Not-Yet-Healthy Ayers Comes Up Big
November 13th, 2016
Dirk Koetter explains. And Ayers talks to Joe.
Interesting talk from Dirk Koetter before kickoff today about defensive end Robert Ayers.
Rushing inside and outside, today Ayers looked a lot like the versatile handful of pass rusher the Bucs are paying him $8 million a season to be.
Ayers had a sack and a half in the beatdown of the Bears, including a forced fumble and a safety.
But during the Buccaneers Radio Network pregame show, Koetter was clear that Ayers is not yet healthy. This was interesting from Koetter, who routinely has said players, if they’re available, are ready to play at full steam.
Ayers returned from a serious Week 2 ankle injury three games ago against the Raiders. He was rather invisible versus the Raiders and Falcons but was strong today.
That’s pretty impressive since he’s not 100 percent.
After the game, Joe had a 1-on-1 chat with Ayers about Koetter’s comment and the reality of a 31-year-old coming back in midseason and trying to play his ankle back to health.
Ayers appreciated Koetter’s comment but it’s meaningless to him. And he doesn’t want to play with players who think about injuries affecting their performance.
“That’s not an excuse, healthy or not healthy, 100 percent, 5 percent, whatever you are out there you got to produce,” Jameis said. “That’s how I go about it. I don’t care about opinions. I care about my expectations I have for myself and helping my team win. If I’m out there, I’m expected to play at a high level and so it doesn’t really matter. We all gotta play at a very high level and try to dominate. … Tic-tac-toe or NFL football. No excuses.”
Ayers’ mentality is key for the Bucs. He’s been deep in the playoffs with Denver, and he has the right attitude and vocal approach to try to rip the losing DNA from too many of his teammates.
As is true on any NFL team, a player can only really inspire if he’s doing it on the field — and today was a great start.
November 13th, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Gholston and Ayeres played well. both all over the place great effort by far the most important dlinemen on team. Ayers’ safety was an IMPACT play… a second half IMPACT from a buccaneers dlineman is about as rare as Joe dating a bucs cheerleader it never happens.
November 13th, 2016 at 6:12 pm
Major props to Ayers for proving myself and many others wrong with a stellar outing. Well done, Sir.
November 13th, 2016 at 6:15 pm
Yea… McDonald is a MONSTER…
This D thrives on those like him. Happy he’s back also. Noah getting his time more n more, producing!
3 sacks in the last 3 games. Will-i-Am really getting good at getting to the QB
Now if we could press at the line more…
November 13th, 2016 at 6:24 pm
Well I was never in the “many others”..loved Robert since the days as a Giant and Bronco..I’ve always known he’s a beast..
November 13th, 2016 at 6:30 pm
Where u at
Bighog
Mike j
With your whole countdown to show improvement over the last regime nonsense
November 13th, 2016 at 6:34 pm
Ayers’ makes players around him better. He is the online dlineman on the roster that does that.
November 13th, 2016 at 6:37 pm
Every time they pressed at the line, something good happened.
November 13th, 2016 at 6:48 pm
Scurvy dogs
I’m saying though
November 13th, 2016 at 6:54 pm
Why was Jameis being given credit for a quote in an Ayers’ article?
November 13th, 2016 at 8:56 pm
Does this have anything to do with CMD coming back?