That Is Good Football
December 9th, 2013
The ball pops free of Buffalo wide receiver Robert Woods after getting blasted by Darrelle Revis late in the third quarter Sunday.
There were all sorts of plays that could jump out as the best during the Bucs’ beat down of the bungling Bills yesterday.
There was, of course, Bobby Rainey’s pace-setting, 80-yard touchdown run seconds into the game.
Joe’s favorite, however, was good, old-fashioned football by the defense, specifically Darrelle Revis. In this vanilla, watered down, offensive-stats-loving, fake- (fantasy) football-focused, lawsuit-paranoid, flag-football-trending state of the NFL, it warmed Joe’s heart to see a receiver get blown up and no defender flagged for trying too hard.
The hero, so to speak, of this solid football play was none other than Darrelle Revis. Robert Woods of the Bills caught an EJ Manuel offering towards the left sideline. Woods barely got his feet down when he was lit up by Revis. As Gene Deckerhoff would say, splattered “like a bug on a windshield.”
The ball popped free (imagine that, a defender trying to jar the ball loose?) and there was Mr. Everywhere, “The Flash,” Lavonte David for the pick.
The hit had to get every Bucs fan jacked up and it sure got Bucs commander Greg Schiano fired up.
“[Revis] also showed his veteran savvy, because I’m watching that whole thing develop and I’m like, ‘Oh boy, this is going to be a penalty. It’s a blind shot, and it’s going to be a high hit,’ and he just put it right [in the receiver’s chest],” Schiano said. “It was really, really a good [play]. [He’s] a smart player. Then he made some tackles. From my vantage point, on some of those perimeter plays, I know the defensive call and I know that the corner’s responsible to be in that last alley. [I’m thinking,] ‘Where’s the corner,’ and then all of a sudden Revis flashes and makes the tackles or shoves him out of bounds a couple times. He played all-around football today. [He] didn’t get his own interception, but he led to the result of a few and took some guys away on some deep balls. The one double-move – they said, ‘They got him last week on a double-move, let’s try it.’ Not twice.”
As Joe pointed out this morning, you think giving up that first round draft pick this past spring was worth bringing Revis into the fold now? He’s getting closer to 100 percent and it has showed recently.
It is kind of funny that when Revis blew up Woods, the very first thing Joe thought was, “Where’s the flag?” just like Schiano thought. And Revis told Joe yesterday that same thought was in his head. “Actually, I was looking for the flag (laughs),” Revis said. “Because usually a flag does get thrown on those hard hits.”
That’s how diluted the NFL has become. Sad, but true.
December 9th, 2013 at 7:18 pm
Any Buc but Revis would have been flagged….The Refs have respect for Revis….They did the right thing and gave him the benefit of the doubt.
The Refs are human and they assume that Revis delivers legitimate hits….unless its flagrant.
There is no way Revis wasn’t worth the draft picks….the money is another matter IMHO.
I am excited about what this defense & special teams can be. All the offense has to do is not screw it up.
December 9th, 2013 at 7:30 pm
I agree with TBBF, the Bucs are probably a marked team on Roger Goodell’s naughty list. I was surprised a flag wasn’t thrown, but happy as well. Hits like that usually don’t fly in today’s league. Good old-fashioned, put your shoulder down and level him, kind of football is outlawed nowadays. I can agree with flagging a guy who aimed for the head, or used his own helmet as a weapon rather than his body, but these days it just seems like yellow hankies are flying everywhere just because someone got hit hard. It’s ruining the sport.
December 9th, 2013 at 7:31 pm
Let’s say for argument’s sake Revis is at 75% this season on average. We are the league leaders in INT’s, and takeaways, all with one of the worst pass rushing defenses in the NFL (aside from McCoy). If you don’t think that’s a direct result of having Revis, then you are crazy. What’s he had, maybe 15 receptions on him all season (probably not even that much)? Teams don’t even challenge him, because they know better. You go ahead and let me know anybody we could have gotten in the first round that could have that much impact on our team. And just wait until next year when he’s at 100% and the defense has a full season to gel.
December 9th, 2013 at 7:34 pm
Like everyone else, I was expecting a flag. However, if you watch the play, Revis didn’t really move into the receiver. The receiver basically ran right into Revis, and all Revis did was lower his shoulder. If you really think about it, what else could he do, besides run away? He basically just stood his ground and knocked that guy into the middle of next week. I don’t like it, but I understand throwing a flag when a guy is running full speed into a guy and lowers his helmet. But it’s ridiculous to throw a flag when the receiver runs right into the defender. That would have damn near been a charge had they been playing basketball.
December 9th, 2013 at 7:37 pm
@hawaiian
I could not agree more. The defense has played really well this year outside of a few games. If we had most of last years offensive production we would be challenging for the playoffs.
I really have no idea how the d-line is going to improve though. They have had a few really strong games but for the most part just below average. Scheme or no scheme change not sure of we have that great of talent on the line.
I also feel the same way about our oline which isn’t a good problem to have either.
December 9th, 2013 at 8:23 pm
@Patrickbucs,
Yeah, we are going to have some make some changes on both lines, which is very unfortunate because there is big money tied up in both. Love Donald Penn, but he’s had a bad season by his standards. Davin Joseph looks like an old man out there. I’m scared we may never see Nicks line up for us again, and even if he does, he may just be a shell of what he once was. I think Spence will be just fine. Clayborn has had a bad season. I don’t know why Teo-Neisheim is starting over Bowers, because Bowers clearly gets good pressure on the QB (in the rare chances he actually gets on the field). I think we have to draft an end in one of the first 2 rounds, and we need to bring one in free agency. We are going to need depth next year, because although we’ve had tons of injuries on offense, we’ve been very lucky our defense has remained pretty healthy. With our luck, that may not continue next year.
December 9th, 2013 at 8:44 pm
this is the best piece you’ve ever wrote! the nfl is unrecognizable from what made it the “biggest show on earth”. Instead, the game has turned into “wheres the flag?….sad
December 9th, 2013 at 9:13 pm
I thought it would be called too. I was so happy for the next play to get off before the refs changed their mind. Best play of the game.
December 9th, 2013 at 9:13 pm
That hit was a thing of beauty. Everything about that game reminded me if the Bucs glory days.
Suffocating ball hawking defense and just enough offense to win.
4 or 500 yard offensive shoot outs are exciting (I’ve heard) but I’ll take a defensive beat down like yesterday every game if need be.
December 9th, 2013 at 9:18 pm
It is sad. I can’t remember who the Saints were playing, but I saw a defender just barely graze Drew Brees’ helmut with is hand and out game a flag. My jaw just dropped when I saw the replay. That’s when it really hit me though. That the NFL is headed in the wrong direction.
December 9th, 2013 at 9:29 pm
Joe — check out the Bucs rewind spot on buccaneers.com. There’s a great clip of Revis coaching Banks how to play a specific route that lead directly to Banks’ interception. Great video.
December 9th, 2013 at 9:59 pm
Yup Bucs looking good especially on D where all thats missing is some pass rushers. Offense we need to fix the O line and add some WR & TE depth.
December 9th, 2013 at 10:03 pm
Too bad this team can’t go to the Papa Johns Bowl for Gregory!
December 9th, 2013 at 10:58 pm
I was on the other side of the play yesterday but it looked like the WR ran into Revis who was in perfect position to lower his shoulder and protect himself. A little lean for leverage and lights out in the chest, perfect hit. Revis is worth the money alright. He was Ra’s Al Ghul and a band of Ninjas. That defense came up big time after time.
I’m very impressed with the defense as of late in pass coverage.
December 10th, 2013 at 12:13 am
Revis is so good; so smooth; makes everything look easy. His reputation is well deserved, and he’s not a trash talker from what I’ve seen.
What I really admired was a sideline shot with a younger Buc talking to him. Revis made constant eye contact and listened.
On the other hand, when I look at the hit on Gronkowski from Ward going at his knees; scary stuff. I really think he could have tackled him at about waist height.
I never watch hits on the knee because it makes me nauseous; I got my right knee totaled playing university, college to you guys, in my younger days. I was never the same after mostly due to fear of re-injury.
December 10th, 2013 at 1:30 am
At first when all the trade talk about Revis heated up, I was opposed to it. But after watching him play the first few games as a buc, I was sold. I thought to myself I cant remember the last time a bucs CB actually broke up a slant pass lol. He is a damn good football player and I’m glad we got him.
on the hit, I actually didn’t think there was going to be a flag. Watching it live I didn’t see helmet to helmet so I thought he was safe. I wouldn’t have been surprised if there was a flag though.
December 10th, 2013 at 2:59 am
Yea I think Revis was the top player in the 2013′ draft
December 10th, 2013 at 4:01 am
Thanks!
December 10th, 2013 at 7:16 am
Ref’s always second guess themselves when the player is an NFL Icon.