Who Can Play Left Tackle Is The Key
September 25th, 2022
Critical factor today?
Regular readers here know all about Joe’s sacks fetish.
Nothing is a game-changer for a defense like a sack. Nothing is a drive-killer like a sack. Nothing zaps the will of a quarterback like making him eat dirt.
And a strip sack? That’s right up there alongside a private evening with Rachel Watson.
So you know Joe’s ear was wide open when Pat Kirwan, the former Bucs scout and Jets player personnel director and current co-host of the greatest NFL show in the land, “Movin’ the Chains” with Jim Miller, believes the edge rushers will determine the result of the Packers-Bucs game today.
Kirwan cited Packers edge rusher Preston Smith and Bucs edge rusher Shaq Barrett as capable of controlling the game. Why is that? Because depending on who may play left tackle for each team may open the door to a free path to the quarterback.
Packers All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari was listed as questionable with a knee injury in Friday’s injury reports. Several reports since note Bakhtiari is expected to play today. Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith was listed as doubtful on Friday’s injury report.
Their statuses “will be an intriguing piece to this game,” Kirwan believes.
“Who is going to be out there to stop these guys?” Kirwan asked. “Because if you are using your backups or someone off your practice squad, in terms of something that dismal, these guys are going to go wild.”
Kirwan may be overlooking something with the Bucs.
The slimy Saints have an excellent defense and they could not take advantage of third-string left tackle Brandon Walton. Of course, there was no regular-season film on Walton and the slimy Saints surely were not preparing for him..
Now with a decent chunk of tape to go by, and a week to prepare, will the Packers know how to handle Walton? That is, unless Smith starts.
September 25th, 2022 at 5:23 am
Thats why we should invest high draft picks in a backup LT/RT.
And a backup OG/C.
If one of your tackles go down, you can get destroyed.
We went into this season with Wells and another undrafted tackle as our backup tackles.
That’s risky business!
I don’t think you can find undrafted tackles like Donald Penn very often.
(Lovie cutting Donald Penn is one of the worst tragedies in Bucs history.
Donald Penn still had 5 years in the tank after we cut him!
Lovie Smith. Worst coach in Bucs history.
September 25th, 2022 at 5:40 am
I would put INT’s and pic sixers right up there with sacks. Eventhough we got 6 sacks the INT’s and pick 6 turned the tide last week and set up more sack
opportunities both of which put a monkey wrench in a team’s passing offense.
September 25th, 2022 at 7:46 am
Walton might surprise some folks, might even take Wells backup LT spot for good. During the preseason I watched him whenever he was on the field because he looked like he was bigger than the other lineman around him, wanted to see how he moved with all that size, I’m no expert but from what I saw he was not a liability. Curious to see how he performs today against real competition if he gets the opportunity to start.
September 25th, 2022 at 7:51 am
You don’t use high picks on back ups teach. Every team that loses a starter rarely has a starting caliber back up to replace them. It’s just the way it is.
September 25th, 2022 at 8:02 am
Moment Jensen went down , Licht should have signed Tretter to play whatever Oline position you wanted him to play, thus adding depth , quality , and experience , but NFL blackballed him and Bucs were complicit in it by not signing him.
My vote for worst Bucs coach in history is Leeman Bennet at a record of 4-28 during his tenure.
Sign Suh-NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 25th, 2022 at 8:06 am
You simply have to choose the right players…..not necessarily high draft picks…..and Licht seems to excel at it.
September 25th, 2022 at 9:08 am
I listened to this segment. Pat K also said the Bucs were averaging 13PPG on Defense. Bucs have given up a total of 13 points.
I love Moving the chains, been listening since the Tim Ryan days.
September 25th, 2022 at 9:19 am
When Lovie cut Donald Penn, 95% of fans were already calling for his head. What Lovie and the similarly clueless fans didn’t take into account was that Penn’s bad last season with the Bucs had him pass protecting in an awful and predictable offense blocking for a statue in Glennon who was running Marcus Arroyo’s pee wee offense. Asking any lineman to block for 5-6 seconds while our inept play calling and QBs stumbled around is an impossible task. But the 95% got what they wanted. Just like they got Richard Sherman, Antonio Brown, and a few other signings that blew up in our faces.
September 25th, 2022 at 3:06 pm
Richard Sherman help the dbs development and coached them well…
Not a complete bad move…
Antonio brown was by far a successful move..he played great superbowl year and u think he would of played great the 2nd year in BA would of just left him to soak on ir.