“We Have Some Rotations If We Need To Rotate”
September 20th, 2024
One message at One Buc Palace this week has been to not blame backup right tackle Justin Skule for Lions edge rusher Aiden Hutchinson playing game-wrecker with 4 1/2 sacks on Sunday.
But today it felt like there was a new message.
Starting right tackle Luke Goedeke will miss his second consecutive game with a concussion Sunday against the Broncos. Joe hates that for Goedeke because it means his recovery is moving slowly. Bucs fans might remember that former guard Ali Marpet’s concussion in 2020 led to him missing multiple games and it was a factor in his retirement after the 2021 season.
Head coach Todd Bowles was asked today if Skule would keep playing at right tackle and he gave a very weak endorsement.
“Yeah, he’s going to start out there but we have some rotations if we need to rotate,” Bowles said of Skule.
Man, that’s a far cry from the “don’t blame Skule” message earlier this week. Bowles would not say who the potential rotating right tackle(s) would be.
Joe’s hoping Skule simply wasn’t ready for prime time after years on the bench — in a hostile environment against an elite player.
Skule probably will be a lot better on Sunday — even if Bowles has a backup plan for his backup.
September 20th, 2024 at 3:19 pm
Was there any attempt to scheme for the obvious mismatch from the get go.
I’m not talking about an inferior blocking TE helping! What about some offensive scheming.
Wouldn’t the Lions have been ripe for some effective screen passes and a draw play or two? I love the look on a DL’s face when he’s standing in the backfield next to the QB as they watch a receiver scamper up the field!
September 20th, 2024 at 3:21 pm
Skule is a better back up LT than RT. Hopefully he figures it out this weekend if not I’m curious to see what that young kid Haggard has.
September 20th, 2024 at 3:27 pm
Try Klien out as tight end or fullback 🤣
September 20th, 2024 at 3:28 pm
“Skule will probably be a lot better on Sunday … ” I guess that means only 2 sacks – not 3.
September 20th, 2024 at 3:38 pm
Joe: Might Hainsey at RT (where he played at ND) be part of this rotation?
September 20th, 2024 at 3:40 pm
I was wondering why they didn’t try Hainsey out there against Detroit after Skule got abused so badly on multiple occasions.
September 20th, 2024 at 3:44 pm
I’m hoping he is like Smith, always following a very weak game with a good to great performance
Go Bucs!
September 20th, 2024 at 3:58 pm
One of Bowles weaknesses as we all know is the tendency to keep players in and to just expect them to make it happen. Asking Justin Skule to single up on Hutchinson was silly and it had singularly predictable results. Thankfully, he’s learned from that — a day late and a dollar short. But we got away with it. This week will be interesting.
September 20th, 2024 at 4:08 pm
Aidan Hutchinson has 27 sacks in 36 NFL regular season games. The dude is 6’7 275 lbs, with super human strength. He ran a 1.62 10 yard split at the combine. The guy was the Big Ten player of the year. He was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.
If you think you can hold him with a backup OT
Then you’re crazy
September 20th, 2024 at 4:12 pm
StPete … ‘I’m not talking about an inferior blocking TE helping! What about some offensive scheming.’
I’m really wondering what’s going on with our TEs this year St Pete. Of our 4 TEs, Otton has 4 targets with 1 catch for 5 yards, and he’s been on the field for 103 of our 112 offensive snaps this season. Durham has 33 off snaps, Kieft has 3 snaps & Culp has 0 snaps, and none of them have been targeted.
This is sounding more & more like a replay of last season, where Otton barely comes off the field, yet he’s not really all that effective as a blocker nor as a receiver. It’s sounding more & more like we’re wasting a potentially valuable weapon in our arsenal.
September 20th, 2024 at 4:13 pm
Lakeland …. Agreed on Hutchinson.
September 20th, 2024 at 4:50 pm
Just put another lineman in as a tight end since we are not using the tight end as a receiver…….
September 20th, 2024 at 4:56 pm
If we aren’t going to throw to our TEs, why use them? Just put another lineman in beside Skule
September 20th, 2024 at 5:02 pm
“we have some bloviators if we need to bloviate”
September 20th, 2024 at 5:11 pm
I saw part of a Coen interview, Jenna Laine said something about Otton having some good blocks vs. the Lions…Is that true? I didn’t see any, but then again I watched the game live, and that was it.
September 20th, 2024 at 5:21 pm
Ha ha ha, nice one.
Well said adam.. we definitely have plenty of back up in that department
September 20th, 2024 at 6:01 pm
It’s simple.
Skule. Sucks. Had sucked. Has sucked. Will suck. Will have sucked.
His suckage is universal and nearly infinite. His starting at RT threatens the very existence of the universe.
September 20th, 2024 at 9:31 pm
Dave Pear. So you’re saying you think he has a chance ?
September 21st, 2024 at 12:53 am
Umm Todd?
Bowles has at times said some stupid things but this is truly absurd.
You do not rotate O linemen! Musical chairs at Offensive line leads to all sucking. Find a tackle! Coen had months to figure this out and has managed to get it wrong. Fix it!
Go Bucs!
September 21st, 2024 at 1:42 am
Watching Skule last Sunday makes me think of one of those demotiva posters from the turn of the century.
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No sense in being a damn fool about it. “
Skule? What say you?
September 21st, 2024 at 5:19 am
Putting another lineman next to Skule is something I said last week. Do we have a lineman who can catch a football because that would be super sneaky making the opponent think we are going without a TE.
September 21st, 2024 at 5:21 pm
Hutchinson is a Maxx Crosby and TJ Watt type of special, non-stop Termintator-type guy. He gave Wirfs problems the couple of times he lined up on the left side, too. I agree that an extra lineman was probably a good idea, not only in pass pro but in the run game as well. Our 3 WRs and White out of the backfield are enough receiving weapons if Baker has time to throw it. It’s not like our TEs are being used much in the passing game… yet, anyway.