Camp Cupcake Day 17 Practice Notes
August 16th, 2021
Now this was different.
After a day off, Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians decided to hold a practice in the air-conditioned Glazer Shed. Odd.
Part of it may have been that Arians was concerned with Tropical Depression/Storm Fred was lurking out in the Gulf. If that was the case it was a smart move as about 40 minutes into practice, the skies opened and Joe could see the red flashing lightning alarm system flashing outside.
Perhaps, after Arians said the team had a pattern of sluggish practices on the first day back after a day off, Arians wanted to try to keep the guys mentally sharp so he took them inside?
Or, it could just be Arians is expecting some very physical practices Wednesday and Thursday with the Titans and didn’t want his team beat to a pulp so early.
Either way, inside the Glazer Shed the team went. Underwear football returned (which is flag football with no flags or hitting of any sort).
* Ronald Jones starts off the scrimmage portion of practice with a big run. He should have. Linebackers and defensive backs are literally stepping aside if not jumping out of the way. You know, underwear football.
* Antonio Brown catches a short pass along the right sideline and could have had a big YAC but Carlton Davis stood in his way. If this had been live, Davis would have stoned him. But, underwear football.
* Ke’Shawn Vaughn runs through a scrum on the right side. But again, underwear football.
* C.J. Prosise blows through the defense up the middle.
* Ryan Griffin is able to connect with Codey McElroy up the left seam in double coverage.
* Prosise up the middle again.
* While the Bucs are scrimmaging on one end of the turf field, rookie kicker Jose Borregales of Miami is kicking field goals all by himself with the exception of a ball boy who fetches the footballs as they fall from the net behind the goal posts.
* Tom Brady hits foot-rubbing Rob Gronkowski over the middle for about 15 yards.
* Did you know it was Antoine Winfield’s birthday? Happy birthday Antoine! He celebrated by picking off a Brady pass down the right seam by going low and digging it up.
* Godwin on a crossing pattern from left to right grabs a Brady pass for a nice gain.
* McElroy is wide arse open down the left sideline and Brady finds him.
* Blaine Gabbert throws right and Tyler Johnson breaks off his route and cuts inside to catch the pass, then turns upfield for good yardage.
* Scotty Miller hauls in a Gabbert pass down the left sideline.
* Jerell Adams on a crossing pattern from the right pulls in a Gabbert pass.
* Jaydon Mickens catches a Griffin pass with a toe tap down the left sideline but not sure if Mickens got both feet down or not.
* Red zone! Mike Evans grabs a Brady pass along the left sideline and he toe taps the catch, like Evans always does. But Evans didn’t step out of bounds. He catches the pass on about the seven-yard line, turns upfield and high steps into the end zone.
* Cam Brate catches a Brady pass down the left hashmarks.
* Giovani Bernard catches a pass from Brady in the left flat and scores. Somewhere, Ira approves.
* Playoff Lenny runs up the gut on the left side and scores. Linebackers were jumping out of his way, because, underwear football.
* Brady rolls to his right and corner Antonio Hamilton on the blitz would have leveled Brady, but, underwear football.
* Brady to fit in a ball to Jaelon Darden at the goal line but Dee Delany flies in and knocks the pass down just before Darden got his mitts on the ball.
* Prosise catches a pass from Gabbert along the left sideline but there are four Bucs defenders to greet him.
* Prosise tries to run to the right but there is nowhere to run.
* Griffin to Brate just before the goal line on the left sideline. Brate stretches for the corner and … it’s too close to call if he got in. There was no pylon there so it is impossible to tell.
* It seems practice is brisk with some energy. If Arians help practice in the air-conditioned Glazer Shed to keep his players’ minds sharp, it seems to be working.
* 7-on-7! Brate lays out to catch a Brady pass on the right side. That’s impressive Cam, but man, save your body. No need to go balls out in underwear football on the turf.
* Darden catches a short pass on the left numbers from Gabbert, cuts inside and jukes three defenders to gain a few extra yards.
* Brate on a crossing pattern from right to left catches a Gabbert pass over the middle and Brate barely pulls away from Ross Cockrell on a beeline to the left corner of the end zone.
* Miller gets behind the defense down the left seam but had to stop and wait for Gabbert’s pass to get to him. Just after he caught it, Miller got caught in a collision and he fell awkwardly to the turf. He seemed to get up OK though.
* Brady hits Gronk right in the hands over the middle but Chris Cooper popped Gronk right in the hands the moment the ball touched Gronk’s fingers to break the play up.
* After connecting with Chris Godwin over the middle, Brady dropped the biscuit in the basket with an over-the-shoulder throw to Gronk down the right sideline.
* Brate on a crossing pattern from right to left catches a Brady pass. Brate is getting a lot of targets today.
* Down the left numbers, McElroy is wide arse open and Kyle Trask hits him.
* Adams makes a one-handed catch on the right side of a Trask pass.
* 11-on-11! Evans catches a short pass to the left from Brady.
* Brate cuts inside from the right and has a Brady pass in his mitts but he couldn’t hang on.
* Playoff Lenny scores by running up the right side and Mike Edwards chased him all the way to the end zone.
* Gabbert tries to get the ball to Brate on the right side bu tthe ball falls harmlessly to the turf of the Glazer Shed, incomplete.
* Darden races down the left sideline and gets past the defense and Gabbert… Gabbert… Gabbert hits Darden with an absolute bomb! Ball landed right in Darden’s hands, numbers-high. Joe is pretty confident in typing that may have been Gabbert’s best throw he’s had all of Camp Cupcake.
* Brady to Brate over the middle. If hitting was allowed, Lavonte David would have lit Brate up. Instead, David just put Brate into a big ol’ bear hug.
* Brady connects with Gronk on a short pass over the left side. These guys could make this connection blindfolded.
* Evans with a rare drop of a Brady pass on the right side.
* McElroy from Griffin to the right.
* Brate from Griffin to the left.
* Trask tries to hit McElroy deep down the left seam. Pass was on target but maybe Trask was trying to throw over K.J. Britt. Either way, Britt was trailing McElroy on the play and Trask’s pass hit McElroy and the rookie linebacker had no idea the pass was there as he was birddogging McElroy. Would have been an easy pick had he turned around.
* Trask connects on three straight passes of medium length to Mickens on the left side, Prosise over the middle, and then to the right, Darden.
* Two-minute drill! In three straight passes Brady links up with a diving Godwin over the middle, Gronk with a one-handed catch down the right sideline and then Evans with a toe tap catch as he was going out of bounds on the right side. These guys (Brady, Evans, Godwin, Gronk) are so damn good they make it look easy. Mind you this was coming against the first-team defense which six months ago choked out Pat Mahomes. And while watching this in awe, Joe thought to himself, “And there are actually people who lurk among us who would rather Brady target a backup running back in the flat than throw to these guys. Why?”
August 16th, 2021 at 7:09 pm
So much talent, everyone is a decoy.
August 16th, 2021 at 7:11 pm
Thanx Joe! sounds electric!
August 16th, 2021 at 7:16 pm
Great stuff Joe, I bet you really enjoy this part of your job.
August 16th, 2021 at 7:21 pm
“And while watching this in awe, Joe thought to himself, “And there are actually people who lurk among us who would rather Brady target a backup running back in the flat than throw to these guys. Why?”
If hitting that backup RB in the flats is necessary as opposed to Brady holding it a tad too long trying to hit Gronk down the field and getting injured, then ya Joe, I’d much rather see him hit the RB. Tom Brady will survive at age 44 by avoiding sacks any way he can. From what I understand, Giovanni Bernard is not only a very good 3rd down back but also very good at pass protection. Got a hunch he’ll get a good chunk of the RB snaps this season for that very reason.
August 16th, 2021 at 7:40 pm
“would rather”….. nope. “would accept”….sure!
I guess one-handers and toe-tappers is what KC would have needed to beat our defense? LOL
August 16th, 2021 at 7:47 pm
Yah. I have a feeling joe will eat some crow on giovanni bernard
August 16th, 2021 at 8:02 pm
How about Joe asking Brady what he thinks about having Gio Bernard to throw to?
This “Ira would be happy” is pure nonsense. A good 3rd down back is coveted by all NFL teams.
Also, I’m starting to feel a bit more comfortable with Gabbert as backup….our Offense is so good he only needs to be mediocre…..and then there’s our Defense.
August 16th, 2021 at 8:41 pm
Know what is more coveted?
Two receivers who may be in Hall of Fame, a third guy who is a Pro Bowler and a Hall of Fane tight end.
But yeah, let’s force shorts passes to a guy who couldn’t start for the Bengals instead. Makes all the sense in the world. smh
August 16th, 2021 at 9:05 pm
Joe
You’re being facetious. You’ve watched enough Brady football to know he’s always had a RB who catches swing passes.
He just didn’t have one last year.
August 16th, 2021 at 9:11 pm
More coveted?……that’s really reaching….sure….more coveted.
Who said anything about “forcing” short passes?
Most who know football would agree with my position on this.
Gio Bernard is a safety valve….not the main target……
August 16th, 2021 at 9:12 pm
Gio is here b/c TB12 told the Bucs to sign him
August 16th, 2021 at 9:13 pm
Jmarkbuc Says:
August 16th, 2021 at 9:05 pm
Joe
You’re being facetious. You’ve watched enough Brady football to know he’s always had a RB who catches swing passes.
He just didn’t have one last year.
====================
So what? Methuselah had everything else going for him on this team, That’s why he signed here. Bucs weren’t the only team bidding on his wrinkled arse.
August 16th, 2021 at 9:32 pm
@Joe:
Take some time and review Super Bowl LI. You needn’t watch until late 3rd quarter. Look at the damage Brady inflicted upon Atlanta by using James White, the quintessential third down RB. The power RB LeGarrette Blount (someone all of you are familiar with) helped dig a deep hole for New England, it was James White who dug them out.
Defense Rules is absolutely right. Sometimes you don’t have time for deep passing plays to develop. If you watched the hapless Trey Lance this weekend, that was part of his problem. He kept scanning the field looking for open receivers down field, ignoring the easier check downs. As a result he kept getting sacked, or hurried himself into inaccurate throws. Brady is the best at rapidly processing the field and making good decisions.
Now go back and look at the Brady sack during that preseason game. If the OLine hadn’t miscommunicated and blown their pass blocking, Gio could have ran for at least 5 or 6 yards on a short pass. He was wide open with good YAC ahead of him. Even if Brady doesn’t throw on a play designed like this, the presence of a third down back with or without an RPO can freeze the MLB and open opportunities for others.
August 16th, 2021 at 10:18 pm
Did Brady have Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, O.J. Howard, Scotty Miller or Cam Brate to throw to with the Belicheats that season? Or anything remotely close?
It is not about plays, it’s about players. The less the Bucs target their elite receivers/tight ends, it means less opportunities to score.
If the Bucs had schlock for receivers, then yeah, by all means, dink and dunk with a backup running back. If the Bucs don’t want to use these elite receivers, Joe is confident there are 31 other teams that would be happy to relieve the Bucs of one or two of them.
August 16th, 2021 at 10:25 pm
@admin
Last season Brady threw to Fournette and RoJo, despite having Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller or Cam Brate on the team. Now why on Earth would Brady throw to those two with such a star studded receiving corp?
August 16th, 2021 at 10:31 pm
Good to hear cam Brate’s name making catches after his pup time out. What a team. Can’t wait for the season to begin.
August 16th, 2021 at 10:36 pm
Most underrated QB in the entire NFL. Brady may be the GOAT but Blaine is a real American
August 16th, 2021 at 10:55 pm
PassingThru:
Throwing to the running backs was not a major element of the offense, nor should it have been. People act like this Bernard is Marshall Faulk and should get 10 targets a game.
He’s a backup. A No. 3 running back.
Less balls thrown to this elite receiving/tight end group = more chances to fail. Not sure why people think otherwise.
August 16th, 2021 at 11:04 pm
Trask may be on the rise. At least to third. Be looking out for him. Darden another slam dunk rookie WR (If he can produce)That’s some serious security for receiving next four years. And you got AB, Evans, and Godwin showing him how to run routes.
Evans and Brady are making multiple big plays in the red zone on a daily bases.
August 16th, 2021 at 11:05 pm
@Joe
I disagree, especially after having watched Tom Brady operate the past 20 years. Last season Brady had Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller and Cam Brate, and yet he still threw to two RBs who were not particularly good receiving backs. James White was a #2 and #3 RB in New England, and yet White and Brady did some pretty amazing things together.
Again, why do you think Tom Brady threw to Fournette and RoJo with so many better receivers on the field?
August 16th, 2021 at 11:12 pm
No catch for Rojo and Howard today
August 16th, 2021 at 11:25 pm
Guess we will agree to disagree. Passing to the running backs was not a major part of the offense — feel free to look it up.
And the less you get the ball to your elite playmakers, the more you stifle and dilute your offense.
You keep referring to Brady throwing to White. Again, the Belicheats never had receivers those days like the Bucs currently have — few teams ever have.
When Brady had Randy Moss in 2007, Brady threw to running backs about the same number as he did last year with the Bucs.
August 16th, 2021 at 11:27 pm
Did Brady get 100% completion rate? No he didn’t. Why not? By your premise because those 4 guys Brady should have but were shut down by the Slimes and Da Bears. Our great receivers do not always get open. What would you rather have a 20 yard incompletion then a punt or a 5 yard pass to an uncovered rb to move the chains and continue the drive??? Come on Joe you gotta be just pullin our chains and just tryin to bait us with that mentality because I would love to hear you interview Arians with that same remark like he’s an imbecile for wanting Gio and hear what he says to you. Better yet why not ask Brady why he throws to his rbs when he has all the best receivers. If anything is laughable is you not understanding why a qb would throw to his rb ! 🤯
August 16th, 2021 at 11:31 pm
@admin
Yes we’ll just have to agree to disagree. I’m confident Gio will have an important role as the offense will continue to evolve. Feel free to rub it in my face over the course of the season if I’m wrong, it’s all good.
August 17th, 2021 at 9:01 am
Was it underwear football?
August 17th, 2021 at 11:42 am
thanks for a great read this is awesome….. codey mac mentions cant get enough of them been a big fan of him for a minute …. nice little catch for a 2 pter
August 17th, 2021 at 12:26 pm
Awesome stuff! Gio will come in handy if our main options are covered. There is a dope over on NFL.com who ranked our offense sixth in the league! Maybe weed should have stayed illegal. 😜