“Engine Of The Defense”
December 2nd, 2022
It seems the Bucs lost more than just their versatile Pro Bowl nickel cornerback/safety in overtime on Sunday.
Antoine Winfield Jr. has a high ankle sprain and it’s unclear how long he’ll be out. (No, Joe won’t get started on why there was even an overtime against the bumbling Browns.)
Listening to cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross on the Buccaneers Radio Network, the loss of Winfield is devastating. He’s more than just a position player, per Ross, who was a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback himself.
“He kind of like is the engine of the defense,” Ross said of Winfield. “As he goes, we go. You know what I’m saying? If he’s upbeat, that team is upbeat and we need him on the field at all times.”
Ross noted that various injuries this season have made it hard for Winfield to get in football shape and top form.
“He’s got great hands, he’s got great instincts and things like that right there, but instincts and hands and everything without health just don’t work on the football field,” Ross said.
Joe sees healthy Winfield as an impact player. So that’s why it troubled Joe so much to hear the Bucs were being cautious with him even after he cleared concussion protocol.
High ankle sprains are brutal and Joe isn’t expecting to see the Winfield the Pro Bowl performer for quite a while. Hopefully, he can make it back to top form for the playoffs.
Yes, playoffs. If you think Joe believes Marcus Mariota, Andy Dalton or Quarterback Du Jour in Carolina will win the division, then you are mistaken.
December 2nd, 2022 at 9:10 am
Just another reason why Toilet Bowles needs to be fired. A lost season. I bet Lovie Smith could outcoach him with the Texans roster right now. Hard to trust the Bucs to win again unless the front office has an intervention and neutralizes the cancers which are Byron L and the worst head coach in the NFC and if not for Denver, the whole ****ing NFL. After the Bucs lose on Monday, fire them Glazers, fire both arrogant lazy slugs.
December 2nd, 2022 at 9:10 am
You can thank Blowes for this and Wirfs injuries.
Arguably the 2 best players on this team.
December 2nd, 2022 at 9:15 am
At least it looks like we are getting Logan Ryan back…..that should help some….
We need to quit talking about playoffs and focus on winning a game….starting Monday…..this is a must-win game.
December 2nd, 2022 at 9:21 am
SMB=Burnt toast
December 2nd, 2022 at 9:26 am
He’ll have problems the rest of the year with a high sprain. ☹️
December 2nd, 2022 at 9:39 am
I couldn’t give a damn about winning the next game. This team doesn’t need to win a game, it needs to start playing well which is not possible with the worst coaching staff in NFL history.
December 2nd, 2022 at 9:41 am
Bucs can’t get a break with the injuries.
December 2nd, 2022 at 10:05 am
What on earth makes you think the bucs will win the division? They are in a position to win it but so are everyone else. Let’s not forget what else beside injuries are occurring. Do you think the Glazers are getting their 2023 draft info out yet? 2022 is a lost season!
December 2nd, 2022 at 10:12 am
Playoffs?
Ha!
One and done blowout at home.
Most underachieving season in Bucs history.
December 2nd, 2022 at 10:18 am
Sorry Joe you name those quarterbacks like it means something but this division isn’t a lock the team has proven that they can lose to everyone so frustrating.
December 2nd, 2022 at 10:28 am
The Bucs will lose on Monday. That’s 5-7.
Then fly out to San Fran and get pummeled. That’s 5-8. Then red hit Bengals come in and hang 38 on us.
That’s 5-9. That’s what you’re looking at here.
So stop w the winning the division.
I hope we lose out. This staff must go under ANY condition.
December 2nd, 2022 at 10:29 am
Brian Flores or Eric Bienemy.
December 2nd, 2022 at 10:32 am
Please let us just get this season over with!
Please!
There is no point in watching
The pain is real
One more loss and it’s time for Trask and the reserves starting time,
It is a painful habit coming to JBF
December 2nd, 2022 at 10:51 am
That’s what happens when a player has to play more quarters than necessary. Goatfarmer, Reich or O’Brien, the affirmative action hires don’t seemed to be working. Hire the most qualified!
December 2nd, 2022 at 10:55 am
Winfield is the team’s best defensive player at this point, and it’s really not all that close. David held that spot for a very long time, and it’s no disrespect to knock him #2 on that list, just more about how good Winfield has become.
To bad these loser gutless coward coaches got him injured again. Neal, who seems to be in there in his place, is garbage, he’s way too slow to play in coverage and if the Bucs insist on having him cover guys, offenses are going to slice and dice the defense.
December 2nd, 2022 at 11:08 am
trust Bowles with nothing–thanks to him we even played overtime. The best way to protect your players is playing less not more. I hate it but unless Brady can get the offense rolling we are done–monday night and will be picking in top 10. just hope we can rebuild with a new coaching staff. Wish we could find a sean mcdermott out there for the bucs Impressed with what they did for the bills
December 2nd, 2022 at 11:09 am
Neal had two sacks and a few crucial tackles in the Browns game, not the time to crap on him.
December 2nd, 2022 at 11:16 am
NEfan – Did you miss the part about ‘in coverage’?
December 2nd, 2022 at 11:21 am
probably going to need to win a game to get there… what team are we feeling this Bucs team can beat? They can’t beat a high school team with this coaching staff.
December 2nd, 2022 at 11:49 am
NEfan … ‘the affirmative action hires don’t seemed to be working. Hire the most qualified!’
I’ve seen the horsepuckey several times now, and that’s all it is … horsepuckey. Not too hard to read between your lines though NEfan to see what you’re really trying to say. Bruce Arians didn’t step down as HC until March 30th, long after other teams needing new HCs had already hired them. All 3 of his primary assistant coaches are black, big deal.
Bruce may have RECOMMENDED his successor be Todd Bowles, but I doubt that the final decision was his. Quite sure that the Glazers had something to say about it, and that the final decision was made & implemented by Jason Licht in consult with them (he is the CEO of their multi-billion dollar corporation after all). Given the timing (March 30th), it doesn’t really appear that they had much choice but to hire from within & keep the same coaching staff in support (free agency was already underway & the draft was just around the corner). Doubt that ‘affirmative action’ even played a role in the whole process.
December 2nd, 2022 at 11:57 am
Joe I’d like to believe we would make the playoffs but at this point I don’t think we can even beat New Orleans I think it’ll be a national embarrassment for everyone to see they’ve lost their sense of self pride
December 2nd, 2022 at 12:03 pm
Sorry but don’t wanna see SMB in the slot….
Can Ryan play it and have Neal as 3rd safety??
Also I do wanna see more of McCollum as well.
I do think he’s gonna be good after he goes thru his growing pains.
Remember, Dean went thru same thing??
December 2nd, 2022 at 1:10 pm
CraZy that the oldest player on the team is probably the only player on the team who has played every single game including playoffs since he came in 2020. He hasnt missed a game due to injury since 2008!!! Time for a whole no strength and conditioning staff. I thnk tom needs to share alex guerro with the whole team. Can anyone else name one starter who hasnt missed a game since 2020 besides tb12. Thats sad. This team has to be in the top 5 in inuries over the last 2 seasons.
December 2nd, 2022 at 2:17 pm
Don’t be so sure Joe. We all penciled in wins against Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Cleveland. I penciled in a win against Green Bay and a loss to the Rams. I fully expected the Bucs to be 8-3 at this point. Last I checked the other team gets paid to play and win the game as well.
I don’t care who is on the roster. The 2022 Buccaneers have shown there are no penciled in victories this year.
December 2nd, 2022 at 2:19 pm
Dumb. Brian Flores FAILED with his own draft pick Tua and Eric Bienemy has not been hired to be a head coach for reasons that have nothing to do with what social media would have you believe.
December 2nd, 2022 at 3:30 pm
DR, WRONG!!! BA’s narrative is to be the first innovative coach to accept a multi-diverse coaching staff, is that NOT true? If you read previous posts of mine I’ve praised him for his initiatives. Here comes the exception, NO MATTER who those coaches are, race, gender or preference, they should be the MOST QUALIFIED PERIOD! BA has worked with this staff and without doubt knows their strengths and most of all their weaknesses. The fact that he waited so long to retire was purposely insure a potentially MORE QUALIFIED candidate was never granted the chance to interview. I suggest before you call me out question yourself why you chose to twist the context the way you did.
December 2nd, 2022 at 4:02 pm
so we have the most diverse group of crappy coaches in the NFL ! LOL .
December 2nd, 2022 at 5:46 pm
Pretty much!
December 3rd, 2022 at 3:06 am
I watched our best defensive player watch Cooper Kulp ( Rams) run right past him to knock us out of the playoffs last year…one win from the Super Bowl.rams had ball on their own 30 with seconds left. Winfield wasn’t playing his usual let them catch it in front of me so I can make the easy tackle. He was watching the clock. White was watching the QB as usual. What Winfield did can really break down a football team.
December 3rd, 2022 at 3:14 am
The Bucs play defense most of the game with 9-10 players. More get involved when the opposition gets into the red zone. The 6-7, carrying the load are very tired at this point. Wonder who is our conditioning coach? Bowles?