Need For Speed
January 23rd, 2023
Speed may need to be replaced.
Joe has seen a lot of NFL analysts type and shout how one problem with the Bucs is the team is slow.
Joe also heard a former NFL general manager mock the Bucs for being a slow team, roughly two days after the Bucs beat the snot out of the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl two years ago.
So, if you believe that former (keyword) general manager, that the Bucs were slow, so what? They were kings of the NFL!
It’s one thing to be mocked for slowness when you are the last team left standing. It’s quite another to be slow with a losing record and getting your arse handed to you in a one-and-done playoff appearance after winning a pathetic division.
Over at NextGen Stats is a feature of the top-20 recorded speeds by offensive players and return specialists in the NFL this season. You will notice that not one Bucs player is on the list.
Now Joe isn’t going to kill return dudes the Bucs used for being slow. The special teams was so rotten, it was hard for any return man to get a crease in to gain a head of steam.
The Bucs do have one burner who is a free agent, Scotty Miller. Joe would be a bit surprised if he returns only because he would want a raise and probably earned one being a veteran.
But when is the last time Miller has been an impact player? He scored a touchdown in garbage time on a Benn’ed Around in a blowout win over Carolina in 2021. Miller has largely been riding that wonderful touchdown catch of a Tom Brady bomb in the NFC championship game from two years ago.
So with one of their fastest players likely leaving, the Bucs will have to focus on speed in the draft, both to replace Miller and to get the roster more athletic.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:44 pm
I can not understand why he wasn’t used more, SMH. Hopefully it was tied to the OC not knowing how to run an offensive scheme.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:44 pm
They need more explosive speed, guys who can make people miss and generate big plays vs. just straight line speed for deep streaks/routes.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:49 pm
To be fair he was open on quite a few deep routes that Brady under threw every time
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:57 pm
Yes we need more speed guys like Jalen Darden
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:03 pm
Miller sucks. Doesn’t deserve a roster spot. Can’t catch. Can’t fight coverage or jamming. No cut speed so isn’t even good on end arounds or punt returns. Waste of a roster spot.
When they say we look slow it is generally specific situations. Lenny looks slow running the ball. Pass rush wasn’t getting through after Barret injury. No return game. 3rd receiver options were not explosive players.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:03 pm
Jason Licht saw what we saw. He knows. Of course he’s got one foot in a cured concrete bucket and the other chained to a flagpole. He is forced to retain the services of the coich who oversaw the most shameful drop off in offensive production in history and cripple a 14-5 team into an 8-10 team.
6 fewer wins.
6!
You have to be a real bazoon to oversee such carnage. That’s who the Toadster is. We fans are hosed.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:08 pm
Outside of Tom & Gronk, Scotty Miller is the favorite of all the boomers…… Because he’s a white guy…….
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:09 pm
This team desperately needs guys with speed and wiggle. Why does it seem that every team BUT the Bucs can find a diamond in the rough and have a legit threat as a returner or a guy that’s able to make 1 person miss on a screen and get chunk yardage? It’s not just this coaching staff it seems it’s been all coaching staffs.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:09 pm
I would keep him , he can play special teams…..
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:12 pm
Miller is fast as a rabbit! Unfortunately he jumps like one every time the ball comes his way. So two weeks ago Wash picks Dak off, shuts down the Dallas offense. The next week, Dak looks like the best QB in football against our Bucs. Then this week, Dak gets his head handed to him by the 49ers. Every pass contested, two picked off. Against us, guys were wide open. Bucs got it half right firing Leftwich. How Bowles kept his job is a amazing.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:16 pm
BA was always screaming about speed I guess Licht over rode him.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:17 pm
They need to improve on the OL and DL. Solid talent will be available in this draft.
R1 – Siaki Ika, DT 6’4 365
Bucs D was good when Vea and Hicks played together, so draft a better Hicks.
R2 – Darian Kinnard, OG 6’4 325
You want to run to the left, this man can make some holes.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:23 pm
Scotty Miller catches the ball with his body not his hands. He can’t contest any 50-50 balls so what he can do is limited
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:26 pm
We need to hire a OC asap
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:29 pm
Watching the playoffs yesterday, I couldn’t get over the team speed of the 9ers in particular. It’s the one thing you can’t teach. Miller is a waste of a roster spot. Yep he’s got track speed, but isn’t much of a football player. Parsons also really impressed me. IMO he’s the prototype for the new linebacker.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:31 pm
Brady under threw him like once or twice, the guy let’s himself get man handled. He was better underneath because of his quickness than downfield. Don’t forget Brady wanted to one on one’s and Bowels said no. That’s how you get the timing down with receivers. Brady did this consistently with his Patriot receivers in and off season.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:35 pm
We got by being slow with our veteran savvy. Now that we have that veteran I-don’t-give-a-damn by several players, then we need more youth and team speed.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:40 pm
The need for speed dissipated when the Bucs didn’t fire the head coach and the special teams coach as quickly as the season ended. Lost chance.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:41 pm
Miller is fast, but has no clue how to play WR. Partially on the coaches, partially on him.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:50 pm
Thompkins is the only guy on this team that looks fast.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:51 pm
I keep reading and hearing how old and slow we are. I don’t see it other than Brady, David and hicks. I just don’t agree with the repeated statement. I think we have been coached to look slow.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:52 pm
We need a #3 receiver that is faster than Gage and a speed back.
defense with linebackers and secondary is fast enough already.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:03 pm
May be talking apples & oranges here. Our offense is S-L-O-W but our defense has some pretty decent speed (when it’s healthy). Problem is … I’ll bet that most of this draft will be going to DEFENSE (just based on the number of holes on offense vs defense) so offensive speed probably ‘is what it is’.
Bucs do need to draft or acquire a legitimate speed-burner deep threat though to stretch the field & keep the safeties honest. I look at what Miami (and KC before them) was able to do with Tyreek Hill & it just wows me. We need someone like that to keep the defense on their toes.
Other than that though, Bucs NEED to draft a DE/OLB (a legitimate pass rush threat), a DT (to replace Hicks), an ILB (to replace LVD) & probably a CB (either SMB or Dean will be leaving). Hard to get top-tier talent in those positions among the FAs without paying an arm & a leg. My guess is that, since we don’t have a 4th Rnd pick, we’ll end up moving up by packaging a couple of 7ths or something similar. Hard to find Year 1 starter talent beyond Rnd 4.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:03 pm
Nobody’s talking about how bad Jason Light drafts either!
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:06 pm
need a guy who can take a simple slant to the house
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:13 pm
Sign Dante Hall & Devin Hester to like five year deals.😁
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:15 pm
Tyreek Hill would probably really come in handy now.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:18 pm
Agreed. We need speed. Starting with left tackle
Then a LB and Wideout. The biggest needs.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:20 pm
The team is built to physically impose and they don’t do that right this moment. They get out-speeded and can’t keep up. They are suddenly old and slow. Not to mention the sand falling out of the bottom of the cap. A lot that needs to be corrected.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:27 pm
Tyreek Hill is about the same size as Miller. Hill possesses a skill that Scooter does not
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:33 pm
a new OC should be able to scheme people open more often…
something lefty didn’t do…
lefty didn’t really even use scottie’s speed as a decoy, which was weird…
don’t forget perriman can also stretch the field – but they didn’t really suit him up…
get cyril grayson back in the building too
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:35 pm
they really should get grayson signed to a futures contract asap…
dude has speed
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:36 pm
The reason for lack of speed is very simple…….no speed coach.
Don’t forget Perriman…….injured and not used much.
We have some speed on defense with White, Dean, AWJ…Zyon has 4.33 speed and with development will replace either Dean or SMB whichever one leaves..
I think more development with Thompkins will work out.
Even though he’s the GOAT…….the lack of speed & mobility hurt us with the QB position…..
Perhaps one of the fastest players on ST is Camarda….
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:40 pm
they spend all that time developing him and now he’s out there for the taking…
also these new little guys…thompkins and geiger…a new OC might think they are mighty useful in his offense…
we might not be that bad off on speed as you think if you have a few of these guys i mentioned on the roster behind mike, chris and gage…
(granted we might be considered slow at a lot of other positions as well…i dunno)
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:03 pm
Adam,
A new OC with a coaching mindset such as the eagles, 49er, chiefs, lions, n cowboys OC would design plays the players you reference, Deven Thompkins n Geiger. Leftwich didnt know how to maximize players skill set know n Bowles don’t have a clue. MEvans is consistent with going 1000 yards each season but I’ve seen him often give up on a plays. He cherry picks his work ethic. I would bulk MEvans up n put him at tightend and pair my aftermentioned speed guys up with Godwin. Sorry but Gage is a liability.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:06 pm
One of the worst offenses in the history of the league. Of course they looked slow the defense knew what was coming. It’s the same slow guys who won the SB.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:15 pm
“adam from ny Says:
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:35 pm
they really should get grayson signed to a futures contract asap…
dude has speed”
Loved that guy. He probably put more effort into improving himself than anyone on the team
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:17 pm
During the Super Bowl run that is not very true. The offense didn’t have game breakers with awesome speed (except one dimensional Scotty Miller), but Lenny and Godwin and Evans had enough.
The defense, however, was fast. Shaq and JPP were fast on the ends. White and LVD were the fastest linebacker duo in the league. David and Dean are fast CBs. Winfield is a fast safety.
The linebackers and D line are definitely not as fast. The offense look like they had no speed this year but part of that is scheme.
More lineman on both sides of the ball, a quick, speedy, young receiver, and another fast linebacker are needed
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:21 pm
He wasn’t used because he’s a one trick pony and can’t catch without jumping
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:24 pm
Speed is definitely priority 1 after figuring out the QB situation and deciding which free agents they can afford to keep.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:24 pm
We had guys with speed on the roster: Scotty Miller, Perryman, and Thomkins. However, BL didn’t even try to use them to keep defenses honest. What is clear though, is that the Bucs need competent guys with YAC ability. Look at the 49ers, it makes the QB’s job easier.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:30 pm
Speeds azz. It’s called going hard and playing fast. Did Gronk have speed ? No . Hmm, seemed to get open quite a bit. Effort makes up for a lot. How many guys played hard consistently this year. I can think of maybe 5-6.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:31 pm
The defense in 2020 was fast. The offense this year had the 19th fastest receiver group i think i heard somewhere. Not having an AB, edelman type receiver pretty much ensured the 3rd down conversion rate was abysmal and affected red zone td percentage. Beasley was supposed to be that guy but he’s washed. Also, having a CMC, Alvin Kamara, Saquon Barkley type wouldn;t have hurt with how bad our oline was playing. I believe we were missing players that can create a lot of YAC. Not having a solid TE was a huge mistake and thats pretty much why the red zone tds plummeted. Lenny wasn’t the same lenny but he was hurt all year tho. Rachaad White runs like a poor man’s leveon bell so I wouldn’t call him speedy but he’s a rookie so i give him a pass. Hope he develops into a stud.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:45 pm
Of all the needs on this team, WR ain’t on the menu this year. Speed at DB? Sure. Speed at LB? Sure. Speed off the edge? Hell yes.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:52 pm
Big difference between 40 time fast and playing fast. During the Superbowl season, they had guys that could get open quickly. Godwin wasn’t the same this season. He should return to form. IMO stretching the defense vertically is overrated.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:59 pm
White is as fast as they come. Problem is, he gets pinned inside way too much. Speed doesn’t matter when you have a 300 pound lineman in your face. Bowles has tried over and over in vain to drill that in his head. The defense Bowles runs has to have monsters up front to tie up blockers. It also doesn’t play to the strength of the secondary. Their speed isnt utilized, because they give up a ton of space.
January 23rd, 2023 at 7:00 pm
Straight line speed is worthless if the player doesn’t know how to use it. It’s also worthless if the scheme and play caller doesn’t know how to take advantage of it.
Julio is fast, no production. Perriman is fast, no production. Miller is fast, no production. None of them got any separation all year despite being fast.
January 23rd, 2023 at 7:02 pm
Need for leadership and accountability at the Head Coach position
Job Opening Soon
January 23rd, 2023 at 7:06 pm
After watching the teams still playing this weekend. I realized, I over-rated the Bucs roster, as a team. I don’t think they could’ve beat any team still playing.
Blame coaching, or whatever. But the Bucs have gotten man-handled on the field this year. Good football players don’t let that happen, in my opinion.
January 23rd, 2023 at 7:14 pm
“I don’t care about a guy’s fancy numbers, at the combine. I just want to know if he can catch a football” ….. Vic Fangio
January 23rd, 2023 at 7:16 pm
Also do the dbs know how to play press coverage? I’m talking about being physical with the wrs to throw off timing and slow them down. Within five yards, you can’t hold but you can push wrs back when theyre trying to run their route. I have seen them play close to the wr but they just kind of follow them and get beat often.
January 23rd, 2023 at 7:51 pm
Let him go and take Blowes with him….im sick of this disgrace called a “team”….team? wait where?
Might as well keep blowes for one more season for high draft picks….after that he better be gone!
January 23rd, 2023 at 8:02 pm
SB~LV Says:
January 23rd, 2023 at 7:02 pm
Give it up. Bowles in the HC in 2023.
January 23rd, 2023 at 8:06 pm
Yes! You watch the teams still playing, and every single one of them would kill the Bucs.
Aikeem Hicks is a case in point. Old and Slow is a great description of him.
January 23rd, 2023 at 8:25 pm
Scott catches with his body. And almost always jumps to catch. He has jv pass catching mechanics.
January 23rd, 2023 at 8:35 pm
I’m puttng it all out there in one post. It’s too painful to be on the JBF site for too long after the depressing end. We most certainly are too slow and don’t have a reliable speed option that is sorely needed. Please correct me if I’m wrong and bare with me because it’s hard to type while laughing so hard but…. after the Bucs fired 612 coaches, 2 names were left off the firing squad. Bowles of course and Keith Armstrong. Keith frigging Armstrong sucks at his job. Our special teams are garbage year after year. Lovely fake punt might I add. Remember that beauty. Bowles is also garbage. I wanted hm to succeed but he’s the same lackluster, conservative 1950’s coach. Ain’t gonna work now. Get rid of the clown show completely and hire DeMeco Ryans as soon as this season is over. 14 seconds after the season ends, hire this guy. Let him find his OC and let him take over this defense. He brings some swagger and a high ceiling. Bowles seems like a great dude. This is strictly business though. If ever there was a sliver of a chance to end the presumable rebuild, it will be a guy that can absolutely squeeze opposing offenses.
January 23rd, 2023 at 8:46 pm
Perhaps that is one reason why Leftwich is unemployed?
January 23rd, 2023 at 8:47 pm
Would? Have. Only the Eagles haven’t played (and pounded) the Bucs this year.
January 23rd, 2023 at 9:54 pm
D coordinator from SF would look good wearing Bucs gear. I can’t help but envy all of these teams that have coaches that communicate to all of their players. Huddle up on the sidelines, give them an earful when they screw up and give them some loving when they shine.
Our guy has no mojo and coaches ever older than he looks. Pete Carroll probably has 10-15 years on Todd Bowles but his energy level is like a 35-45 year old guy.
Remember in the days when the Bucs used to hype up their horrible coaching hires and scam the fans comparing them as if they were Vince Lombardi. I’m talking guys like Ray Perkins, Leeman Bennett and Richard Willianmson.
Looking back those pressers with those coaches were hillarious because they were the wrong choices to be out in the public eye. No personality, no communication skills.
January 23rd, 2023 at 9:57 pm
Everyone needs to stop thinking that this team is the same one that won the SB. Ancient history. Team speed, physical and mental, and physicality have deteriorated. Old veterans were not replaced by better. No infusions of explosiveness or speed. It doesn’t help when you draft a guy like Rachaad White to be your lead back, notorious for slow-mo.
But the main thing is cultural and coaching. When your HC is all about methodical vanilla football, you are slow and get slower. While the competition is playing new age football,you are regressing.
January 24th, 2023 at 1:19 am
I’m pretty sure the Bucs didn’t have a top 20 player in 2020 either. In fact, I can’t remember the last time they had a player in the top 20. The only guy I recall ever being on the Sunday list was Julio in week 1 of this year, where I think he was top 10.
With that said you should always want to be faster at skill positions. But keep in mind Mike Evans lead the NFL in yards per reception in 2018, and he ran what, a 4.54 I believe. So speed and production are not always linked.
January 24th, 2023 at 2:31 am
Miller was key in the game when the Bucs cams back against the Rams in last years playoffs…then we know what Bowels did after we tied it up.
January 24th, 2023 at 8:04 am
Bowles dumped all of the fast receivers, except Scotty, in the cut to 53. He did this to keep all of the failed free agents in place.
A couple of those receivers got on the practice squad, while the most worthless, Darden, got on special teams.
That tells you a lot about the quality of our coaches, and that is where the lack of speed should be blamed.
The bigger problem was that Brady would not let plays run long enough to allow a fast receiver to get more than 5 yards down field.
Miller isn’t a good receiver because he has to use his body to catch. He jumps up to cradle the ball and leaves himself open to being murdered.
January 24th, 2023 at 12:55 pm
Craig Says:
January 24th, 2023 at 8:04 am
Bowles dumped all of the fast receivers, except Scotty, in the cut to 53.
——–
Huh? He cut Tyler Johnson – who runs like a 4.7 40, and kept Julio, who is still one of the fastest guys in the NFL according to NextGen, and Miller, and Perriman who ran a 4.2 40, his claim to fame is his straight line speed.