“He’ll Be Better Next Week”
January 4th, 2023
“We’re going to be talking about you misjudging that sure pick for a long time.”
Starting cornerback Jamel Dean missed two games with a toe injury and was thrust into a full-time role Sunday in the comeback win against the Panthers.
So how did it go, Coach Bowles?
The head coach addressed Dean’s up-and-down showing on the Buccaneers Radio Network.
“Dean stepped in. Obviously he wasn’t in the same kind of shape he was before he left, but he fought and he did a good job fighting out there,” Bowles began. “He’ll be better next week with another week of practice as he gets 100 percent.
“We got one ball he misjudged that he could have got for an interception that he won’t let live down, but other than that we did what we were supposed to do for the most part. We got the turnovers and we got off the field on third down for the most part.”
The same Dean play that caught Joe’s eye seems to be a sore spot for Dean, and Bowles seems to think it was due to rust. It was the late-third-quarter bomb to D.J. Moore.
The pass was underthrown to the Panthers’ top-dog receiver. Dean appeared to have an interception lined up and misjudged it. The result was a 47-yard completion.
Overall, Joe thinks Bowles is being a little generous evaluating his defense against Carolina. Sam Darnold threw three touchdown passes, something he hadn’t done since November of 2019.
Still, Joe is fired up knowing Dean, Vita Vea, Akiem Hicks, Antoine Winfield and others and defense are healing and getting back top form.
The Bucs need those fresh bodies so the defense can get back to dominating like it did in September.
January 4th, 2023 at 6:40 pm
I saw #31 getting beat by Moore a lot more than #35 🤷🏾♂️
January 4th, 2023 at 6:43 pm
He played on ST’s to.
January 4th, 2023 at 6:48 pm
I would rest Vea, Hicks, Winfield, CDIII, Dean, and LVD.
Let them rest, get healthy, and don’t risk injury.
January 4th, 2023 at 6:51 pm
@slypirate totally agree
January 4th, 2023 at 6:55 pm
Teflon Don … I saw the same thing, but I think it’s because of his bum ankle. Winfield has 4.45 speed, but that’s not what I saw in Sunday’s game. He’s not the only one on the Bucs with a bad wheel by any means, but it’s never good when your last line of defense can’t kick in that extra gear to close quickly.
January 4th, 2023 at 7:18 pm
When you are on fire if you go to the ground to rest the fire goes out. Todd is right. I actually loved his take on injuries, and BTW, Leftwich’s play calling on our winning drive was amazing. The last touchdown pass play, as Brady described it, sounded very complex and unpredictable. This gives me a lot of hope.
January 4th, 2023 at 7:46 pm
Anyone know the status on OLB Ifeadi Odenigbo? When will he be promoted from the practice squad to the active roster? He can really help out with the pass rush. He knows how to bend his hip to get around to the qb. We need him down the stretch in the playoffs. He has playoff experience.
January 4th, 2023 at 7:54 pm
Hey, I have an idea…let’s play 7 on 7 so we can rest our starters and Atlanta can get ready for their offseason.
January 4th, 2023 at 8:11 pm
If Todd Bowels has faith in Jamel Dean not getting torched in one-on-one coverage then I do to.
TEAM no risk it no biscuit!
January 4th, 2023 at 8:41 pm
I agree you could tell these guys had some bum wheels recently.
I have seen them play lock down in man coverage and when the playoffs start, I expect to see it again.
The key for the Dallas game is having Vea and Hicks fully healthy and Ryan, Winfield, Edwards, Dean and Davis healthy as well.
I expect injuries to happen so SMB and Chesley even are good reserves.
Neal has a ton of time this year so he will help in the run game in the playoffs.
If you want to “Continue with the Hot Hand”, then try scoring on your first drive.
Anyone know how many opening drives we have scored a TD on this year?
I swear if we get a key guy hurt in a meaningless game with the one-winged chickens, that is the last straw for me and this staff.
January 4th, 2023 at 8:47 pm
Winfield was playing out of position . Dean will heal as other and at the right time ! Health is key to a run in the playoffs ! Plain and simple
January 4th, 2023 at 8:49 pm
Defense, I noticed it too. He seemed to be laboring. I’d rest as many key guys as possible. This game couldn’t be more meaningless. Forget all the work on stuff jazz. They’ve had 16 games. Even if they start everyone and pound Atlanta, it accomplishes nothing. High risk, very little reward
January 4th, 2023 at 8:49 pm
Antoine is one of the best players on the field. She is a safety. We know he’s versatile and can play slot CB. What is should not be, is not, will not be, is the #1 CB on the field that should be assigned to press man coverage against one of the best WRs in the league. Moore broiled and roasted Antoine a couple times. Antoine did his best, but the real question is for Todd Blowes.
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
Sorry.
Probably the same logic that left Cooper Kupp uncovered at the end of the Rams playoff game.
Todd our smarts himself and confuses his players, who suck at zone. But at least they’re not that great at man coverage either.
January 4th, 2023 at 9:04 pm
Very happy to see them getting healthier, but there was some rust. The defense has been very good this year despite the injuries. They are fully capable of getting on a roll in the playoffs as they get healthy. It will be needed because the O has not shown any consistency. Even the games we think that they played well they really only played well for a quarter or a half.
January 4th, 2023 at 10:58 pm
Defense has not been the Bucs achilles’ heel in 2023.
January 5th, 2023 at 6:08 am
Winfield is a pro bowl safety, please get him out of the slot. He got brutalized by the Panthers receivers who besides DJ Moore are not all that.
January 5th, 2023 at 6:24 am
So the game against Atlanta… seems to be a fine line with rest vs shaking off the rust and being game ready.
January 5th, 2023 at 8:27 am
Rest the defense play the offense we need the momentum lfgo
January 5th, 2023 at 9:17 am
Nope not a chance
January 5th, 2023 at 11:32 am
Winfield isnt a nickel, he is solid blitzing at the line and great in the run game, but he isnt a corner, he is a safety. I think Winfield was put in a position to fail because they were down CDIII.
January 5th, 2023 at 4:27 pm
^ I kind of agree, as that was probably Winfield’s worst game as a pro.
But with that said, they DID have him playing nickel / slot CB a bunch earlier in the year too before all our injuries. I think the difference was they were rotating him and others between nickel and safety throughout each game, rather than just keeping him there all game long.
When an opposing WR who is both tall AND fast lines up in the slot, that’s when we’ve seen Winfield struggle at nickel the most.