Punishing Kirk Cousins
September 10th, 2023
Happy man.
The Bucs got after Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins today. And Joe is a happy man.
Very few things get Joe aroused more than when an opposing quarterback goes down (get your minds out of the gutter) eats turf.
The Bucs didn’t get a bunch of sacks today. They got two. One was a blitz by Minneapolis-born and bred Antoine Winfield and one was an old-fashioned sack by an edge rusher when Anthony Nelson got home.
So while the Bucs didn’t get a lot of sacks, they did pound Kirk Cousins quite a bit. He got drilled nine times on Sunday. Nine is a bunch for an NFL defense.
The Bucs hitting Cousins so often got in his head. If they didn’t have him rattled, the Bucs thought they did mess with his noggin. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka had one of those nine hits.
“[Pressure] is always our goal,” JTS said. “With Kirk, it’s getting pressure in his face all the time. You can’t let him get set. Any type of a hit, it’s going to get his feet going.
“I think we just try to get the quarterback to feel the rush. We don’t ever want to have the quarterback comfortable. And I think we did a pretty good job of rushing overall.”
Cousins was not comfortable. Late in the game was a perfect example. In shotgun, Cousins got the snap and here comes Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett.
Cousins got rid of the ball and Shaq blasted him. Joe thought sure Shaq was going to get flagged since the NFL plays under Rodger Goodell’s don’t-hit-too-hard mandates. Cousins went flying back, sprawled on the turf. But no flag, thanks goodness.
“It they would have thrown [a flag], they would have been picking on me,” Shaq told Joe after the game.”
What about getting fined by Goodell and his goons later this week?
“If they do, they are picking on me.”
Shaq loved to hear how many quarterback hits the Bucs’ defense delivered on Cousins.
“I was so happy to see that everybody was getting back there,” Shaq said. “That was a little brief glimpse of what we can be. I’m excited for this year.”
September 10th, 2023 at 6:01 pm
Logan Hall was in the backfield all day. That was a great surprise.
September 10th, 2023 at 6:04 pm
We were shockingly fast and physical across the D.
September 10th, 2023 at 6:09 pm
I was impressed by Logan Hall today… much better than invisible.
September 10th, 2023 at 6:11 pm
So…if we punished Kirk Cousins….why did he pass 33-44 for 75% for 344 yards 11 yards per reception…..and yes he threw a pick but it was completed and Izien took it away from the receiver.
I’d like to see how he’d play if we didn’t punish him.
Not complaining about our pass rush…..just laying out the stats.
September 10th, 2023 at 6:12 pm
Kancey when healthy. Darby. Winfield.
But next week, Devin White. Turn him loose. Up the middle.
September 10th, 2023 at 6:30 pm
They used the blitz and Winfield and White got pressure a bunch. Without the blitz I saw everyone flash- Kancey, Hall, JTS, Shaq, Nelson, Darby, Vea. Great to see. Min has a good line.
The other thing that was great to see was Devon White and LVD. I don’t know how many tackles they ended up with, probably less than what it seemed, be ause it seemed like 10 each.
They were all over the middle sideline to sideline making plays and stopping runs / passes to 3 to 4 yard gains that look like they could go for 10+.
I know Cousins ended up with a lot of yards today, mainly to Jefferson whenever Davis was not on him and he was running through a zone, but the defense definitely played really well.
September 10th, 2023 at 6:31 pm
I forgot to add….
Contrary to how the announcers & the halftime show implied it… Minnesota did not have 3 turnovers. The Buccaneers had 3 takeaways! The defense went and got those balls and created those turnovers, there is a big difference.
September 10th, 2023 at 6:32 pm
Shaq played well. It appears he has lost a little bit of weight. He looked quicker and was playing fast all game. He didn’t seem to get gassed at all this game.
I am a little worries about Klancey. He was pulled out of the game in the first quarter.
Hopefully he didn’t re-injure his strained calf…
September 10th, 2023 at 6:33 pm
Love shaq.
^that’s it!!!
September 10th, 2023 at 6:41 pm
Logan hall did good. Funny how everyone was calling this guy a bust just after one season. Obviously I know it’s 1 game but anyone calling any player a bust just after one season doesn’t know spit bout football
September 10th, 2023 at 7:34 pm
I freaking loved the body slam of cousins by Devin White!
That hit and the win has made my week!
September 10th, 2023 at 8:12 pm
the d was hitting hard all day…harder than i usually see…and cousins was definitely getting knocked around out there quite a bit…to the point he was a little rattled
September 10th, 2023 at 8:56 pm
frank pillow^^ i was shocked how fast we were all day!! the boys were flying, sounds like kancey has a calf again?
September 10th, 2023 at 9:17 pm
I think Kirk Cousins is a totally class act. I also respect his talent. He may not be first tier but he’s certainly not that far behind and can play.
But what earned my respect today is that first half where he was being POUNDED.
He got some major hits and one play we were lucky to not get a flag just because of how hard they slammed him to the ground.
Considering how many times he got hit last year, and again today, he’s going to end up like Brady looked last year a lot quicker than the age of 45! Timid, quick to dump the ball…and NO “dawg” left.
September 10th, 2023 at 9:24 pm
BTW Not a good day for the former Buc. Brady was inducted as a Patriot for life and was brought to tears. Then his beloved Patriots and bud Robert kraft watched the Pats go out and lose.
I’m glad he came. I’ll take an SB no matter the cost. I feel sorry that he played not one but two years too long. He should have retired after the SB.
But I kind of feel like I do about my first wife. It was great while it lasted but after the divorce it was OVER! It’s clear where Brady’s heart is and again I understand and respect that. I feel pretty certain I’d feel the same way.
I hope he would be able to understand why I thank him for the SB but after that and bringing his divorce and personal life into the Buc family creating a horrible distraction and seeming loss of motivation I hope he can realize why I could give a rat’s arse about Tom Brady and his Pats. I hope he gets to enjoy some trips to the massage parlors with Kraft. I’m not really bitter just disgusted over all the glory with no accountability and I just don’t like BB or the Pats.
September 10th, 2023 at 9:30 pm
Where is teacherman777 to take his medicine.
For a year and a half, he was saying the bucs should have taken Engram a guard for LSU over Godecke. Engram looked like shit against the Bucs today.
My bet is that Engram will be out of the league before Engram.
September 10th, 2023 at 11:36 pm
Shaq is an inspiration of grace and fortitude. It’s tough to even write about his tragic off-season so I cannot imagine the path he’s traveled emotionally. It makes coming off a devastating injury an almost afterthought. I manly love Shaq and his family. He’s still in the running for best free agent signing in Buc history. I don’t think it’s possible to calculate how beneficial it is just having him on the field, in the lockerroom & on the practice plantation.
September 11th, 2023 at 4:52 pm
JTS ain’t did shiiiii