The Bruising Bucs Offensive Line
November 26th, 2024
Strong game from Bucs rookie center.
Before the season, Joe typed more than twice that the real Bucs’ offensive line, with two new starters and a new position coach, would begin to show its true self at Thanksgiving.
Joe thinks the line may have arrived a little early to dinner.
Since Luke Goedeke returned from his four-game concussion rehab, the line has steadily improved. Now? You could argue the Bucs have a top-10 offensive line, and Bucs general manager Jason Licht would tell you it’s even better.
Wait till Tristan Wirfs gets healthy.
Sunday in New Jersey, Baker Mayfield dropped back 34 times. He didn’t get sacked once and only absorbed two quarterback hits.
Joe heard all last week about the powerhouse players the Giants have up front. Brian Burns (he’s good), Dexter Lawrence (he’s good) and Azeez Ojulari (he’s having a good year).
Those guys didn’t do s(p)it against the Bucs.
And a doff of the cap to Justin Skule. Joe suspected with the pass rushers the Giants have, they’d get a sack going through Skule.
Nope. Nice job, Mr. Skule.
Go ahead and watch the video below (you can click here too) of former NFL offensive lineman and current NFL Network talking head Brian Baldinger raving about the Bucs offensive line. Good, angry stuff here.
If the Bucs continue to block like they did Sunday, the playoffs are a real possibility.
.@Buccaneers dominated the @Giants and @bakermayfield is a natural leader. Baker and the Bucs are getting close to a 4th straight division title. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/1PWWNKEiq8
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 25, 2024
November 26th, 2024 at 4:27 am
Kudos to the fat dudes! Love to see them winning in the trenches. I think all the blabber about Mauch sucking should be silenced now. He is playing at an All Pro level as is the dude to his right Mr Glass Eater. Did you Mauch and Barton downfield looking to take some DBs to the ER? Honorary reserve guard Baker Mayfield? Even Bredeson came ready to get after it.
Honorary reserve fullback Vita Vea?
I take back all the curse words I said about Skule at RT he can play LT for sure. Strange to me to look so bad on one side and so good on the other.
Barton should have got a penalty flag thrown on Lawrence (I think) had him frustrated all over the place to where he threw Barton down after the whistle. Jensen would have had to get both teams benches involved. LOL
Go Bucs!
November 26th, 2024 at 4:38 am
Love Baldy Breakdowns – you get to see all the work that goes on with the OL that gets missed on the tv broadcast
November 26th, 2024 at 4:42 am
Not worried about the offense. They are definitely playoff caliber. Unfortunately Todd’s defense is hot garbage. No edge rushers, an awful inside linebacker, a brittle secondary and Todd’s overcomplicated scheme is a recipe for failure on that side of the ball.
November 26th, 2024 at 5:07 am
I like hus confidence. I predicted we would win the division after we git through the beginning of our schedule. I said Kirk will get hurt and Atlanta will blow it and lose and lose. I don’t want to jinx it. Todd destroyed my confidence in him. But the leaders on this team took control and handled buisness. Imagine this team wirh a coach who knew how to use timeouts and knew situational football. A coach who brings a pair of stones to work. We would be rolling. Tough tough losses and mistakes. Well we will see how it goes.
November 26th, 2024 at 6:22 am
Not to be overlooked, but what a story Goedeke has turned out to be. I never thought he was a bust as a first-year rookie dealing with the pressure of protecting Brady, but to sniff out the opportunity at RT against Atlanta in that last game of 2022, and would get a chance to compete the following season for RT? Would any team have given this kid a crack at RT after struggling at Guard? NFL has a way of putting players in boxes, Goedeke was not supposed to be able to handle the tackle position against NFL edge talent due to his measurables, and damn if him and Wirfs aren’t turning out to be better bookends than Smith and Wirfs. I have even more appreciation for tackle given Skule has all the measurables, yet he’s not very good. Those that have those measurables typically lack the athleticism to compete against elite NFL talent “consistently”. There’s something to be said for athleticism.
It’s going to be nice over the offseason to be able to focus on reloading at ILB and/or WR in the draft, unless there’s a homerun OLB/DE wherever we’re drafting next season. Doubt it, but you never know. I still say we need to consider free agency to fill our pass rushing needs. 2025 is looking really interesting if we close out this season strong.
November 26th, 2024 at 7:21 am
Hook, and wheel. Wow what a quick move by Barton. You can do a lot with an all pro center, and Barton is going to be one very soon.
November 26th, 2024 at 7:40 am
Impressive stuff for sure.
November 26th, 2024 at 7:40 am
Steven, totally agree. Baldy’s breakdowns are great!
November 26th, 2024 at 7:55 am
One of the bigger strengths on the team and have been for most of the year (especially since Goedeke got back and they’ve had time to gel).
November 26th, 2024 at 8:07 am
Jason Licht knows how to build offensive lines.
I was very satified with this year’s draft picks, but I also knew the price of a quick OL rebuild meant neglecting the Defensive Line for a year.
Fans tend to forget we only get a limited number of picks, and in prder to give Baker Mayfield a fair shot at dominating, it meant focusing on offense for a year.
Next draft, outside of a WR to replace Godwin, the draft will focus on defense.
November 26th, 2024 at 8:53 am
Buccaneer Bonzai…Excellent point. We had to do what we did in last year’s draft for the offense unfortunately, at the expense of the defense. Yet, to Licht’s credit, we still managed to get a little quality defensive help in the Braswell & Tykee Smith picks. They’re going to be solid contributors in the coming years. I agree that we’ll draft for the defense this coming draft. A lot of needs there. Stud pass rusher, inside linebacker, corner help, and another stud defensive tackle. Between the draft and free agency we can hopefully beef those areas up.
November 26th, 2024 at 9:29 am
The Bucs will see a greatly improved Carolina team this coming Sunday. They have made some strides and are playing good ball. So don’t be shocked…Just warning you.
November 26th, 2024 at 10:29 am
If they continue to play like this, playoffs are a real possibility if the OL coaches have a secret meeting with the defense and tell them to just ignore whatever B&B tells them to do, beat the man in front of you and cover someone in the back end. Not complicated.
But with this defense, playoffs are a miracle.
November 26th, 2024 at 1:06 pm
Man…. how can anyone not like Baker. The block 40 yards downfield… stiff arming Bosa and making an accurate completion to convert a 4th down. The dude is a stud. I love him. His passion and fire has never been seen at the QB position before in Tampa… NOBODY has ever given so much, not Brady or Williams. What a fun guy to watch.