Lions Look Like A Formidable Foe
September 29th, 2023
Not your daddy’s Lions.
The Bucs earlier this week hosted the Eagles and man, was that a physical beatdown by the Eagles, specifically in the trenches.
The next time the Bucs have a home game, they look to face another physical team that has a bunch of bruisers in the trenches.
Two weeks from Sunday, after a bye week, the Bucs will host the Lions on Creamsicle Day. And while Barry Sanders isn’t in the backfield for the Lions, they seem to have a much better team than when Sanders played in the same division as the Bucs, the gone but not forgotten NFC Central.
The Lions just pummeled the Packers last night, specifically in the first half. On offense, the Lions were blowing open wide holes for their good backs to run through. On defense, the Lions’ strong line hounded Jordan Love all night.
The Lions play like the Eagles. The Lions are built sort of like the Eagles. Monsters on the line and athletes behind them.
Joe hopes the Bucs are now used to a back-alley brawl like they had against Eagles. The Lions are no pushovers. Not anymore.
(No, Joe won’t mention David Montgomery.)
September 29th, 2023 at 12:04 am
Dont worry Joe we got sniper Mayfield and Canales. Remember they were able to do what Brady couldn’t. They figured out the problems of last year!
September 29th, 2023 at 12:34 am
If we go in with the same game plan we used for game 1, game 2, game 3, and (presumably) game 4, they will know what each play is and how to counter it. If Bowles and or Canales don’t build a specific game plan for them, it will look an awful lot like Monday night.
Last year, using the identical game plan week in and week out, made us the most predicable team in the NFL.
I am very unhappy to say, this year is beginning to look just the same.
Please, please, PLEASE Todd. PROVE ME WRONG!!!
September 29th, 2023 at 12:35 am
And the Bills, Colts, etc.
September 29th, 2023 at 12:36 am
A team HAS TO HAVE a STRONG running game in order to be able to play ‘bully’ ball!
September 29th, 2023 at 2:07 am
Lions beat the Chiefs. They beat Atlanta. They beat GB. They have a strong football team.
I’m not upset by it. This team has zero chance at winning it all with Baker. Honestly he’s not the guy – not even if he were on a team like San Francisco. The guy needs a powerhouse team around him, but even then he consistently folds in big spots when it becomes a dog fight. For all that alleged bravado he gets tight when the stakes get raised. Against teams like Chicago or just in general when there are no expectations he looks free and easy, but when the intensity gets dialed up he begins to hesitate. Its on tape. Don’t believe me – look for yourself. Baker can make a strong showing for himself, but when he’s counted on to carry the fortune for other guys it comes apart.
That is the QB’s responsibility – to be the guy. When you’re the guy other’s benefit.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating for a tank. Play to win. Prove me wrong. See how far it can be taken. A Jameis led Saints team *should* be ripe for the picking especially after they fell apart in the 4th quarter against GB who just got shellacked in prime time.
Is Jordan Love and GB’s weapons that much better than what Tampa puts out on the field? Well GB can run the football a little bit better than the Bucs. But Doubs, Reed and Watson?
Inevitably there is no getting around it – the Superdome is a house of horrors for Tampa. Baker cannot put up 180 yards and lose by 10. If he does – IMO he’s done. Even coming off the bye they get beat by Detroit. The calls for Trask will begin to build. He has to beat Atlanta at home – that’s a must win. Then they got Buffalo and I’m sorry but I don’t see Baker making it past the Bills as the starter.
It won’t be the end of the world. This is a young football team and without having to pay Baker and going with Trask will allow them to get right in a few ways. It will keep Evans around too. Licht has made some good picks and I think the Bucs just need a little time to get those young players the PT they need. Building for the future in the year after Tom Brady is not a bad thing. In the end Trask will end up being 10X the QB Mayfield is. It will be worth it and Bucs fans will be happy.
September 29th, 2023 at 4:56 am
The Bucs have shown that they can’t play ‘bully ball’; we’re not built that way. Smaller & faster … that’s predominantly us. Yes we’ve got a couple of beasts, just not enough. Too many china dolls who get dinged up too easily.
Teams built for smashmouth football on both sides of the line (like the Eagles, Lions, Saints, etc) have given us fits for years. Even BA’s teams, with its (usually) high-scoring offenses, had trouble beating teams built like that. Seems doubtful that this year will be any different. Win those games we can & should win, plus a few upsets, and we can have a winning season. This will almost surely end up being just Year-1 of about a 3-year ‘retooling’ plan.
September 29th, 2023 at 5:00 am
And since we have no home field advantage at RayJay, look out it can get ugly very quickly. The high volume of Lions fans (assuming there will be many of them) will probably ruin the Creamsicle party. The ice cream will melt by halftime.
September 29th, 2023 at 5:45 am
The Lions went from a joke to this powerhouse? We can too, but we’re just starting. This is year three for the Lions. They started off horrible last season, ended hot, and have continued their accent. We can too, but this is year one for us. This offense has had all of three games together. Let’s hope we can become this year what the Lions did last year. Build towards a brighter future.
September 29th, 2023 at 6:27 am
Lions and eagles both were gifted multiple high picks by getting rid of their qb’s
September 29th, 2023 at 6:29 am
detroit is a tough and fun team to watch rn…
it’s one of those teams you almost felt sorry for at times due to mega-years of losing on top of losing…
so it’s kind of cool to watch them having a revival…
just not against our bucs on creamsicle day…that’s our f’in’ day…
and if baker doesn’t know, some old schooler needs to grab him by the ear lobe, pull him to the side, and let him know it’s shake and bake time
September 29th, 2023 at 6:39 am
A lot of fair weather Lions fans coming out of the woodwork around Michigan. I picked the Bucs in 1978 and have stuck with them through everything.
September 29th, 2023 at 7:01 am
They’ll have two weeks to look ahead to the Lions. Right now they have plenty on their plate with the Saints.
Lions looked pretty good. Box score from the game was familiar right down to Time of Possession..
September 29th, 2023 at 7:03 am
Mike S can’t be a real Buccaneers fan
September 29th, 2023 at 8:11 am
The only way in which playing Trask is ‘building for the future’ is if they’re tanking the season for a premium qb.
If, by some miracle, Trask ended up being the guy (and literally nothing he’s shown so far indicates that), he’ll want to get paid, too. He has one year left on his rookie deal. If he’s what the Trask fan club thinks he is, he’ll wanna get paid after 2024, if not sooner. Hurts got paid before his rookie deal ended.
September 29th, 2023 at 8:28 am
See the same thing you do, Joe. This game will be won or lost in the trenches. If we don’t get a good pass rush, Geoff will get comfortable and pick us a part. And the Lions pass rush is definitely hard to handle. Without the two best linemen playing, the Packers certainly couldn’t.
September 29th, 2023 at 8:28 am
If our TE’s and WR’s could catch the ball at crucial times, the PHeagles game may have had a different outcome. NO QB could have done a better job of putting the Buc’s in a situation to win. The QB was getting swarmed immediately and kept the Buc’s in the game going in to half. Not his fault.
September 29th, 2023 at 8:46 am
Winnable: Saintsx2, Falconsx2, Panthersx2, Titans, Colts, Texans
Even: Packers, Jaguars
Losable: Lions, Bills, 49ers
If the Bucs win 80% of winnable games, they win the division. 70% and split the even games, they win the division. Detroit doesn’t matter as much.
September 29th, 2023 at 8:49 am
I smell a 3 game losing streak! Say hello to 2-3!
September 29th, 2023 at 9:04 am
SlyPirate Says:
September 29th, 2023 at 8:46 am
Winnable: Saintsx2, Falconsx2, Panthersx2, Titans, Colts, Texans
Even: Packers, Jaguars
Losable: Lions, Bills, 49ers
———————————-
we can go 10-7…here is how…
split saints, split falcons, sweep panthers,
take 2 of 3 vs titans, colts and texans,
split vs packers and jags
squeak out one win vs lions, bills and 49ers
September 29th, 2023 at 9:07 am
it would be nice to knock off one of the powerhouse teams in the league for a nice signature win…
vs the lions, bills, and 49ers…
obviously lions is the best shot at home in orange, with creamsicle excitement in the air
September 29th, 2023 at 9:45 am
“consistently folds in big spots when it becomes a dog fight.”
Do people here realize google is their friend if they don’t know what they’re talking about? Or perhaps hyperbole makes them look foolish. Or maybe they just don’t comprehend the word “consistently”
While Mayfield was considered by many to be the favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year for 2018, the award was won by Giants running back Saquon Barkley.
In his 3rd season In Week 17, Mayfield and the Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 24–22 and earned their first playoff berth since 2002, at which time Mayfield was six years old. The Browns finished the 2020 regular season 11–5.
In the Wild Card Round against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mayfield went 21 of 34 for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns during the 48–37 win, leading the Browns to their first playoff victory since the 1994 season, the year before Mayfield was born.
In the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Kansas City Chiefs, Mayfield threw for 204 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception during the 22–17 loss.
Mayfield finished the 2020 season with 4,030 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and nine interceptions through 18 total games. He was ranked 71st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021.
So NO he has not CONSISTENTLY been bad even though he HAS consistently played for sucking franchises like Cleveland and Carolina.
I’m not saying he’s the next coming of Tom Brady, I AM saying that despite all the nattering nabobs of negativity here it’s not unreasonable to believe he can rise to the level of Brad Johnson and many other very talented if not HOF QB’s to win a SB.
September 29th, 2023 at 10:04 am
I am not a Lions fan. But its great to see them on the upswing. They get after it, For decades they have been the leagues laughingstock. Not anymore. They remind me of us when we started believing in Buc ball when Dungy took over.
September 29th, 2023 at 11:12 am
stpete the guy sucks and his supporters are delusional.
You do know that Mayfield was aided by 4 Cleveland INTs in that game right? Did you even read the box score or are you just parroting what Ira tells you?
204 yards 1 TD 1 INT v KC? Yeah terrible even though they got 112 yds rushing that game. Mahomes out Henne in and he couldn’t rally late in the 4th. Again – go watch the tape. 8 mins left in the game Baker is checking down to his backs when they need to keep moving the sticks. 4th and 9 Stefanski is forced to punt with 4 mins left. Browns never get the ball back – game over. Sound familiar?
Look at Carson Wentz 2017 season – 3rd in MVP voting. Out of football. The NFL stands for Not For Long. Wentz threw for 33 TDs in 2017 by week 14 when he tore his ACL. Never came back the same even though he was 100% healthy.
Mayfield is a career 6.5 yds/att guy who throws picks consistently when asked to do anything other than a short passing game. Crumbles under a pass rush. That’s what he is. The more he plays the more that will become apparent. Ira and the Joes, they love the Bucs and they want to see Bowles and his 5 year deal succeed. They’re here to rah rah and rally the fanbase so we all get behind Bowles – because Baker is his guy. If they can resurrect Baker’s career that’s something Bowles can market as a feather in his cap. Its his stamp on the team. Unfortunately for Bowles, Baker’s coaches end up getting fired and he’ll be no different.
You can’t tell me you didn’t notice the preseason play calling was different for Trask – or at least Trask wasn’t consistently checking down to backs and throwing short to WRs? Maybe that was Canales trying to subtly show what Trask can do? I think Canales knows. When Trask steps in there you’ll see a much different playbook.
September 29th, 2023 at 9:21 pm
True, Brad Holmes has thrown a lot of draft capital at the trenches since taking over as their GM. Sewell, McNeil, Hutchinson, Onwurzike were all high picks
September 29th, 2023 at 11:55 pm
Mike S. Baker may end up being a backup but Trask is definitely a long-term backup it will never be a starter unless it’s to close out of losing season. If you’re really serious take off your troll glasses and watch he doesn’t move like a starter should he’s a big slow quarterback stomping around in the back and he’s not that accurate. He took a big jump this season to be a mediocre starter second stringer he won’t take another big jump. He has peaked