First Play A Surprise
September 16th, 2018
Key read.
There isn’t a better way to start a game from scrimmage.
When the Bucs broke huddle on the first play of the game following a touchdown on the opening kickoff, no one dreamed it would be a 75-yard pass to DeSean Jackson.
Until backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick read the Philly defense.
“Well, they came with a corner blitz on the first play and we hadn’t seen them run many corner blitzes, Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said of the 27-21 win over the Super Bowl champion Eagles. “So that kind of caught us by surprise on the very first play.
“That wasn’t the plan going in. We weren’t trying to hit a home run there. We were trying to go underneath to Mike Evans. It was a great read by [Ryan Fitzpatrick] and a good pick up by Peyton Barber on the corner blitz.”
“Good throw, good catch,” Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills said of the play.
On Jackson being open on the play, Fitz said, “For me, it was unbelievable.”
So now we know the play was a surprise. What we also know is the Bucs have some damn good options to counter a surprise.
September 16th, 2018 at 7:00 pm
!!!! Great read … yep!
September 16th, 2018 at 7:01 pm
Fast aggressive starts! Refreshing for a change!
September 16th, 2018 at 7:02 pm
Joe,
What do think of this trading draft picks for Patrick Peterson?
September 16th, 2018 at 7:04 pm
Joe…. set me free…
September 16th, 2018 at 7:07 pm
No..its no surprise. We have a good offense. Good Offenses do that! Look at how the Jags are waxin the Pats. They look confident. Our Offense will be good this year. Our D..just needs to continue to improve every game. IF..we can accomplish this..we will be a force to be reckon with.
September 16th, 2018 at 7:08 pm
Fitzapatrick’s experience
+ top-notch offensive line pass Protection
+ 6 legit playmakers in skill positions
= the offensive power we are witnessing.
Exciting times Bucs fans!
September 16th, 2018 at 7:10 pm
We need to establish a better running game. At some point that’s going to come back and bite us – like when we need to run time of the clock at the end of a game.
September 16th, 2018 at 7:11 pm
Can’t wait for Pitts!
September 16th, 2018 at 7:13 pm
Classic picture of Gene Hackman in Young Frankenstein, love it. Love the curbstomp by Fitz and DJax on the very first play. Tampa Bay has held serve twice, once in the Superdome and now against the reining SB champs. So, who’s afraid of Virginia Wolf? Certainly not our Pewter Pirates!! Bring on Big Ben, we got somethin’ for ya dude. AB vs. our young rooks should be real interesting. Can’t wait ’til Monday Night Football. Go Bucs!!
September 16th, 2018 at 7:15 pm
Shocking, after 32 weeks of running it up the middle on first down, we have two play action passes two weeks in a row, the defenses are totally not expecting that. Now the great thing is the Bucs CAN run it up the middle if they want since teams aren’t likely to be stacking the line.
This is what I was saying all of last year, use the play action pass Dirk, and if you want to pass it on first down do it from under center, not from shotgun where you tell the defense that you’re passing the ball.
The Eagles were completely off guard today, they didn’t know what was coming. I can not explain to people what a huge deal that is, if teams don’t know what you’re doing they can’t just sit on play calling, which is what teams did with Dirk the last 2 years.
This is also why Lovie should have never been fired – and what I tried explaining to people, it wasn’t about Lovie, it was about removing Dirk from what he was doing well in 2015. You take a guy who did a great job as a OC and as a play caller, now tell them they don’t have the same time to game plan and they’re on the sideline, we’ve seen what has happened.
September 16th, 2018 at 7:28 pm
Nice props to Barber with the pickup. A major factor in that play was time for the quarterback. Fitzpatrick had time all day as a matter of fact. the Eagles d-line made a couple nice plays on us but we were able to beat them man on man today!!!!
GOO BUCS!!!!¡!!
September 16th, 2018 at 7:29 pm
You can’t cover Evans, Jackson, Godwin and Howard on any play if the QB has any time. Fear The Freaking Beard!
September 16th, 2018 at 7:32 pm
Wouldn’t be opposed.
September 16th, 2018 at 7:33 pm
Munch. Really dude? Still carrying water for coach my scheme Lovie? Just stop the hate man, Dirk Koetter has earned respect the old fashioned way. Approach the throne, genuflect and beg forgiveness for blasphemy, then grovel backwards from the room. For shame, tsk, tsk.
GO BUCS!!
September 16th, 2018 at 7:38 pm
I can’t wait to listen to Philly sports talk radio tomorrow
September 16th, 2018 at 7:40 pm
Wouldn’t mind sending a conditional pick to the Bills for Shady McCoy
September 16th, 2018 at 7:51 pm
“Amazingly Monken has b!tch slapped both defenses. Always 1 step ahead. Monken seems like he is playing poker and he can see the opponents hole cards. Monken is making moves and the defenses have to try to counter and always a step behind”
#Kobe&MonkBFF
September 16th, 2018 at 7:51 pm
I thought the tandem of eds-jensen-marpet was damn good. Like the nasty Jensen brings to the o-line.
September 16th, 2018 at 7:54 pm
JimBuc2 – You guys have the IQ of a rusted shovel. Maybe try using your 4th grade reading ability and read what I wrote again. I literally said it wasn’t about Lovie, it was about removing Dirk from doing what he was doing well.
September 16th, 2018 at 7:58 pm
Rod munch is a liar and/or misinformed usual!!!!!!!! In 2017 the Bucs were very balanced on offense in first down!!!!!! 236 rushes vs 236 pass attempts for the year!!!!!! You can find it on pro-football -reference and look under “offensive splits!!!! and splits by down!!!!!!!!!!!
In 2016 it was 131 rushes to 108 pass attempts on first downs for the year!!!!
But maybe Rod munch is just confused, and meant to say that is why loser lovie had to be fired!!!!!! Because in 2015 rush attempts were 267 to 195 pass attempts!!!!!! That was when the incompetent one put constraint on the offense to protect his sorry azz system that no longer worked in the NFL!!!!!!!
And By the way rod, the win today just doubled loser lovie’s win total for the Great Head Coach Koetter!!!!!!!
forget the “no excuses”!!!!!! Now its ” no more lies sheep”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 16th, 2018 at 8:00 pm
So your saying defensive coordinators can change things up? Mike Smith should be made aware of this cus he sucks!!!!
September 16th, 2018 at 8:00 pm
Hey Ron
Im thinking leave Fitz until he starts to continuously play bad ( lose 2 out of 3 games or out of the playoffs)
Kobe is a bigtime homer but if Fritz is playing this well… JW sits
September 16th, 2018 at 8:04 pm
El Buco – First down IN THE FIRST HALF. Dirk always threw on 1st down in the 2nd half, and he’d do it from shotgun. That’s not balance you dope.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:06 pm
What are you talking about. Rod munch is the bestest smartest poster in here. We are so privledged to get to read his constant diarrhea coming from his mouth.
He Ian the most interesting man on the planet. So smart that he is the right to call people idiot and fruitcake. Love it when he makes fun of a post.
Rod much = butt munch = the true d bag
September 16th, 2018 at 8:25 pm
@ Munch Rod
you can go look at that website I said and you can look it up the spits by quarter as well!!!!! You are still wrong!!!!!!! But I already broke my own rule of trying to talk sense to the senseless!!!!!!! So continue on with your misinformed thoughts!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 16th, 2018 at 8:29 pm
Only trade i would make right now is for a RB….even though Barber is outstanding, we still need another one….maybe the steelers release Bell and we get him.
September 16th, 2018 at 8:40 pm
If JW was QB, he would’ve overthrown Jackson. He is always too amped up early in games and that makes him overthrow receivers. I hope the Bucs stay with Fitzapatrick. I bet DeSean hopes so too.
September 16th, 2018 at 9:11 pm
They played Mike Jenkins hard on this play. They probably noticed on his tape he was over aggressive on this route and figured why not test it right off the bat. Nice gem.
Bucs fast starts are key to their success so far. I think they need to learn how to close the door on offense with their run game late if they want to be successful this year and into the playoffs.
September 16th, 2018 at 9:36 pm
El bucco,
You’re
September 16th, 2018 at 9:37 pm
El Buco
Sure, read the stats… from the same page.
Under center: 322 rushes, 214 passes, that’s a 3:2 ratio, that is extremely predictable.
So you know, when I say EVERY, that’s called an exaggeration. Since we’re not children I think people can figure out when you say EVERY, it doesn’t literally mean EVERY, it’s used as a point of emphasis to make a point.
Also, to prove another point, when they threw from under center, they were extremely successful at 8.3 yards per play and 15 TDs vs 6 INTs.
Anywho thanks for pointing out the page, I was looking for that info.
September 16th, 2018 at 9:38 pm
Joe, what did I miss?
“following a touchdown on the opening kickoff,
September 16th, 2018 at 9:38 pm
100% correct.
But I doubt munch will let facts get in the way of his over inflated ego driven narrative. .
September 16th, 2018 at 10:01 pm
Munch, my rusty shovel just spanked your pin headed, pompous and self serving attitude. Hey, you can use my shovel to dig you way out that dung heap.
September 16th, 2018 at 10:32 pm
Where are all the armchair gms saying not to resign kwon or he sucks etc.? Im looking for them and all the trade djax crowd. Oh im also looking for those who were still crying for dalvin cook and bashed the OJ selection. I could go on but you get my drift.
September 16th, 2018 at 11:00 pm
WillieG Says:
“If JW was QB, he would’ve overthrown Jackson. He is always too amped up early in game…”
—————
No longer a problem! The Bucs’ medical staff is adopting my suggestion of a pre-game Xanax for Jameis.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:14 am
Not sure Jameis could have made that read, but either way, it was awesome. Then to come back and have another 75yd TD. Get out of town…amazing!!!
September 17th, 2018 at 12:33 am
It’s Fitsmagic!
September 17th, 2018 at 12:34 am
It’s Fitsmagic!
September 17th, 2018 at 12:38 am
If Fitz isn’t this Fitz he probably underthrows D-Jax, but this Fitz right now has a 150 QB rating, which, for those dumb enough not to know, would be, by far, the best passing season in the history of the NFL by a wide margin. Anywho lets ride Fitz for as long as possible, but anyone who thinks this is the new norm, that you hit everything for 16 weeks, uh OK. Would love to be wrong and see Fitz rewrite every single season record, but after 2 games I’m not sure I’m onboard with that. Maybe next week.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:45 am
Here’s some stats….
Aaron Rodgers, 2011, 68.3% comp, 4,643 yards, 45 TDs, 6 INTs, 122.5 rating…
Fitz is on pace for, 78.7% comp, 6552 yards, 64 TDs, 8 INTs and a 151.5 rating…
So if you think Fitz breaks every record and blows past the previous best season on record after game 2, then I guess you believe he’ll hit every deep ball for the entire season. History says that won’t be the case, but history can be rewritten. I don’t think it will happen, but hey, I’m willing to be wrong, and would happily do so.
Anywho I’m still very excited about seeing Winston in this offense, with a good offensive line, with a play caller that isn’t super predictable and isn’t running up the gut on every 1st down of every drive in the 1st half – like the under center data proves.