The Gritty Work Of Ko Kieft
November 19th, 2022
Reputation growing.
At Sunday’s game in Munich between the Bucs and Seahawks, Joe laughed out loud early in the game.
Joe didn’t exactly see what happened but Joe saw the aftermath. A Seattle linebacker was furious with Bucs rookie Ko Kieft and had him by the shoulder pads and tried to swing him around and throw Kieft on the ground (it didn’t work) well after the whistle.
Why did Joe laugh? Well, if Kieft got under someone’s skin that quickly and that badly, it meant to Joe that Kieft was doing a helluva job.
Dudes usually don’t get that angry in the first half unless a cheap shot is involved or the guy just got flat-embarrassed. And Kieft isn’t a cheap shot artist.
It seems Joe isn’t the only person who noticed Kieft’s gritty play. So too has Ben Muth of Football Outsiders. Muth a former tackle at Stanford, and he focuses on offensive line play for Football Outsiders. Not long ago, Muth thought the Bucs’ offensive line was playing awful football.
Now? Muth is of the mind the line played its best game against Seattle. The way the Bucs ran the ball was proof, he typed. An underrated key was how the Bucs used Tristan Wirfs and Kieft as a double-team on a Seattle linebacker to spring Playoff Lenny.
Muth highlights a specific play with video and gave Kieft a standing-O.
I do want to point out the tight end Ko Kieft here that’s working with Wirfs. Because the linebacker attempted run through, Kieft doesn’t get much help from his tackle. That’s a tough block to get inside that defensive end and seal him off, but Kieft makes it. Look at how he emphasizes driving his inside leg up the field, fighting to keep it in front of the defender. That’s a hell of a job from the tight end.
Kieft is a helluva steal for a sixth-round pick. Kieft shows vicious blocking ability and in time, Joe thinks Kieft would be a weapon in the short passing game. He has good hands, despite what the draftniks thought when he came out of Minnesota.
Kieft is the kind of glass-eater type like Ryan Jensen that Joe knows Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht covets on the offensive line.
November 19th, 2022 at 8:09 am
Kieft. Otton. Camarda.
Good class.
November 19th, 2022 at 8:22 am
Kieft’s House of Pancakes
Kieft and Jensen could be really fun to watch.
November 19th, 2022 at 8:34 am
Great link to Ben Muth videos. Thanks, Joe!
November 19th, 2022 at 8:40 am
THats Otton in the video. Not Kieft.
November 19th, 2022 at 8:51 am
Yea that’s definitely not Otton, but we’ve run that 3rd play highlighted in the article with both Otton & Kieft. Sometimes there’s a pre-snap motion, this play the TE gets to his key post-snap. If I remember correctly, we ran that play against Dallas & ATL with similar success.
November 19th, 2022 at 8:54 am
I think Kieft was in the 2nd and the fourth video
November 19th, 2022 at 9:11 am
ModHairKen Says:
“Kieft. Otton. Camarda.
Good class.”
__________________
No doubt. And then add Rachaad White to that list.
November 19th, 2022 at 9:12 am
I believe that the player who was “furious” was none other than Bruce Irvin! It’s great that the rookies are stepping up. The Bucs need those contributions. Coming out of college, the scouting reports said that Otton could catch well but needed more work blocking. Kieft is clearly the better blocker and needed more experience catching the ball. I hope that Joe is right about him being a weapon in the short passing game. Gronk could do it all, and that’s why defenses were off balance when he was in the game. He could be counted on for a bone crushing block or running the seam route. Teams seem to know that the Bucs are going to run the ball when Kieft is in the game (although that didn’t help Seattle), but I want to see a larger sample size of plays to confirm that. It’s smart that BL is putting 88 and 41 in at the same time.
November 19th, 2022 at 9:14 am
I love this draft class…..
Hall & Goedeke will develop…..but we can already see winners with White, Otton, Camarda & Kieft…..
Plus we have McCollom who I think will be an eventual starter…….We can’t afford to resign Edwards, SMB & Dean….so I think Zion will replace SMB.
November 19th, 2022 at 9:19 am
Tampabaybucfan,
I agree with ya on ALL counts, man. Great stuff.
November 19th, 2022 at 9:33 am
We need to get KK more involved in the passing game.
Hey MASTERMIND…,… look for KK on your signature 2nd and 9.
November 19th, 2022 at 9:35 am
There was the recent article about Bruce Arians moving into more of a Personnel role with the BUCS.
I think this is a really big positive, as I believe Bruce is very, very good at it.
I think he is of great help to Jason Licht in this area, and if you think about it, our drafts have been much better since BA has been here.
November 19th, 2022 at 9:39 am
I was bullish on Kieft from the moment the Bucs drafted him . Delighted to see him get a lot of opportunity . He is a valuable asset to the offense
November 19th, 2022 at 9:49 am
KO was a steal in the 6th round, IMHO.
Despite what some think, he can catch the ball, as well as block.
He played for our old Coach PJ Fleck, and no way you can play any receiver position for PJ Fleck, and be unable to catch the ball.
Fleck and Cade Otten will form a pair of bookends for us for many years to come!
I am not, and never was a Cam Brate fan. I was in shock when Jason Licht gave him that Huge Contract! That Huge Contract Licht gave Brate has made it nearly impossible for us to trade or move him.
Kyle Rudolph is another mistake, IMHO.
Kyle is slower than a Tampa Airport Taxi Cab!
November 19th, 2022 at 9:52 am
The block that Chris Godwin threw on the LB in that last video was awesome. Redirected him just enough to let White slide through. I’d say Chris is back to 100%.
November 19th, 2022 at 10:17 am
Muth is correct. The OL has played awful football. One decent game does not suddenly mean they’ve arrived or had the epiphany. Awful is as awful does.
Nick Leverett >> Goedorky, that’s for sure. Of course a three legged llama >> Goedorky.
November 19th, 2022 at 10:29 am
I hope CG14 is careful with his blocks. ME13 is bigger and heavier, and he’s hurting.
November 19th, 2022 at 10:33 am
Kieft is a great blocker for a TE for sure. We just need to make sure we don’t telegraph the play calls (aka, it’s a run) with him on the field.
November 19th, 2022 at 10:42 am
It’s that red head fire! Ole Jensen knows how to do the same thing. Got that fire from birth and knows how to use it on folks it seems.
November 19th, 2022 at 10:50 am
Give Jensen a prosthetic leg and get him out there. Even a one-legged Jensen improves the O-line.
November 19th, 2022 at 10:50 am
I completely agree and I think he will eventually help in the short to intermediate passing game also. One of the many reasons we miss Ryan Jensen is his tone setting attitude we see that a bit in Ko Kieft.
November 19th, 2022 at 10:50 am
3 weeks ago nearly a third of the posters here demanded Licht be fired…..
November 19th, 2022 at 11:20 am
@Beej: when the Bucs win, all is right in the world…until the Bucs lose.
November 19th, 2022 at 11:31 am
Go Ko Go!
November 19th, 2022 at 11:34 am
P J Fleck puts out pro ready talent.
November 19th, 2022 at 12:48 pm
Must be looking at the wrong video, unless Otton is wearing No. 41 and is growing red hair.
November 19th, 2022 at 12:54 pm
I like to see him in the short passing game.
He looks like he should break a few tackles.
November 19th, 2022 at 12:56 pm
Myself, I couldn’t make out anything in those videos, choppy and blurry on my phone.
November 19th, 2022 at 4:32 pm
Surprised we don’t run two TEs the way NE did with Gronk and Hernandez. Kieft has solid hands, he’s very capable.
November 19th, 2022 at 5:21 pm
I want to see him loose with the ball in his hands
Going Alstott on some poor DB
November 21st, 2022 at 3:59 am
SB~LV Says:
November 19th, 2022 at 5:21 pm
I want to see him loose with the ball in his hands
Going Alstott on some poor DB
OMG Yess …. The K Train!!!
November 21st, 2022 at 4:01 am
Otten looked pretty damn good on the Vids as well.