Backups Doing Backup Things
December 23rd, 2024
Bucs inside linebacker J.J. Russell.
With about 6:25 remaining in the game tonight and the Bucs trailing 26-17, backup linebacker J.J. Russell dropped what looked like a sure interception deep in Dallas territory.
That came after Sterling Shepard dropped two would be first downs in the first quarter.
Joe can throw shade at Todd Bowles for these happenings, but that’s hard to do. There’s a reason those guys aren’t front line starters.
Joe already wrote about rookie Jalen McMillan showing his lack of seasoning and toughness on two key occasions.
But this is where the Bucs season is, and it’s a predicament most of the NFL is in because of injuries.
It’s no excuse.
However, the Bucs started the season slightly shy of depth because of lingering salary cap issues from the Tom Brady years. That’s nobody’s fault. So perhaps with more money to spend the Bucs would have had a better third-string inside linebacker making a key pick, or a more seasoned and sound receiver behind injured Chris Godwin making a play where Shepard and McMillan faltered.
Lots of what-ifs on Tampa Bay’s side of the ball, including “what if the Bucs had an edge rush?”
Joe’s not crying tonight, however, a 10-6 record is well within reach and Washington (8-7) looks like they’ll need a miracle to beat Washington on the road next Sunday.
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:05 am
Detroit has 15 players on IR they’re 13-2
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:07 am
You know how makes that play?
Devin White vs the Saints in the playoffs.
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:09 am
Puhlease…starters are backups. The roster has tons of inadequate talent playing around a few actual NFL talent football players.
The roster is very thin on defense when it comes to professional football talent
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:09 am
That defensive gameplan has nothing to do with any of those plays
You just let a backup QB with one WR that has a bum shoulder beat you for 5 scores out of 6 drives and Todd has no answers
Enough with the player excuses, this is all about Todd and his lack of ability to lead a team
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:10 am
Key word banning is in full effect I see.
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:10 am
We’re all hurting, but that last paragraph is all over the shop. 10-6 within reach? Washington needs a miracle to beat Washington?
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:10 am
All will be well next week. 10-7 will win the south .
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:10 am
Bucs have to win out, they are not catching Washington. Lose one game and it is season over and if the ATL beats the Commanders the Bucs will have to rely on Dave Canales and his QB to pull an upset. Suddenly the playoffs seem far, far away. So much for Bowles’ job security. The Bucs needed a win in the worst way tonight and they flopped in primetime again……
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:11 am
We are just good enough to lose ugly!
We don’t belong in the playoffs,Todd bowles defense is defenseless!
Sorry for the attitude but enough is enough .
I love Liam Coen but defense wins championships!
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:11 am
10-6 record and Wsh beating Wsh? Adult cocktails were involved in this article lol
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:13 am
Kudos to everyone who thinks our next 2 games are automatic wins
They’re not. And ATL could easily win their next 2, and then we’re out.
There is no wild card birth for the Bucs. We now have to pray ATL loses a game we don’t. They could have taken care of business tonight but failed, yet again.
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:13 am
The inability to make cooper rush uncomfortable or cover the one threat in lamb is what killed the game.
Dallas was more physical and more aggressive.
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:13 am
Sometimes you have to give the other team credit….They made some great plays tonight…
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:18 am
BucfaninMi Says:
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:05 am
Detroit has 15 players on IR they’re 13-2
——-
And 0-1 vs the Bucs.
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:21 am
Even if we somehow back in to the playoffs, everyone “ on this here site” knows it’ll be a one and done. If everyone is being honest .
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:22 am
They have a coach with a clear plan, players buy into. Next man up works that way
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:22 am
The entire NFL is dealing with injuries and having backups playing more snaps than they’d prefer… enough with that weekly excuse. Comes down to game planning and coaching players to execute. Some HC’s & teams do it better than others.
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:26 am
Tampabaybucfan Says:
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:13 am
Sometimes you have to give the other team credit….They made some great plays tonight…
———-
Yeah, for all the whining about the Bucs defense – the Cows simply had some good counter calls. The one that just stands out is before halftime, and the Bucs send 29 on a blitz, he’s unblocked to the QB, but they just happened to have called a slant from that same side, and so they get the easy completion. Everyone whined about coverage, but if you blitz, someone is open, and the call was just the perfect counter.
The Cows, in particular in the 1st half, seemed to have good answers for the Bucs defense – which wasn’t being predictable as they generally sit back in a soft zone in the 1st half, and instead were being aggressive.
Of course it doesn’t help the refs did BS like giving Lamb that huge catch where he clearly pushed off.
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:27 am
Todd is good DC not a HC. How many times have we heard communication breakdowns and not tackling? What language are they speaking???
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:30 am
Joe says”however, a 10-6 record is well within reach and Washington (8-7) looks like they’ll need a miracle to beat Washington on the road next Sunday.” so what are you even talking about here?
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:44 am
explain to me how these bad backups held the cowboys to 3 points in second half. bowles didnt have his team prepared like the cowboys were to start with he game
December 23rd, 2024 at 1:40 am
Stop the roster injury excuses talk. Someone said Detroit is a mash unit, true, they stay winning. We just lost to a team down their QB and #1 CB plus an OL and like 3 DL. Stop! Not an excuse.
How many games you think we win if we are down Baker, Dean ((0-4 for those counting at home this year), Diaby and Kancey? Joke. McCarthy won 1 SB with prime Aaron Rodgers over like 8 years. He’s not the mismatch!
December 23rd, 2024 at 2:09 am
“But this is where the Bucs season is, and it’s a predicament most of the NFL is in because of injuries…It’s no excuse…However, the Bucs started the season slightly shy of depth because of lingering salary cap issues from the Tom Brady years.”
You can’t have it both ways. That is cowardly reporting. ‘No excuses…but!’
Take a line and stick with it. You keep blaming Bowles but then backtracking how things are not his fault. This wishy-washy exposition makes you look indecisive.
December 23rd, 2024 at 2:29 am
I know it’s any given Sunday and that basically nothing is guaranteed or even sometimes remotely possible, but to lose the game like that is pathetic imo.
It’s not Bakers fault either or even really the team or Whites fault. I refuse to believe or accept that. Simply put a lot of heat was put for maybe the first or second time this season against the TB Bucs and it honestly by my standards yes was quite awful…
Never did we help out the clearly hurting and banged up OL.
Look what happened to Wirfs on one of them plays. He’s a big boy and elite OT and he just got wrecked trying to save baker and this offense. He’s playing hurt and it’s not okay. The alternative is not much better, but still again why win games to go play another game just to lose? Idk it’s kinda silly to me.
Sure is easy for us to look back and be like we should’ve done this or that, but it’s kinda true. Added protection for the QB even in the form of depth may have to be a serious possibility and consideration in the offseason.
December 23rd, 2024 at 2:38 am
On another note I want to add we really could use more talent at OLB, ILB, outside CB, and safety depth imo. I know we’re banged up and we’re also aging but no excuse with a potential division title on the line have to win games and if they can’t find someone who will or can!
Falling to this lower pedigree in the W/L column should help TB secure some more talent in areas we haven’t been able to typically recruit and find in the draft.
If we lose the next two and miss playoffs as division champs then at least we can secure a slightly better spot in the draft.
The ATL x2 , Den , KC , SF , and now Dallas games all have really hurt our playoff odds. It’s crazy and madness that we keep losing the same way all year basically and no resolution.
December 23rd, 2024 at 2:55 am
It’s not just win out for TB, now ATL has to lose one while we win out.
I mean possible sure, but not impossible nor is it guaranteed.
ATL has the tiebreaker if both teams win out TB loses the playoffs with what 10 wins? That kinda defeats the purpose if we lose both games and not make the playoffs though, because if we miss out on playoffs with double digit wins then Bucs won’t get the top-12 pick.
Now that we have losing tie breakers to Dallas, ATL, and San Fran technically if the other teams just under us win out the final (2) games and we lose out we could get exactly that a top 12 pick. So maybe a key player from the draft that could be a real game changer. Pass rusher (OLB) , CB, S, ILB.
Ya know we probably win a few of these games with just a little bit more help from this next rookie class imo. Before we focus on O line next season we may have to keep using an additional OL or sign a pass blocking TE to help protect baker. We’re gonna have to resign Godwin. That much is super obvious!
I really think getting Mike Evans his 200 yards the next (2) games may be the most and only important thing left for Buccaneer fans.
December 23rd, 2024 at 7:22 am
Does Joe have a salary cap? Must be 3rd stringers writing these mistake filled articles.
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:25 am
That fact that folks are still trying to blame Bowles for how grown men play, is asinine. Players have to make plays. You can call the best plays ever designed, and if the players don’t make the plays, who’s fault is that? We have to start putting things into better perspective. \
We are seeing players fumble, drop passes, miss tackles, not be able to grab an interception, miss field goals. Who’s at fault for all of those things? The players for not executing. Nothing to do with the coach or coaches. Decision making and what plays are being called, we can lay that blame clearly on the coaches.
And Joe, backups doing backup things is clearly and excuse for why the team is playing the way it is when you have to rely on them to be more than their talent level allows for. Backups are backups for a reason, or they would either be starters or not on NFL rosters.
December 23rd, 2024 at 10:35 am
That’s what head coaches do? You think they are just window dressing?
Anyone that suggests a head coach doesn’t have a direct link to how “grown men play” is the one who is fully asinine.
This may be the dumbest comment Joe has read on this site in some time. What next, there is no such thing as momentum? If players aren’t prepared to play, that’s directly on the coaching staff. And who is in charge of the coaching staff? The coach.
Or is that responsibility on the towel boys?
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:23 pm
Rod Munch Says:
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:07 am
You know how makes that play?
Devin White vs the Saints in the playoffs.
^^^^^^^^
Yeah, but you’re leaving out the part of how White stunk up the joint the last few years.