs JayMiss Winsnone
December 7th, 2021 at 9:27 am
We have one of the best O-Lines in the League, period. That was one of the first objectives of (and started by) Jason Licht’s arrival….and mission successful. Seems to me, w/ Licht’s former O-Line background and his example so far here w/ the Bucs, that having a bad O-Line is just not in the cards whatsoever. Besides Brady at QB and you could the WR’s as well, the O-Line is maybe the absolute strength of this team, as far as position groups go.
And how about the job Harold Goodwin has done since he essentially guaranteed good O-Line play when he got here (he said if our Line stunk it up we could blame him….but there’s been no reason for any blame).
December 7th, 2021 at 10:08 am
I agree this oline is stacked. Jenson is crazy, in that Atlanta game he’s diving leaving his feet, at one point I didn’t think he was getting up. My guess is Brady buys his line Austin Martin’s with high priced escorts for XMAS. Just make sure they are vaxxed and wearing masks.
December 7th, 2021 at 10:15 am
Imagine that. Building up your trenches makes your team better. Weird!
December 7th, 2021 at 10:53 am
What is an Austin Martin, or did you mean Aston Martin?
December 7th, 2021 at 11:21 am
BucsFanSince1976 says: “STOP denigrating the defense-they are playing great. Simply put , the D is flying around all over the field and creating turnovers(Winfield great int in Colts game and the fragrant one Desir with poke out in Falcons game) and getting sacks.”
Here’s the problem: The turnovers and the ultimate low point totals against bad teams are good. But you can’t rely on 3, 4, 5 turnovers a game. It’s unrealistic to expect that. Combine that with the fact that Trevor Siemien, Taylor Heinicke, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan all we able to convert an EXTREMELY high rate of 3rd & 8+ (many times 10+) and you have a huge problem brewing that against a good team, you may not be able to score your way out of. You can’t tell me that Bowles can’t figure this out. Most defenses would KILL to have that down and distance situation.
Fix that and this defense will be a total handful to deal with.
December 7th, 2021 at 1:05 pm
Coolluke, ever hear of autofill?