Top-3 Players To Rest On Sunday
January 3rd, 2022
Yes, the Bucs must win Sunday to secure a shot at the NFC’s No. 2 playoff seed, but Joe is being realistic.
First, the Panthers, Sunday’s Bucs opponent at The Licht House, are owned by a far-beyond-ridiculously wealthy Wall Street type named David Tepper. Joe is convinced Tepper is smart enough to know his five-win team needs to lose on Sunday in the best interest of the franchise. So Joe expects Carolina to be tanking against the Bucs.
The Bucs have an old roster that could use a break before the playoffs, but that gift goes only to the Packers and their No. 1 seed.
Regardless, the Bucs should rest at least some players
Using as much logic as possible: here is Joe’s top-5.
*Ndamukong Suh – He turns 35 this week and he hasn’t touched a quarterback in four weeks. The numbers say he could use a breather.
*Ronald Jones – Maybe he’s got a significant ankle injury (suffered yesterday) but Joe would sit Jones even if it’s minor. The Bucs should be extra cautious with RoJo in case Leonard Fournette cannot return.
*Devin White – White didn’t look himself yesterday or in the week prior against Carolina. Last year, White benefitted greatly from two weeks after courtesy of The Sickness. He came back and looked like the fastest man on the field. After battling quad and hip issues this season, Joe would roll the dice and give White a day off.
Bruce Arians says resting players = hurt feelings, but good sense has to prevail.
On that front, Joe hopes Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski plays very limited snaps on Sunday. Gronk cranked out 70 plays yesterday and has been shouldering a huge load. It’s has last chance for a break and Joe would cut Gronk’s blocking duties and limit his overall work.
Joe would love to rest an offensive lineman or two, but that absolutely can’t happen if Tom Brady is on the field. And yeah, Joe wants no part of Blaine Gabbert until the game is out of reach.
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:13 am
Devin White??? Trippin Joe. Gronk. You wanna put both our starting ILB and Suh to get run through and embarrassed by a Panthers team that has no passing attack.
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:15 am
Devin White??? Trippin Joe. Gronk.
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:15 am
We really need San Fran to win Sunday or NO lose. I can’t take another game against them this season.
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:19 am
You don’t rest players especially when you’re trying to find an offensive identity with this club. You want momentum going in as well.
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:21 am
No resting until the game is secure……and after we played against the Jets….that’s not a given…..
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:29 am
Re: “…Joe wants no part of Blaine Gabbert until the game is out of reach.”
Agreed that Brady needs to put the game away (hopefully, in the 1st half), but how about replacing with Kyle Trask.
Not too early to think about life without TB. Have to believe the possibility exists after this season, but no later than after next season.
Even if he bombs, at least we get some idea of what we have from a personnel standpoint, and possibly providing input for our ’22 draft strategies.
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:29 am
We are in the playoffs, and we don’t have a shot at the bye week, so we have to be thinking smart. I agree we should rest players as much as possible for this last game. Maybe not preseason type of situation but perhaps starters play a half or something.
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:35 am
Vinny from a fan perspective I agree it would be good to see what Trask has. I do think the coaching staff is developing a pretty good idea of that based on practice throughout the year
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:37 am
AB loves Gabbert as much as he disliked AB.
January 3rd, 2022 at 11:38 am
Whups oh well AB is the opposite of BA maybe that was the problemo.
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:04 pm
How many user names do you I, Anonymous?
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:04 pm
^^^^Have
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:07 pm
Just get up by 30at half… then rest them all
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:16 pm
#2 seed would be huge. I don’t care if it means we play the Saints. I kind of want those slimy bastards anyway. It’s January. These guys can rest in March. It’s time to turn it up not dial down.
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:19 pm
Get up by 30 by half???? How? Are the Pantherz being replaced by the Highpoint University team? News flash fans, there are no more blowout games.
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:19 pm
This doesn’t even have to come from BA. The training staff can “say” it’s necessary.
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:22 pm
Devin White is a young guy who needs more reps, he looked awful vs Jets. Why not just see what happens as far as score. Brady needs more reps with Perriman and Grayson, not Gronk. He doesn’t need to play much vs Panthets
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:24 pm
BigPoppaBuc … Personally don’t want any part of the Saints in this year’s playoffs. Even if we win (and we very well might), we’d probably get beaten up again in the process. And that’d kill us going forward.
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:32 pm
Will be playing PHI or SF or NO here in 2 weeks. Rest ’em accordingly.
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:39 pm
Regular season is already ruined by the Saints. Low expectations for the playoffs.
January 3rd, 2022 at 12:48 pm
Jmarkbuc … Would be great to rest a whole bunch of starters for most of the game, but I doubt that’s in the cards even against the Panthers.
Agree 100% Jmark. With Tom Brady out there, you HAVE TO play your 1st team offense. And you’re not gonna get him off the field until late in the 4th qtr regardless of what the score is (and I don’t assume that we’ll ever get a substantial lead on the Panthers BECAUSE of our DEFENSE).
Defensively our starters are flat-ass beaten up, and our subs are shall we say ‘mediocre’ for the most part. Minter’s already in for LVD; Nelson & JTS are already in for Shaq & JPP (and none of the 3 of them look to be anywhere close to starter-material at this point). Gholston’s hurting it looks like & he’s been averaging less than 50% def snaps anyways. RNR & McLendon are giving us even less. Our Secondary’s a mess & several of those guys appear to be hurting also. And in terms of taking White out, Stuard & Britt have a TOTAL of 21 def snaps each in 2 games (Bears & Panthers) once the games were well under control. THAT’S our depth at ILB. In short, Bucs are REALLY hurting, especially on defense.
Personally feel that the greatest priority against the Panthers will be coming out of the game healthy. We just can’t afford to lose anyone else if we expect to even win 1 game in the playoffs.
January 3rd, 2022 at 1:00 pm
Rest as many starters as possible. They need it. Let Brady and Evans (and O line obviously) work a half just to get Evans that record, but at this point I don’t think 2nd or 3rd seed makes too much of a difference and guys are seriously banged up. Joe’s dead on about Devin White not looking like himself
January 3rd, 2022 at 2:30 pm
The Bucs should really want to win this game, their seeding goes all over the play, including a nightmare scenario of having to play the Rams in the opening round if the Bucs lose.
More important than resting guys is winning your 1st round playoff game, and the best way to do that is to avoid playing the Saints and the Rams.
January 3rd, 2022 at 3:14 pm
CAROLINA LOSES = Draft pick 3-7
CAROLINA WINS = Draft pick 7-10
#3 vs #10? Carolina would be foolish to win this game.
The Bucs can rest everyone and still pick up the win.
January 3rd, 2022 at 8:05 pm
I completely agree with Joe on this one.
January 3rd, 2022 at 9:26 pm
You know what, I’m for it. Rest Devin and play one of our rookies. If they are stinking it up by the 2nd or 3rd quarter then put White back in. I wanna see Britt mess up the panthers backfield
January 4th, 2022 at 7:04 am
Carolina knows it will tank. Really. The Jets knew the same thing and went and won two meaningless games that cost them the #1 draft pick.