Bad Matchup Or Better Bucs?
January 14th, 2021
It’s actually kind of easy to boil down Sunday’s historic Bucs-Saints Divisional Playoff round.
Either New Orleans is either a terrible matchup for Tampa Bay (players and coaches) and nothing will change that this season. Or you believe the Bucs are a much better football team than the one that came to play the Saints in Weeks 1 and 9.
Are the Bucs better defensively than what the Saints have seen previously? One could argue the defense is a little worse.
Obviously, the Bucs offense was poor and disjointed on opening day (no big surprise) and it was stuck in a brief slide in Week 9. Now, everything is working and Joe is confident the Bucs’ offense is elite.
So what’s will be the difference? Well, Joe’s going to bet where a lot gamblers throw their cash in the playoffs — on the quarterback position.
Simply stated: Joe believes Brady is significantly better than Drew Brees is right now, and certainly Brady’s ridiculous 31-11 playoff record makes Brees’ 9-8 mark look amateurish.
If the Bucs can find just a couple of big plays on defense, and they have legitimate playmakers and were fifth in the NFL in forced turnovers, then Joe will be feeling awfully confident when the fourth quarter rolls around and it’s a one-score game.
January 14th, 2021 at 12:17 pm
I was hoping it would be the Saints. Full strength. Show them the playoffs are over for them! C’mon Bucs!
January 14th, 2021 at 12:19 pm
Doesn’t feel like an either/or… Are we a better team now? Overall I think absolutely (even with defensive slide…) Are they a bad matchup? Unfortunately I still think they are… Should be a closer game with our improvements.. just hoping it’s enough
January 14th, 2021 at 12:22 pm
The last 4 or so years the Saints have been knocked out because of something screwy happening. Let’s go and make it 5 but instead a dominant performance. I want to get the last laugh and I want every player to eat a W as they walk off the field looking Mr. 30 picks right in the eyes as they do it.
January 14th, 2021 at 12:26 pm
It’s up to the D. Got to have a better scheme/strategy/plan than last week.
January 14th, 2021 at 12:29 pm
If Ryan Fitzy tore apart this Saints D, why can’t Brady! Dude put up 48 points against this D, now granted it was a week 1 matchup, but the point is, it can be done! Oh yeah, and it was with Koetter as coach. Arians offenses have been awful against the Saints!!
January 14th, 2021 at 12:42 pm
Turn overs, penalties & field position are key. Clean football game then it comes down to who wants it more. Brady seems to be playing at the highest level and so is the oline. Bucs will score points and so will NO. Don’t see Bowles coming up with anything creative so it will come down to individual effort. White with fresh legs is dangerous. It’s going to take digging deep. Unfortunately they have more to lose which is a strong motivator.
January 14th, 2021 at 12:42 pm
Here’s to hoping Brady has a bigger role in postseason game planning because this coaching staff just can’t handle the Saints and players lose their composure against them too. I don’t think the Brady effect will play a role like it didn’t in week 9 when they got boat raced. It all comes down to scheme and execution in the playoffs. They will have to play like this is their super bowl and last game of the season in the trenches to win
January 14th, 2021 at 12:43 pm
Man this is awesome. We all deserved to finally enjoy some success like this and I’m stoked we have to go through the Saints if we’re going to continue this journey.
I haven’t posted here in a while but my wife and I are actually going to be moving back to the area after spending over 6 years in Denver. I am so stoked to go home, and eventually to the games and JBF events!
GO BUCS!!!!
January 14th, 2021 at 1:06 pm
The Aints will no doubt try to use short passes to Kamara over the run, and I’d hope they are planning to put a spy on him. They also need to be ready for Taysom’s tricks in clutch plays. I also hope they play man coverage because their zone coverage stinks. Brees is not 100% and few good hits ought to get him wheezing and reeling a bit. I am suprised to see so many picking the Bucs, and most are saying this team isn’t the same one from Weeks 1 and 9, and the Saints have apparently not beaten a team with a winning record since the last time they played the Bucs. Let’s see.
January 14th, 2021 at 1:07 pm
What would be really cool, though unlikely is for the Rams to be the Packers and there would be yet another NFC Championship game of Bucs-Rams, this one at home! Alas though, my bet is BUF vs GB in a real sleeper SB.
January 14th, 2021 at 1:11 pm
Better Bucs and Brees isnt the same as earlier in the season…
5 mins left in the 3rd qtr to an 8-8 Bears team and the score was 7-3 Saints…that told me all I needed to know.
They are a different team now, not as good and we are a different team now, MUCH better.…Bucs win by 10+
January 14th, 2021 at 1:13 pm
Welcome back LC! Hows the music career going?
January 14th, 2021 at 1:45 pm
Defense (usually) wins playoff games. We’ll need a turnover (or two) and we have to stop Kamara from breaking free for long runs. Last week Heinicke almost beat us with his legs; Brees won’t do that – he’ll stay in the pocket and we’ll have to put pressure on him – more pressure than we showed against Washington. This game will be decided by 3 points or less.
January 14th, 2021 at 1:53 pm
Can we sign Joe Jurevicius? I feel like this may similar to the Eagles back in 2002! We sure could use a nice 80 yard slant route early in the game! I still get goosebumps when I think about that play. Man I hope this is a repeat of that only they are wearing black and gold rather than green and white!
January 14th, 2021 at 2:12 pm
Better Bucs. If the pass rush is alive & well this game, no reason will cant dominate these clowns & face mush Brees into retirement.
January 14th, 2021 at 2:18 pm
Bucs should take note of what the Bears did on defense for the first 3 quarters of the game…
January 14th, 2021 at 2:20 pm
Between the two Methuselahs, Brady is healthier than Brees. Plus, Bowles better let his veteran dawgs loose, and I don’t mean JPP and Suh. So, why can’t the Bucs win?
January 14th, 2021 at 2:23 pm
Not even big plays on defense. Just plays. And tackles.
January 14th, 2021 at 2:57 pm
I hope I’m wrong but if we don’t get sacks and a bunch of pressure on Brees then I don’t think we win. I know we won a shootout against them them with fitz and now we got Brady and he’s way better than fitz but do we really want to get into a shootout again with our giving defense ? I don’t think so.
January 14th, 2021 at 3:55 pm
HOPE.
Okay, if we’re talking about things we’re hoping for …
1. Bowles learned the Saints run misdirection plays
2. Bowles has a better plan than in DC
3. White can be disruptive
4. Leftwich can keep the offensive rolling
5. The replacement OG can block
6. Godwin shows up
January 14th, 2021 at 3:55 pm
@Joe … “One could argue the defense is a little worse.” Uhhh, we gave up 38 points in that game Joe, but since then have only allowed an average of less than 22 PPG. That’s almost 2 TDs & 1 FG BETTER per game, on average of course. Is that what you call ‘a little worse’? First, Joe is looking at the totality of play. –Joe
What largely hurt the Bucs’ defense in that 38-3 loss was that the Bucs’ offense AND S/Ts didn’t hold up their end of the bargain. You & many other JBFers constantly bad-mouth the defense … and quite frankly they oftentimes deserve it … but when your offense only scores THREE POINTS in 11 drives & turns the ball over THREE TIMES, and your S/Ts constantly give the opposing offense great field position guess what: it’s pretty hard for any defense to make up for that. Oh wait, did I forget to mention that our Bucs’ offense went 1-for-12 on 3rd/4th down conversions in that game? Oh and had the ball for less than 20 mins TOP in the game? And for only 50 total plays, by far our lowest of the season. My bad.
The reality IMO is that the Bucs as a TEAM weren’t at all prepared to play that game, but the Saints certainly were. Our game-plan was atrocious and quite frankly Tom Brady had a bad night. Guess what, it happens to even the best. Saints on the other hand had an excellent BALANCED ATTACK game-plan & executed it to perfection, even though they had TWO giveaways themselves. Other than that though, they were right on the money and we were flat as can be in all 3 phases. It happens.
January 14th, 2021 at 4:10 pm
Lord C … Welcome back to Tampa, when you get here of course.
January 14th, 2021 at 6:20 pm
Lets pray that penalties stay away from us like Palosi at a Trump rally. But after watching foe approx 60 yrs i’ve noticed that there are some teams that will intentionally start a fight because they know it’s usually the response that gets flagged. week 9 was pathetic. our players fell for it every time. Hopefull between Tompa and BA ripping them a new one they have that fixed. Raiders was the worst followed by the STEALERS and Saints. SO be disciplined!!!!!
January 14th, 2021 at 6:44 pm
Lord C, welcome back. We changed quarterbacks…