The Best Passing Attack
August 4th, 2021
“Old man, you still have it.”
Joe’s going to take a little liberty here and suggest the Bucs have the best passing attack in the NFL.
And just typing that sentence, it’s like an out-of-body experience.
Deep in the depths of The Lost Decade, the Bucs had a gruesome passing attack where the likes of Stewart McClown and Mike Glennon were throwing to targets like Austin Seferian-Jackwagon and Robert Herron.
Lawd!
Going by the rankings of Ryan McCrystal of Sharp Football Analysis, the Bucs have the No. 1 receiver/tight end group and No. 3 quarterback in the NFL. (He has the Chiefs with the No. 1 quarterback and No. 3 receiver/tight end group. Joe thinks Antonio Brown pushes the Bucs to No. 1 passing attack).
But think how sickly deep the Bucs are at receiver and tight ends (when healthy). All three of the tight ends would be No. 1 tight ends on just about 20 of the other 31 NFL teams. The Bucs’ Nos. 4-6 receivers could be top-tier guys for other teams. It’s insane.
Just think of the transformation of this Bucs in six seasons. It went from truly horrid, unwatchable football to an absolutely loaded roster and Super Bowl champs. The Bucs’ front office and coaching staff deserve loads of praise for both finding and coaching up these guys.
Joe thinks it is pretty obvious the (massive) difference a good coaching staff makes. Sure, the Bucs under Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians didn’t start playing decent football until late in the 2019 season, but there was a reason for that.
It took that long for Arians’ staff to work with some of the players in order to coach the Lovie out of them.
August 4th, 2021 at 1:21 pm
” Coach the Lovie out of these guys” = Absolutely Hilarious
August 4th, 2021 at 1:23 pm
AL121976:
🙂
August 4th, 2021 at 1:59 pm
Just think, the Houston Texans are trying to coach the Lovie INTO their guys 😂😂😂. Hargreaves already has it 🤦🏻♂️…
August 4th, 2021 at 2:46 pm
roflmao Bucfan1988
August 4th, 2021 at 2:46 pm
“#3 QB”?! I always laugh when I hear stuff like this. I just picture that beautiful SB ring atop Brady’s middle finger!
We are definitely going to be tough to beat with all our weapons.
August 4th, 2021 at 2:56 pm
I think about it all the time. Licht has deserved criticism for questionable moves as GM, but his recent genius cannot be understated. He and the front office have pitched lights out the last few years. They’ve silenced the haters. Bravo JL, grab a brew and do a cannonball in your pool tonight!
August 4th, 2021 at 3:24 pm
Truly, the Bucs have ridiculous weapons all over the field. It’s not really fair, but hey, it’s the Bucs time to shine!
August 4th, 2021 at 3:29 pm
With the addition of Darden I am going to suggest we one of the top 5 passing attacks of all time. We have the greaest qb of all time with his greatest collection of receivers and tight ends ever then throw in Gio and thats a great RB receiver. I know some of the patriots years they had Randy Moss and Wes Welker but i think if you realize Evans and Brown will be a lock for the HofF and Gronk as well and Godwin perhaps on his way and Scooter Miller and Darden is looking like a very very special player I start thinking of the best ever and I think of the 70 Steelers with Swan and Stallworth and then my memory goes fuzzy can anyone think of a WR group much better than ours in the history????
August 4th, 2021 at 4:02 pm
We actually had the best passing attack with Winston. 5000 yards was #1.
The problem was we also led the league in passing to the other team, too.
August 4th, 2021 at 4:28 pm
Great feelings and terrific comments. 😀
August 4th, 2021 at 4:40 pm
JL and BA are a fabulous team. They worked lights out during the off season to bring back a core group of players that were firing on all cylinders. The defense were nothing short of phenomenal at the end of the season and into the playoffs. Brady and the offense started to gel and the turnovers were few and far between. TB and BA began to understand what each other was looking for at the end of the season and into the playoffs. None of these things happens without the other everybody made the team a Super Bowl winning team. The offense couldn’t have done it without a great coaching staff and the defense and the coaching staff discovered what needed to happen to tighten everything up so that they could become a tight-knit and incredible defensive unit. There was no particular person or unit weather defense or offense that were completely instrumental in the winning of a Superbowl. This will be an interesting season and kind of a fun season just to see how well they have kept the cohesiveness.
August 4th, 2021 at 6:29 pm
We get the occasional Vernon Hargreaves, but THEN Licht grabs the occasional Mike Evans/Chris Godwin/Tristan Wirfs/Antoine Winfield/Devon White….. THEN look at the lowly Jets
August 4th, 2021 at 8:05 pm
This team has a realistic chance to go down as the best team of all time.
August 4th, 2021 at 8:21 pm
I hear Gio hasn’t dropped one damn thing. This is going to get ugly.
August 4th, 2021 at 9:05 pm
You guys think way too much of Brate. He’d be on most other teams — but not as a #1 since he can’t block. Still, he’s valuable as a receiver, unless the game is on the line with 3 minutes in the 4th quarter and it’s 4th down deep in Texans terrority.
August 4th, 2021 at 9:12 pm
The Bucs are stacked, assuming Brady is healthy. All the depth at WR and TE isn’t going to mean anything if Gabbert is throwing the ball. Hopefully Brady’s pact with the devil stays in place for at least another year.
Also, no question the Bucs have the top WR/TE group. Evans/Godwin/Brown are all #1’s, even Brown at this point can go against #1 corners and still win, which is how you should look at a #1 WR. Miller is a good deep threat, and it sounds like he’s having a great camp. Darden should be a good screen guy who can develop.
At TE, you have Gronk, who people at a national level seem down on — they seem to think because he was held in to block, because he’s so good at that, down the strech, that he can’t run anymore. It’s like they didn’t watch the SB.
BUT, getting OJ back is what is really big in my opinion. I just hope he can stay healthy, if he can do so, he’s going to have a big year — well, as big as you can have in this offense with so many receiving options. But it won’t surprise me in the least if he’s the leading reception/yards leader at TE.
Finally is Brate. You guys are way too high on him, but as a #3 TE, he’s a huge plus and the best #3 TE in the NFL. That sounds like a knock, but it’s not. Humphries was an excellent #4 WR, a real mismatch, but once he left and was expected to be more than a #4… well… does anyone even know what team Humphries is on anymore? Excelling in your role is what counts, and Brate should occasionally have some nice moments. Of course I’d rather have taken his salary and got a better backup QB since I don’t think Brate is much better than Tanner Hudson, but whatever. Licht did some amazing things with the cap so I can’t really complain.
August 4th, 2021 at 10:17 pm
Brate is at his best in the red zone. Partly because he not seen as a huge threat. But he is very good at finding an open spot in the end zone even in traffic and has great hands. Not big. Not fast. But smart and catches the dam ball. Dam good short yardage receiver at the goal line or first down marker. Not a super star but blue collar solid.
August 4th, 2021 at 11:12 pm
Bottom line Brate has been more productive than Howard. The dude is clutch on third down and near the end zone. Yes, he WOULD be the starter on many teams.
August 5th, 2021 at 8:18 am
Brate caught the Trophy
August 5th, 2021 at 5:54 pm
Brady might not be the the fastest, he might not be the strongest, he might not have the quickest past in the league… but you cannot beat his toughness, you cannot get into his head he will get in yours, he will use the opponents speed and quickness against them. Hell… he’d have 9 SB rings if his receivers would have caught 1st downs against the Giants or the defense held while they were leading, 10 rings if the Patriots would played better defense against their own plays when they played the Eagles!