Bruce Arians Explains Immediate Goal
December 10th, 2021
Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians
If you are surprised to see a player who might be sitting out practice this week or last week, don’t be.
That’s the word from Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians. With an extra game this season and a total of five more to be played in the regular season, one of Arians’ biggest challenges is how to keep players healthy.
“It’s December now, so you have to get them to Sunday as fresh as possible and as ready as possible,” Arians said today. “And we learn a lot in our walk-throughs, we do a good job in walk-throughs.”
Arians noted it’s not a stretch to see the Bucs have more walk-through practices than normal, like the Bucs did this week.
“Probably,” Arians added. “I won’t guarantee walk-throughs on Wednesdays for the rest of the way but it’s a very good [possibility]. It was needed this week.”
Getting players on the field on Sundays is the key, he said. Doesn’t matter how damn good a player is, if he is watching the game in street clothes from the sidelines, he cannot contribute one iota.
If the Bucs can get by Buffalo with a win Sunday, Joe wouldn’t even think of playing Jason Pierre-Paul the rest of the regular season. Remember how JPP said after he returned from having his shoulder examined in Denver that the only thing that can help is rest?
And Joe would be very tempted, if the Bucs can beat Buffalo, to rest a couple of other banged-up key players like Devin White and Ryan Jensen. Those guys need to be healthy for the playoffs.
December 10th, 2021 at 4:44 pm
Those potential rests is a logical strategy. Let’s get that win first.
December 10th, 2021 at 4:45 pm
I think the big question becomes, what is more important: Getting to the playoffs healthy or getting the #1 seed.
On the extreme end, they could clinch the division and then only play starters in the first half of games. I can’t imagine something like that ever happening.
December 10th, 2021 at 5:12 pm
Just don’t rest Tom…..
December 10th, 2021 at 5:33 pm
Let’s win a game and then win the division before resting multiple players. A hurt Jensen is better than anyone else Tom could take a snap from. If we rest Jensen, better rest Brady too so he doesn’t get killed.
December 10th, 2021 at 5:46 pm
Our last 4 games look easy on paper.
Maybe rest JPP all 4. Then reduce the snap counts of some of the others. Maybe rest a lot of them on the last 2 games against the jets and stinking panthers.
If the pack and yardbirds refuse to lose we can really skimp the last game or 2.
December 10th, 2021 at 5:48 pm
The cowgirls have some fairly tough games to end the season so we shouldn’t need to worry about losing 3rd seed. We have tiebreaker too.
December 10th, 2021 at 5:50 pm
One could argue JPP has been resting… Just joking. I know he is an absolute beast and his played through a ton of BS.
The fact that he is still playing is incredible.
I agree though. Get past Buffalo then it is the Saints, Panthers, jets, Panthers. Should win all of them BUT the Saints and Panthers still have very good defenses.
Regardless, resting JPP should happen.
Jensen, David, Dean etc.… I don’t know. Depends on what they’re going through if they really think it’s needed.
At the very least I can give everyone a rest when they play the Jets 😂
December 10th, 2021 at 5:50 pm
If we don’t rest TB12 we can’t rest the oline.
December 10th, 2021 at 6:05 pm
Beat Buffalo on sunday and resting key, injured players would be wise.
December 10th, 2021 at 6:14 pm
Agree 100% with getting these guys as healthy as possible for the playoffs. Guys like JPP, White, Jensen & even LVD can play at less than 100% now, but in the playoffs that won’t cut it. They need rest to get back to 100%.
December 10th, 2021 at 6:33 pm
Rotator cuff injuries don’t heal on their own so resting him is meaningless jpp is what he is right now rest or not which is not very effective in run or pass and at times is just a liability
December 10th, 2021 at 6:58 pm
Hasn’t BA been resting all season? He should be healthy.
December 10th, 2021 at 7:19 pm
To the people who think Brady will get “killed” if Jensen doesn’t play…Did Brady get killed when Leverett played the other week?
December 10th, 2021 at 7:27 pm
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What Orlando said and my point also.
December 10th, 2021 at 7:35 pm
It’s 7:25 Friday night just got back from a XMAS party, a bit gooned, the Bucs Atlanta game on NFL Channel. All you Evan’s fans, what a whimp, just saw the deep ball from Brady, he absolutely quit on the route because he was going to get pasted. He is SOFT!!!
December 10th, 2021 at 8:14 pm
Joe:
JPP has a rotator cuff tear. Even if you could rest him between now and the first postseason game, it won’t help him. It takes months to recover from a rotator cuff tear, surgery or not.
December 10th, 2021 at 8:41 pm
All teams are playing guys that are less than 100 percent. It is a must to win as many games as possible. Home field advantage is huge now that fans are back. All players should consult with the team doctors to make a decision on whether or not to be rested now or continue contributing on the field. Bruce will way in on that. Every situation is is different and only time will tell how each decision turns out.
December 10th, 2021 at 8:45 pm
Getting this win is huge. There’s no coasting in the NFL, but if you can rest certain key players and get them healed for the playoffs, do it. GO BUCS!
December 10th, 2021 at 9:03 pm
So if the Bucs needed an easy week of practice after an easy win against the Falcons, how bad must the Bills feel coming off a short week, and getting their butts kicked by the Pats?
December 10th, 2021 at 9:27 pm
The only ones who don’t need rest are on offense. JPP needs to sit out and let Joe T can start in his place. It will give him valuable experience for the playoffs and JPP chance to heal, and if he’s playing well by then JPP can spell him. White needs to test that hanmy. Minter healthy is better than White injured.
December 10th, 2021 at 9:33 pm
For those who think getting a higher seed isnt a priority… you’ll be sorry when the Bucs have to play in Green Bay during a snow storm. The weather was very mild there last year. There is no assurance it will be like that again.
And the Bucs aren’t playing well enough on the road this year to be tossing away playoff seeds.
December 10th, 2021 at 9:35 pm
I couldn’t agree more with those last two paragraphs Joe.
December 10th, 2021 at 9:55 pm
Resting them that long has been proven over and over to take Team out of sync right in time for the playoffs!! Resting players who can play is stupid!! …. If they’re injured then ok… But making them grit it out if it’s just a pain issue makes men out of boys!!
December 10th, 2021 at 10:29 pm
Exactly, you have to be hot when you go into the playoffs. When you start taking guys out and screwing around, you run the risk of cooling off the team and messing up the chemistry. Then when the playoffs begin, you have trouble revving the engines back up.
This isn’t Madden. It’s not like a light switch. With a Super Bowl run, momentum builds over the course of several games. Last year the Bucs won 4 straight going into the post-season. And we didnt rest non-hurt players in that stretch. And during those games and then in the playoffs, you felt that momentum gaining. The team was getting hot. Had we started giving non-hurt guys multiple games of rest in order to “save them for the playoffs” we likely would not have won the Super Bowl.
December 11th, 2021 at 6:51 am
I think the goal is to get a bye week in the playoffs….if we secure that two weeks before the season ends, then give some guys time off and let them heal.