Money Players In A Money Game
January 18th, 2024
Jamel Dean was a tackling machine Monday night.
Future Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht spent a mountain of Team Glazer loot on his starting cornerbacks, young dudes with Super Bowl rings.
But Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean haven’t had strong seasons. Davis missed five games because of injuries, which is sort of his norm. He’s missed 16 regular season games over the past three seasons. Dean also missed four games and had zero interceptions.
Of course, none of that matters now. Both are healthy and they earned their eight-figure salaries on Monday night.
“They played well. We left them out there quite a bit,” Todd Bowles told the Buccaneers Radio Network, referring to Dean and Davis in single coverage with no safety help.
“There were a few zero [blitz] pressures out there where they had to come make some plays. Carlton [Davis] made a big play in the end zone on a fourth down play. Dean had some great tackles out on the edge. They weren’t catching and running, which was huge for us going into this game because they’re a great catch-and-run team.”
Next up is Detroit on Sunday with electric All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Bucs had no cornerback answers for him in Week 6 — 12 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown.
It’s a safe bet Bowles won’t be throwing relentless blitzes after Lions QB Jared Goff, especially if the Lions’ savage rushing attack is working reasonably well. But Dean and Davis must come up with a strong coverage game if the Bucs hope to hold the Lions under their 27 points per game average.
Simply put, the Bucs need Dean and Davis to earn their money on Sunday.
January 18th, 2024 at 9:54 am
Go Bucs
January 18th, 2024 at 10:01 am
Bucs have to sit players who are not getting the job done and play some of these young hungry players. Screw your feelings we trying to win!
January 18th, 2024 at 10:15 am
They’ve found it difficult to do it all year so not betting the his they’ll do it this week but hopefully they can limit the damage. If Bowles doesn’t blitz that means we’ll be in zone and we all know how that’ll turn out. Even with the great scheme against the Eagles Hurts still threw for 250 yards
January 18th, 2024 at 10:22 am
Jamel Dean isn’t a CB, he is a heat seeking missile. The bad part of that is that he tends to blow up when blowing up a play.
If he can control that and try to play normal football, he will be fine.
Hot Toddie is the real enemy of the defensive secondary. His soft zone formation is a disaster. He has man coverage guys. Let them press and then fall into a zone.
That is the opposite of what the Lions are doing and should screw them up.
The offense also has to adjust to the zone to man scheme the Lions use. If that is blown up early in the game it will set a tone that will make it a winnable game.
January 18th, 2024 at 11:22 am
It’s the playoffs and HEALTH will be a big factor. As disappointed as I’ve been in our million dollar CB’s they do have talent WHEN they can get on the field healthy.
At the moment the Bucs “appear” to be as healthy as any time this season.
Ya gotta have some luck to win it all and Lady Luck so far at least seems to be at least faintly smiling at the Bucs.
STAY HEALTHY!!!
January 18th, 2024 at 1:53 pm
Dean was laser focused.
January 18th, 2024 at 11:56 pm
Good article Joe, perfectly said