Tom Brady Was OK Handing The Ball Off
September 12th, 2022
Good with the run game.
A popular football cliché is “a running game is a quarterback’s best friend.” Or, maybe Joe just heard a sports radio producer say it? Regardless, Tom Brady sure seemed to enjoy a punishing ground attack last night.
Immediately after — and before — Donovan Smith went down, feared Dallas pass rusher Micah Parsons began to go nuts. And that’s not a good healthcare plan for a 45-year old quarterback who isn’t quite as mobile as Michael Vick.
So the Bucs went to a ground-and-pound game. It made Bucs fans giddy because Tampa Bay then took full control of the game. It made Cowboys fans cry because the Dallas defense couldn’t stop the run and it made Brady happy because, well, he didn’t get hit that much.
“It was great,” Brady said of the Bucs going to the ground. “The run game, defense, that’ll win you a lot of games in the NFL. Very happy to see the line play the way they played; the backs, wide receivers made a lot of great plays.”
For reasons unknown, Dallas shut the Bucs down in the red zone far too many times. But the defense played so damn good that it never cost the Bucs. When Brady did finally break through and hit Mike Evans with that crazy, falling-back, one-handed grab, the game was over.
If the Bucs were efficient in Dallas territory, that game would have been an epic blowout. Enough to make Dallas fans cry all over their smoked brisket.
September 12th, 2022 at 9:36 am
Our running game was working very well last night! Fournette was a beast!
September 12th, 2022 at 9:39 am
The rookie guard is a road grader and the kid TE’s are spectacular blockers
Look at the stats running left even with Wells in the game
Dominating
September 12th, 2022 at 9:39 am
Someone just posted X-rays on Donovan Smith’s elbow were negative..
As much as he hates missing games, if this is case, I think he’ll play against Saints on Sunday 🤷🏻♂️…
September 12th, 2022 at 9:40 am
According to Skip Bayless, the Cowboys almost won…
Back to rewatching GMB I go.
Red zone is an issue–that has got to be figured.
Suh.
September 12th, 2022 at 9:40 am
Last night is how I expect most of the season to go. Run, ball control, and defense.
Injuries will be the story of this season though. Donovan looked like he fractured his elbow and could be lost for the season.
I hope Licht has a capable Olineman he can pick up on speed dial because Josh Wells is a below average pass blocker and the bucs will not be able to throw down the field as well with him starting.
On special teams I wanted to shout out Britt for his play! Camarda too!
September 12th, 2022 at 9:40 am
The reason was Micah Parsons. Micah Parsons was the difference maker in the red zone. If it wasn’t for him single handedly making a difference the Bucs would have won that game 33-3.
September 12th, 2022 at 9:44 am
The one drive in the preseason brady played bucs were limited to a fg . Its not having gronk pretty simple. Bucs struggled while he was injured last year
September 12th, 2022 at 9:53 am
Team performed well
We need to bring offensive line depth still
The punter is a valuable asset
September 12th, 2022 at 9:55 am
New tight ends were pretty swuft and being in dire need of a capable Oline man that should make expensive can’t/won’t block Cameron Brate expendable. Pull the trigger Jason Licht. Brrate has had his run, it is time to move on.
Go Bucs!
September 12th, 2022 at 9:58 am
Well, runnng game is great if you have a lead.
September 12th, 2022 at 9:59 am
They should just target Evans with fades any time they are within 10 yards of the end zone. Dude is a stud!
September 12th, 2022 at 10:08 am
Some on here, were predicting disaster and 6 and 11 season.
No way we could win the time of possession. Lots of 3 and outs.
Cowboys will approach double digit sacks. Brady will get knocked out of the game.
He accused Licht of having too big an ego to admit that he screwed up on the offensive line.
But typically, the day after does not admit how wrong all of his takes were in the past two weeks.
Were there any of your takes in the last two weeks that were correct, George?
September 12th, 2022 at 10:09 am
Our running game went well except in the red zone…..got stuffed….forced us to obvious passing on 3rd down….
And, where was Gio…
We only had 3 passes attempted to TEs…….and I think only 4 to backs the entire game…..need more screens.
September 12th, 2022 at 10:21 am
I was kind of surprised we didn’t try throwing a quick slant to the spot that Parson’s vacated…
But, who cares, the Bucs crushed them.
September 12th, 2022 at 10:22 am
Bucfan1988 Says:
September 12th, 2022 at 9:39 am
Someone just posted X-rays on Donovan Smith’s elbow were negative..
I couldn’t find that post anywhere…..can anyone confirm this?
September 12th, 2022 at 10:23 am
I’m going to chalk up the Red Zone issues with it being first game stuff, they’ll figure it out.
September 12th, 2022 at 10:31 am
Agree, need more passing and less running in the red zone, or red area, as only Brady says. I wonder if instead of saying someone is in the zone, he says, Evans was in the area? LOL.
September 12th, 2022 at 10:34 am
Percentage wise, we produced the greatest point differential, ie. beatdown than any other game this weekend.
While the score was low, what we witnessed last night was the seasons first blow out.
Numbers matter.
September 12th, 2022 at 10:35 am
Lenny said it in the post-game, we ranked 29th last year rushing and teams didn’t respect our run game, we wanna be #1. Also, classy af of Lenny to give the OL the game ball
September 12th, 2022 at 10:50 am
I agree with JimBuc2 that we need to move on from Brate too!
Our Kids Kieft and Otten are both great blockers!
And Goedeke was literally pancaking people in the run game!
Our power running game forced the Cowboys to abandon their zone defense, to try and stop the run.
This forced them into Man Coverage, and that was all Brady was waiting for.
September 12th, 2022 at 12:21 pm
Our pass blocking will be tested for sure by NO. But it looks like the run blocking could turn out to be the best we have had in a long time. That should take some pressure off Brady. To me Brady looked a little off last night. Too many personal distractions? Pretty sure he will be ready next week.
September 12th, 2022 at 12:26 pm
The bucs should run like that every time they face a small fast front. If Brady had dropped back fifty times, Parsons would have had 6 sacks.
September 12th, 2022 at 12:26 pm
#8, Skip Bayless must have been watching last year’s game!!
September 12th, 2022 at 12:34 pm
tom wasn’t that sharp last night…at times he was…but more often than not he wasn’t…
i hope he brings that A game to new orleans for week 2
September 12th, 2022 at 12:36 pm
This is the sort of game plan that can beat the Saints and Rams. Control the clock, where down their defense with LF, play action for larger gains! A little red zone and third down conversion improvements and this team will be good to go!!
Special teams even looked good, stopping their ace return specialist!! And Darden didn’t slip once!! LFG!!!!
September 12th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
People are acting like scoring 19 points, in 2022, is worth celebrating and going to get you a SB win.
It’s not.
This is an offense loaded with talent, and it’s not 2002 anymore. 19 points is an awful outcome vs a middling defense. Leftwich needs to do a dramatically better job of not constantly putting the team in 2nd and long situations.
September 12th, 2022 at 1:27 pm
Rod
We started the game with two actual starters on the OL. That quickly went to ONE. Brady was uncharacteristically off his game. We took what the D gave us on offense, Our D gave little to them.
We controlled that game.
WE WON
With the best differential percentage of the entire league.
Brady will improve as he and our new receivers get more reps.
The OL got some great experience for the newbies.
Not a defense of Leftie but, the players have to perform as well.
Just a little perspective.
September 12th, 2022 at 2:04 pm
gp – Again, the issue is with Leftwich and his playcalling and being so ultra predictable. He gives away downs with this 1st call run up the gut. I will say yesterday he wasn’t as bad as normal, but that’s not saying much. Inside the red zone he got ultra conservative and cost the team points before Smith was hurt.
September 12th, 2022 at 2:22 pm
Great news! Godwin’s knee is 100% ok and he has a hamstring strain. He might only miss a couple weeks before getting back!
September 12th, 2022 at 3:15 pm
Infomeplease … BINGO. THAT’s what it’ll take to beat the Saints AND Rams (and probably the Chiefs).
Rod … Bucs weren’t in the Red Zone as much as I first thought. They got inside the Dallas 20 TWICE in the 1st half. First time (1st qtr) we had 3rd down right at the 20 and Brady threw incomplete. Second time (2nd qtr) we had 1st-and-10 at the Dallas 13: ran 3 plays … White off left Guard for -1 yd; Brady to Godwin for 6 yds; Brady sacked by Parsons; then Succop FG … no good.
Bucs only got inside the Dallas 20 ONCE in the 2nd half. Bucs had 1st down on the Dallas 5: Brady passed to Mike Evans for a TD. That’s it.
So we were inside the Red Zone 3 times, and scored 1 TD. We had 6 total plays inside the Zone: Brady threw on 3 of them (2 complete, 1 TD); White ran on 1 (for a MINUS 1 yd); Brady was sacked on 1; and Succop missed a 36-yd FG on one.
I’m not known for defending BL, but how were any of those his fault?
September 12th, 2022 at 3:18 pm
Jeez Munch.
We only had one 3rd and 10 or more yards all game. What are the 2nd and long situations you are talking about? Did you even watch the same game? What we did worked on 1st and 2nd down. That is why we easily won the TOP.
Tom was the one off on the 3rd down plays. They were in his hands not the OC. But Tom is not perfect. No one is. Not even you from your armchair OCing.
And last year, middle of the season the Dallas Defense turned the corner with their good defensive coordinator. If you are suggesting that Dallas will be a less than average defense this year, I disagree with you.
September 12th, 2022 at 7:55 pm
It’s pretty absurd at this point to blame BL for any playcalling mistakes.
Does anybody here think that TB simply runs the plays that BL sends in?
Do we believe TB as the GOAT has the right to audible or wipe out any play BL sends in if he disagrees with it?
If you wish to throw BL under the bus you’re actually throwing Brady under as well. Like the GOAT doesnt’ know which plays to call.
IMHO here is the major difference I saw in new Bowles era from the BA era.
This is the most physical I’ve seen the Bucs in a long time. The Bucs were just nasty on both sides of the ball.
Some guy on the tube today said ME is the very best WR in the NFL not to even get in on the discussion about whose best and this talking head thought it was wrong.
I would add Playoff Lennie to that list. He simply went to “beast mode” last night. He was virtually unstopable with quick jump cuts or simple power running over people. He was awesome and helped add to the physicality.
September 12th, 2022 at 9:22 pm
No Godwin, no AB, no Gronk. The only credible TD/red zone threat was Evans. If you think Julio is a major red zone threat, you’re beyond help.