“Which Is Going To Equate To Good Special Teams”
June 15th, 2019
Bruce Arians makes a prediction.
If you pay attention to special teams, you know the core cover guys are mostly linebackers and defensive backs, with a backup receiver and a tight end sprinkled in.
The Bucs’ special teams haven’t been special in a while, and Joe’s not just talking about kicking.
Will that improve this season?
Without being asked, head coach Bucco Bruce Arians touched this subject as mandatory minicamp ended last week.
“I love our team speed right now on defense, which is going to equate to good special teams,” Arians told the Ira Kaufman Podcast.
So does speed equal special teams success? Well, in theory, faster guys are better than slower guys assuming their tackling quality is the same. The Bucs drafted two super-fast corners in Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean, but will they play special teams? Heck, they may not if they are both starters. Devin White certainly won’t play special teams.
Joe can’t say yet that the Bucs will be significantly faster on fourth down. The true football speed of the rookies, and newcomers like Shaq Barrett and Deone Bucannon, won’t be known until they’re seen in practice.
Now if Arians changes the culture and the special teams unit is really playing with its hair on fire, and the true speedsters are out there along with hard-hitting linebackers and Jordan Whitehead drilling people, then the Bucs might have something that hasn’t been seen around here in a while.
June 15th, 2019 at 7:40 pm
Jordan “The Drill” Whitehead. Has a ring to it. Man I love his game.
June 15th, 2019 at 7:44 pm
Folks have often talked about Ryan Smith being slow, terrible in coverage during passing downs, etc, but good on special teams. I think that’s the only reason he made the team last year. A good litmus test perhaps to gage if the Bucs really might have improved on special teams will be if he doesn’t make the roster/August cuts. Can’t wait to see Dean and Murphy-Bunting can do.
June 15th, 2019 at 8:39 pm
Taking weekends off is for the lesser Bucs outlets. That is an abhorrent concept to Joe and quite offensive to his readers. If you don’t care about a subject matter of a story, you don’t have to read it.
Some 11 years ago when Joe launched this site, there has never been a day without fresh content. Never. And Joe has no plans to change.
June 15th, 2019 at 8:52 pm
Th at actually pretty impressive joe. Definitely go above and beyond. You’d be nore than welcome to take a day without posting an article but muxh respect for fling obligated. We appreciate the dedication even if we don’t 100% agree with everything written here
June 15th, 2019 at 9:26 pm
Shoot, I come here BECAUSE of the new content every day. Thanks for doing what you do “Joe.”
June 15th, 2019 at 10:12 pm
Thanks guys!
June 15th, 2019 at 10:34 pm
More power Joe!
And
Happy Fathers Day
June 15th, 2019 at 11:46 pm
Father’s Day to do list:
Check joebucsfan.com
Eat egg, ham and cheese bagels with bacon
Check joebucsfan.com
Hang with kiddos and have a fire
Check joebucsfan.com
Grill NY strips and vegetable pouches
Check joebucsfan.com
Drink a moderate amount of beer because I have work tomorrow
Check joebucsfan.com
Go to bed
The perfect Father’s Day!
June 15th, 2019 at 11:50 pm
On a serious note… All this special teams talk makes me wonder how Russell Shepard did after he went to the Panthers?! He was one of the best gunners in the league when he played for the Bucs!
June 16th, 2019 at 1:10 am
Came on to this website roughly 6 years ago… been hooked ever since… keep on keepin on Joe.. you’re doing a great job.
June 16th, 2019 at 5:21 am
Joe—
“Some 11 years ago when Joe launched this site, there has never been a day without fresh content. Never. And Joe has no plans to change.”
Impressive almost in a medically negative way. There needs to be a new medical condition dubbed, “The JBF Numb Extremity Effect.”
Every serious JBL reader knows the condition. You know, the one where you’ve spent so much morning time on the sh!tter reading and responding to JBF posts that your lower legs go numb?!
Yes, I’m talking to you.
Now if you’ll excuse me, “You lift your left leg up, and you shake it all about. You lift your right leg up, and you…” You know how the rest of the song goes.
Thanks for the condition, Joe!
June 16th, 2019 at 5:48 pm
Bucs45 -Russ Shepard played just one season as a Panther before getting cut and ending up with the NY Football Giants. Marginal receivers who are special team studs are in danger of getting cut each year as they get older as hungry, young, fast and cheaper alternatives compete to make the roster.