You Have One Job: Slow Down Cooper Kupp
November 6th, 2022
Bucs killer.
No, Cooper Kupp isn’t just a one-trick pony.
The Rams’ All-Pro receiver burns a lot of teams. For some reason, it seems Kupp particularly fries the Bucs. The worst game Kupp has had against the Bucs in four games was pulling in 96 yards of receiving last year in a blowout win.
Kupp still had two touchdown catches in that Bucs road game.
So last week Joe asked both Carlton Davis and Mike Edwards what makes Kupp so damn dangerous. Both agreed his superior body control allows him to make crazy cuts to create separation.
Trying to slow him down is much easier said than done.
“We just have to understand where he is at, at all times,” Davis said. “He’s a big factor in their offense. Identify where he is at and understand the play will likely be somewhere around him.”
How big of a factor is Kupp in the Rams’ offense? Since the start of the 2021 season, Kupp is responsible for 34 percent of the Rams’ total offense.
“It’s tough slowing a guy like that down,” Edwards said. “He’s a great player, one of the best in the league. He just gets open. They trust him to get open.”
Of course, in January, after the Bucs had a furious rally to tie a playoff game against the Rams with the winner hosting the NFC title game, Kupp burned the Bucs defense badly to set up a Matt Gay game-winning field goal.
That play still sticks in the craw (“Not craw, CRAW!”) of Bucs fans.
Davis and Edwards noted the Bucs are much more concerned about winning a game than any sort of revenge. But they admit they haven’t forgotten how last season ended.
“It’s not in the back of our heads” Davis told Joe. “You said it, it’s last year. It’s about this year. Right now.”
Edwards agreed.
“It is history,” Edwards said. “But you still have that nasty taste in your mouth watching them win a championship.”
Davis confessed the Bucs have a “chip on our shoulder” but the Bucs need a win much more than they need revenge.
Ira Kaufman Talks Todd Bowles’ Demeanor, Bucs Lacking Confidence, Referendum Week, Rams Game Predictions, And Much More
November 6th, 2022 at 12:27 am
Im sure Bowels will single cover him and blitz when it matters and we’ll all be crying in our beers again tomorrow night. Not to mention leftover sandwiches dumbazz play calling
November 6th, 2022 at 1:43 am
Awesome reference to a classic movie comedy of the ’70s…The Kentucky Fried Movie”. Thanks for the chuckle.
November 6th, 2022 at 1:46 am
“slowing him down” All you can hope for because there IS no stopping him!
November 6th, 2022 at 1:47 am
Put vita Vea on Krupp. Jam his ass at the line.
Without him they got nothing.
November 6th, 2022 at 3:32 am
this is the prove it game the bucs have been waiting for…
after what happened last year, and so many other times the past few years…
this game is it…
it’s like a loser leave town wrastling match or something…
this is a backbone game…
you don’t need to win any other games this year, just this one…
against the rams…
just this one…
it’s like a “save your season game”
#LFG #WinOneForTheGipper
November 6th, 2022 at 3:44 am
The only way to slow him is to pressure the qb with just rushing 4 and sitting on the hot routes
The problem with our D, we lay 20 yards off the hot read every play and just give up easy conversions like a 3 dollar whore
November 6th, 2022 at 4:33 am
Sorry, no interest here. If a team of millioocant get motivated to play then this man has no interest in what game they’re playing.
November 6th, 2022 at 4:46 am
‘Davis confessed the Bucs have a “chip on our shoulder” but the Bucs need a win much more than they need revenge.’
Winning = Revenge
November 6th, 2022 at 5:09 am
If you look at the box scores from the Rams’ 7 games, beating them isn’t that hard: they beat themselves. Wow, does that sound like the story of the 2022 Bucs or what.
Rams have lost to the 49ers twice, to the Bills & to the Cowboys. Three teams with a combined 16-7 record this season, excellent defenses (ranked #5, #3, #1), and good rushing attacks. Anyone want to guess how those teams beat the Rams? BINGO, with great defense & pretty much a balanced attack with a heavy dose of running the ball on them. Rams had 8 giveaways in those 4 losses, and it killed them. Rams couldn’t run the ball (averaged 50.7 YPG in those 4 losses, but 92 YPG in their 3 wins). They made up for it by not being able to stop the run (averaged 120.8 YPG running yards allowed in their 4 losses).
Oh wow, sounds much-too-much like the story of the Bucs’ 2022 season. Except that the Rams lost to better teams but beat the teams (Falcons, Cards, Panthers) who they should’ve beaten. For our Bucs to beat them this Sunday, our defense will have to play like the #6 defense we’re listed as. In their 4 losses, Rams have scored 10, 9, 10 & 14 points … less than 11 PPG. But they allowed their opponents to score an average of 23 PPG in those 4 losses. So the Bucs need a great defensive effort AND a decent offensive performance by our offense to win. I’m trying hard to be optimistic, but it’s hard.
November 6th, 2022 at 5:41 am
Rams 31 Yucs 13
November 6th, 2022 at 5:57 am
Hard to totally shut down highly talented players like Cooper. Put your best coverage guy man to man on him. Help out when you can but putting too much emphasis on Cooper opens the door for others. Hard to be optimistic with Bucs the way they have played so far.
November 6th, 2022 at 6:10 am
bowles should chuck a chair thru a window during the pregame breakfast…and turn his hat backwards…and get all frothy at the lip
November 6th, 2022 at 6:12 am
bucs win 30-22
(i don’t know how much longer i can keep saying “bucs win”)
November 6th, 2022 at 6:29 am
The Rams ended our season last year here at home. Will they do it again? This is a must win for both clubs. Loser of this is in deep trouble.
November 6th, 2022 at 6:36 am
If Kupp and Stafford have their best game this year then then Bowles and the Defense will be criminal responsible. I cant see one more time the opponents that have struggled much of the year (as the Bucs do) have their best game against us and the Defense. This Defense gave me hope from the first 3 games and was better than i expected but after that they have been really realyy SOFT.
Go Bucs
November 6th, 2022 at 7:19 am
They also got Donaldson to worry about. He’s gonna tear through our OL. Brady’s in real danger today.
November 6th, 2022 at 7:22 am
Kupp could have 2 broken ankles, 8 broken ribs, whiplash, and the Bucs db’s will make him look the second coming.
November 6th, 2022 at 7:42 am
Remember when Andy Griffith told Earnest T. Bass “you’re not no good, you’re just ignorant” and Todd, I mean Earnest T, said “you’re just being nice” Well Todd here’s your chance to prove that you’re not stupid. If Kupp is healthy and you don’t double him and he beats us, you should be fired when the clock shows 00. You should be flown out of RJS in a helicopter with a quart of fuel. Why? i guess you forgot the blunder in the playoff game when Kupp was so wide open it would be a long distant call to your nearest neighbor.
November 6th, 2022 at 7:45 am
Hahahaha
November 6th, 2022 at 8:05 am
Too bad AWJ will not be there for the party….he’s the one that got burned.
We will miss him badly. Our defense hasn’t been the same since Logan Ryan was injured.
November 6th, 2022 at 8:08 am
This is a “must win” game for the Bucs… We get Carlton Davis, SMB and Hicks back on defense – that might help.
Cupp has an injured ankle and that might help a little.
The Bucs were embarrassed against the Ravens last week and hopefully they have heard enough negative comments and press – perhaps they will want to go out and play with a little passion today.
As always my hopes are high but my expectations remain low…
I still think taking the Rams +3 is the smarter bet.
Go Bucs!
November 6th, 2022 at 8:49 am
The Bucs will win, just to assure Lefty and Todd are retained in 2023. A loss could be for the best… mid-season firings become more probable.
November 6th, 2022 at 8:51 am
Same story different day. W
Ho do the Bucs have that can cover him and Bowels won’t change his scheme for one man. Belichick always takes out the best player then says beat us with the rest.
November 6th, 2022 at 9:10 am
Kupp is going to get his yards , but it is how he gets them that matters. Kupp must be made to catch the ball on routes in front of 2 defenders and immediately converge and see if you can twist his ankle while bringing him down.
November 6th, 2022 at 10:43 am
Dumbazzz todd bowles needs to get fired. He will do what he does best run right thru our porous defense and make us look non existent and rams will win.
November 6th, 2022 at 11:27 am
Yes, the Rams lost to the Cowboys, who we beat, but they also beat the Panthers, who beat us.
The Rams are far from the team they once were, but they are still dangerous.
I view this game today as a must win for us. We are at home here in Tampa, and should enjoy some homefield advantage.
Plus, our 3 receivers are all healthy for a change + we have had a full 10 days to prepare for the Rams.
Cooper Kupp is always dangerous, and hopefully we double him as much as possible.
November 6th, 2022 at 12:14 pm
Too bad the Tribe shut down their damn gambling site, it’s costing me big $$$ would have pounded Chiefs and Ravens! Today too….no legal way to gamble in Fla on phone??
November 6th, 2022 at 12:18 pm
Yes Chris, Bucs ‘had a full 10 days to prepare for the Rams’ but this coaching staff gave them 11 days off to go to the Bahamas to rejuvenate (the timer started when the 2nd half of the Ravens game started). All our old-timers were complaining that if Tom can get 11 days in the Bahamas, they deserve the same.
November 6th, 2022 at 12:56 pm
No free release for Cupp. Beat him up at the LOS, and bracket him. I’ll take a 5 yard hold over a 30 yard gain any day. Also, please don’t blitz Stafford Todd. Their line is beat up enough, that you shouldn’t have to. Stafford struggles at reading defenses, especially with 7 in coverage. This should be a good ole fashioned slobberknocker. I’m pounding the under.
November 6th, 2022 at 4:16 pm
BC I’m a Brady fan I am also a Patriots fan. When Bill B had to face a excellent receiver he designed a D that would shut that particular player down. This C minus coaching staff simply does not have the foresight to do that.