“He’s Hell When He’s Well”
December 8th, 2022
Big-money receiver Russell Gage.
It feels like 100 years ago when Russell Gage was kicking ass in training camp with Tom Brady against the Bucs’ young cornerbacks.
Todd Bowles even once said his defense couldn’t cover Gage.
Gage’s quickness was on display and he appeared to have a fast bond with Brady, who had ordered Gage to be a devoted spring and summer student.
But then Gage had a hamstring issue in training camp and was never quite the same. He gutted out 12 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown against the Packers in Week 3, but eventually the hamstring won the war. Gage sat out Weeks 8 through 12 and returned Monday against the slimy Saints.
He played 26 snaps and had a first-down catch for 11 yards, but that was his only target.
Gage officially is off the injury list but it seems he’s still not healthy, per Bucs assistant wide receivers coach Thaddeus Lewis.
Lewis joined the Buccaneers Radio Network on Tuesday and made it sound like Gage is still rehabilitating his hamstring.
“We’re just praying that Russell can come back and be healthy because you want him to be the Russell Gage that you see and that you know because he’s hell when he’s well,” Lewis said. “We definitely want that, for sure.”
Lewis also emphasized Gage’s health a second time, adding that the Bucs would love Gage to be able to show what he’s all about down the stretch. “We know what he brings. this quick twitch, this shiftiness, you know, this guy that’s kind of hard to cover.”
Joe’s eyes will be on Gage the next two weeks. Can he flash? Will the Bucs give him a shot to run deep routes? Does he get more time in the slot?
Maybe, just maybe, the Bucs will have their four big-money, big-name receivers 100 percent healthy for the playoffs. That could be a lot of fun against a bad Dallas secondary.
December 8th, 2022 at 8:39 am
Having four healthy wide receivers will really help out with the run blocking.
December 8th, 2022 at 8:48 am
Can he run up the gut? According to Bowels he might of well not put pads on, he’ll never see the ball. I guess if he is a good downfield blocker he could help turn a 1 yd run into 2. What a waste, the man healthy is really good.
December 8th, 2022 at 8:48 am
Gage hasn’t been healthy all year…..let his hamstring heal….this same thing kept Scotty Miller out…..
He is a very good WR……not a bust….just injured…..
And, yes….if we have all 4 WRs healthy…..it will definitely improve our run-blocking (sarcasm)
December 8th, 2022 at 8:49 am
Bucs are paying a lot of money for people who don’t spend much time on the field. Are they really that much of a wuss or do they not want to be a part of the current 💩 show?
December 8th, 2022 at 8:50 am
Too bad, we don’t need four great WR because, according to our great HC, we must run most of the time to win.
December 8th, 2022 at 8:50 am
“ Maybe, just maybe, the Bucs will have their four big-money, big-name receivers 100 percent healthy for the playoffs. That could be a lot of fun against a bad Dallas secondary.”
Because Leftwhich is so good at taking advantage of team’s weaknesses?
December 8th, 2022 at 8:54 am
In fact, I think we should trade ME, CG, Gage and JJ for another RBs and some run blockers so we can be more successful. Also trade TB, because we just need a QB to hand the ball to the RB.
December 8th, 2022 at 9:02 am
Bowelswich wants the 1926 University of Michigan offense. Having 4 talented WRs is a complete waste, because Bowelswich is going to prove the Bucs are a running team even if they have to lose the rest of their games to prove it.
Fire them.
December 8th, 2022 at 9:03 am
Trade all the WRs for TEs and lineman. I would pay good money to hear one of the media to just ask him straight out. ‘Man, what the hell are you doing’ ? There’s no way the rest of the organization can’t see what’s going on. This is the kind of shlt that gets GMs , coaches, and the whole bunch fired. All I can figure is this is the transition post Brady. If that’s true God help us.
December 8th, 2022 at 9:08 am
Yeah he’s hell when he’s well
But he ain’t never well
December 8th, 2022 at 9:13 am
Joe,
For whatever reason, I’m hoping we can get the third seed.
December 8th, 2022 at 9:18 am
Joe – Excellent point about those big 4. Been waiting and waiting. Hope the time is nigh. If it materializes, I believe this team could win it all.
December 8th, 2022 at 9:20 am
He’s still a great long term signing. A legit #2 WR playing #3-4.
Hopefully he’s healthy now.
December 8th, 2022 at 9:30 am
I looked at that picture and immediately thought Jimi Hendrix
December 8th, 2022 at 9:33 am
I missed the confidence pole so I’m going to vote out loud on this write up since it relates directly. I have a vote of UTTERLY NO CONFIDENCE. Without hesitation there is no other way to vote. His philosophy is the POLAR OPPOSITE of how this team is designed. It’s feels simply irrelevant if this football player can help “in the real world” because Bizzaro Bowles simply has NO BUSINESS being in charge of any professional team. He doesn’t and or won’t use the tools provided for 1000% PROVEN SUCCESS. This is not and ancient team that this league doesn’t even recognize as anything more than a joke these days. NO MATTER WHAT, we WILL BE DEFEATED with this ASSININE attempt at disgusting futility. THE ONLY way we have won any games this year is incthe last seconds of every single game by the QUARTERBACK THROWING THE BALL! In a desperate attempt not to lose DESPITE this jackals! We have won NOTHING running the ball as this pathetically WEAK CAVEMAN invisions. It’s a DISGRACE and this sorry excuse Todd Bowles and the CLEARLY OUT CLASSED Leftwich are a disgrace to the ENTIRE fight this team has put up since the beginning of football time!
NOT QUALIFIED/ ABSOLUTELY NOT CONFIDENCE AT ALL! YOU ARE A DESENT DEFFENSIVE COACH. You are NOT A QUALIFIED HEAD COACH AND YOU KNOW IT! I DON’T GIVE A CRAP ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL PRIDE. YOU ARE WRONG!
December 8th, 2022 at 9:35 am
You’re a BUM Russell Gage. You should return 90% of your pay this year. Your worthless as far as I’m concerned.
December 8th, 2022 at 9:37 am
Really I could cover him with one hand behind my back and with crutches
December 8th, 2022 at 9:42 am
I thought the subject line was about Bowles and Leftnut.
December 8th, 2022 at 9:43 am
At least Gage flashed some this year and demonstrated an ability to get open. His lack of production has been a disappointment, but injuries happen. Hopefully he will get healthy, and soon.
Which leads me to wonder, WHY is Rudolph still on this team?
December 8th, 2022 at 9:58 am
I would like to see him play
December 8th, 2022 at 10:55 am
Yeah when will he actually “play”? Just put Scotty in as Gage is broken for the rest of this season.
December 8th, 2022 at 11:00 am
Licht brings in beasley, gage and Julio after we seeing a depleted wr core cost us a chance at another super bowl….. YIKES. No spped on this team right now, which is a killer without Gronk.
December 8th, 2022 at 11:25 am
Doesn’t matter how healthy they are if they can’t run the ball. That seems to be all Bowles cares about.
December 8th, 2022 at 11:44 am
Guys it doesn’t even matter if Gage was 100% healthy and playing lights out. Todd Bowles MORE THAN does not know what he’s doing and isn’t qualified because More Importantly, Todd Bowles WILL NOT use the talent that’s laying all over the place! He Actually FORBIDS IT! AND the MOST GLARING “TELL ALL” is that he is ACTUALLY letting the TOTALLY OUT CLASSED Byron Leftwich continually, game after game, after game, run this PRO BOWL CALIBER offense into OBLIVION! They MUST HAVE orders to TANK THIS SEASON! Absolutely NOTHING else makes sense! And if it does, somebody please explain it to me.
I think it’s at least possible that Tom Brady is saying to hell with them and trying his heart out to win in the few minutes left of ANY GAME. In Spite of Toilet and Leftnut. I mean clearly all I have left is left field conspiracy theories because it’s just too NEBULOUS even for some dude on the best acid ever made! Todd Bowles gets NO CONFIDENCE VOTE! EITHER DOES LEFTWORST! NO CONFIDENCE IN RUNNING A PRO FOOTBALL TEAM with everyone in Perfect help. Bowles IS the idiot that MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE WOULD NOT ASK FOR HELP OR ADVICE FROM THE COACH THAT WON US THE SUPER BOWL 2 YEARS AGO AND THE DIVISION TITLE LAST YEAR! TODD BOWLES IS AN OBVIOUS FAILURE AND THAT DOESN’T CHANGE UNTIL he uses this Pro Bowl team as designed, to their strengths!
December 8th, 2022 at 11:53 am
PSL…lol no doubt.
December 8th, 2022 at 12:11 pm
OBVIOUS…yikes.
This offense misses Gronk and AB.
Plus no Marpet or Jensen.
No JPP no Suh on defense.
Missing pieces all over the place and lefty actually does suck at playcalling.
December 8th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
We should make the playoffs. Might as well rest him until then ,because this team will need all the help it can get then
December 8th, 2022 at 1:15 pm
total bust!
December 8th, 2022 at 1:22 pm
It’s a hammy. You HAVE to shut him down till he’s 100%. If he isn’t well – send him to the training room and that’s that.
December 8th, 2022 at 2:39 pm
What the actual F is with all the hamstring injuries this team has had over the past several seasons? Is it overuse, is the strength training deficient or what? I would love to see some stats on soft-tissue injuries league wide versus ours – specifically, hammie pulls. Overdeveloped quads cause a large percentage of hamstring pulls so the muscle groups must be balanced by training or hoping. If it’s hoping, it ain’t working.
December 8th, 2022 at 4:22 pm
I’m not expecting him at 100% this year. Looking forward to see what he can do next year after healing and rehab and a new offensive coordinator.
December 8th, 2022 at 8:04 pm
Just shut him down for a few weeks. He won’t be missed, he’s a marginal contributor.