“Bold” Call On Jalen McMillan
September 14th, 2024
Big day Sunday?
Hey, any time a rookie in his very first NFL game grabs a touchdown pass, that’s a good game.
Jalen McMillan could have done better.
On his first target from Baker Mayfield, for reasons unknown, McMillan hesitated coming out of his break. Almost like he didn’t expect the ball to come his way. It did.
The ball bounced off his hands and hit his head. Had he run hard the full route, he may have had a touchdown. There was a ton of green, open field in front of him.
Yeah, that’s nitpicking. But in a game like the Bucs are playing Sunday, one play could decide a win or a loss.
Over at BSPN, Seth Walder, a guy who never met a number he didn’t like, proved again to Joe that he doesn’t watch games, he just reads numbers.
Walder has a “bold prediction” that he thinks McMillan will get over 60 yards. Why? Because of Carlton Davis.
Bold prediction: Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan will have a 60-plus-yard game. He had a 32-yard touchdown catch in his debut against the Commanders. Last week, Lions CB Carlton Davis surrendered 113 yards as the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats, so McMillan should be able to take advantage.
Of course, it’s easy to guess this just by reading stats. But here is where Walder quite easily could get his entire theory flushed.
Who says Davis will cover McMillan?
If Joe were Aaron Glenn, the defensive shot-caller of the Lions, he’d have Davis on either Mike Evans or Chris Godwin. Why? He’s gone up against those two how many times over the years?
Davis gave a detailed scouting report on Evans and Godwin to his Lions teammates.
Could Joe see McMillan having a strong game? Sure. The Bucs have a bunch of weapons. Detroit, if they are vulnerable anywhere, is in the secondary.
But Joe cannot state with any profound confidence that McMillan will burn the Lions because of Davis.
September 14th, 2024 at 10:49 am
“Bold prediction” is really code for “Ignorant and stupid prediction.”
September 14th, 2024 at 10:53 am
Agree with Joe, who knows who Davis will cover but certainly just as Davis knows the tendencies of the Bucs receivers, likewise the Bucs know his. In my limited opinion, Davis’ has shaky footwork and slips often and has been known to be beatable on the deep ball. McMillan is faster than Godwin and is a mismatch with any nickel or third corner. As much as the Bucs will have problems matching up with the Lions receivers, the Lions will have with the Bucs receivers.
Davis knew the Canales offense from his year with the Bucs last season but that offense has been retired and the Coen offense is different.
September 14th, 2024 at 11:31 am
Good point Ed.
September 14th, 2024 at 11:35 am
Agreed, Ed.
September 14th, 2024 at 11:48 am
60 yards is certainly not unreasonable…but against who?
September 14th, 2024 at 11:52 am
Jalen McMillan or Cade Otton will have a big day. Otton was open and the primary receiver on Mike Evans 2nd TD. OC said Baker got selfish when throwing Mike that second TD. Look for Otton to get his shot at a TD this week.
September 14th, 2024 at 11:54 am
Last week Davis was targeted 6 times with 5 of them completed for the yardage Joe stated. He’d BETTER guard McMillan because Evans or Godwin will burn him!
September 14th, 2024 at 11:55 am
Probably going to need the TEs to block, so I would expect Jalen to get a lot of targets, same with Palmer and White. Coen is going to need to throw plays at them that Davis has not seen before.
September 14th, 2024 at 12:25 pm
I watched the Detroit game vs the Rams. Davis didnt travel much, spend most of the time at LCB. So he will probably cover whoever is on his side.
Go Bucs
September 14th, 2024 at 12:33 pm
Did I see one play last week that started out with a pro set? Was watching on my phone, couldn’t see who was lined up
September 14th, 2024 at 1:00 pm
Easy game to have the TEs get involved in the screen game.
If Culp is activated. LOOK OUT, the story lines this week will be about yet another ROOKIE booming vs busting for Licht and Staff.
September 14th, 2024 at 1:04 pm
Davis knows Evans and Godwin well, but they know him well too. It’s a wash.
September 14th, 2024 at 1:12 pm
Mike and chris also know davis deficiencies as well, and mike and chris are better WR than davis is at CB. Just because davis knows mike and chris doesnt mean they cant outsmart him and show davis something that would make him think they are running one route because theyve done it before then get davis coming out of his shoes.
If davis plays off corner at all on the outside IMO they will hot route that side to a slant and davis will allow the completion every time.
September 14th, 2024 at 1:20 pm
Davis didn’t follow WRs under Bowles. Does he follow under Glenn?
September 14th, 2024 at 1:22 pm
The predictions are supposed to be hard to fathom, that’s why they’re called BOLD predictions. Talk about being ignorant.
September 14th, 2024 at 1:26 pm
Agree about McMillan tomorrow. Good points Ed and Fred too.
September 14th, 2024 at 2:07 pm
all these long catches are assuming , with the glasseater right tackle out, that the stiff swing tackle will have the game of his life against aiden richardson
September 14th, 2024 at 3:23 pm
I expect Jmac and Otton to have big impacts this week. You know Detroit is going to be focused on stopping Mike and Chris. I think we have too many weapons for them to handle.
If our defense can do as well as LA’s and keep them under 27 we win.
September 14th, 2024 at 3:24 pm
How big of a day he has just depends on Baker, and how big of a day he has.
If Baker throws for 400 yards, then sure, Evans, Godwin, White and McMillan will all get their yards.
If Baker throws for 250 yards, then that isn’t happening.
Consistency was Baker’s biggest issue last year, and it would be nice to see him put really good games together back to back. But, even if he doesn’t, it’s week 2, and the Bucs should beat the Broncos in week 3, so they should be 2-1 regardless of how Sunday goes.
September 14th, 2024 at 3:45 pm
Rod he threw just over 250 yds last week and had 4 touchdowns
One of those to the rookie. Why does he have to throw for 400 yds ?
September 14th, 2024 at 5:08 pm
O-line has to hold up for Baker to throw bombs.
September 14th, 2024 at 5:44 pm
I would go at CD3,. Relentlessly. He’ll pull up with an injury at some point
September 14th, 2024 at 7:10 pm
No one knows what the game plan is for McMillan and he’s pretty awesome so there’s one. Receivers out of the backfield there’s two. Three control the clock.
September 14th, 2024 at 7:47 pm
They have a rookie starter at corner and hopefully they can pick on him, or a safety has to help him, opening some space. Macmillan seems to have good ability finding wide open areas.
September 15th, 2024 at 1:51 am
I love CD III.
He helped change our culture.
You guys remember Brent “I don’t tackle” Grimes?
CDIII was a gangster on the outside. He would hit people hard!
Game after game. That’s why he missed some games. Because he played so hard!
Having said that.
I’m still happy we traded him for Jalen McMillan.
I’m happy Zion is starting. I’m happy we saved money too.
But I’ll always appreciate CDIII and his golden smile!