Five Things
September 30th, 2024
K.J. Britt and Anthony Nelson celebrate sacking Eagles QB Jalen Hurts on fourth down late in the game that sealed the Bucs’ win.
Welcome to Victory Monday! The Bucs are back on track after getting derailed last week. Grab your donut and coffee and let’s get rolling. As the Sage of Tampa Bay Sports, Ira Kaufman, would say, “Keep it tight.”
Bucs Will Only Get Better
Yes, yesterday was one of the Bucs’ best games since the Tom Brady era ended. Oh, the win over the Packers last year at Lambeau Field was sweet. But in that game, the Bucs were healthier than the Bucs of yesterday.
Remember, the Bucs are still without Calijah Kancey, Antoine Winfield and Luke Goedeke. If the Bucs get those three back, look out.
Joe thinks the offensive line will get better, the pass rush will get better and the run game will get better — the run game already is showing signs of life.
The Bucs are improving at the best time. Their schedule before the bye week is as follows: at Atlanta, at New Orleans, Baltimore, Atlanta, at Kansas City and San Francisco.
The schedule appears less daunting it once did. Atlanta and New Orleans are beatable. Kansas City is showing signs of cracking with massive injuries. Joe is waiting for San Francisco to cave in.
Tough games? You bet. Winnable? Sure.
So the Bucs are improving and getting healthier as the schedule is getting tougher. Good timing.
Wide Receiver Depth
Man, the depth of the wide receiver room is impressive. Jalen McMillan hurt? OK, Trey Palmer will replace him. Touchdown Palmer.
Palmer gets hurt? Sterling Shepard comes in and the offense doesn’t miss a beat. Even when undrafted rookie Kameron Johnson came in, Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen didn’t blink an eye calling Johnson’s number.
Johnson should have had a touchdown. Dang, hold onto the ball, son.
Each guy demonstrated he can get open and, except Johnson, showed good hands.
Imagine what is going through Coen’s mind with so many weapons.
Taskmaster Lavonte David
Look, Joe has mad respect for Bucs icon linebacker Lavonte David. But the guy always impressed Joe as a very quiet, very polite dude who answers questions but would be cool with never having to talk to a reporter again.
Apparently, that is a front. YaYa Diaby and Jordan Whitehead told Joe how David blew up at the team in practice this week for shatting themselves against the Broncos. David demanded, ordered, hollered that each player needed to look into the mirror to figure out what they did wrong and that they had no choice but to be ready for Sunday’s game with the Eagles. David told players that everyone had a responsibility to turn what happened last week into a positive this week.
The Bucs could have scored 50 if they wanted to yesterday.
If that is the response to David calling out teammates for an embarrassing performance against Denver, Joe hopes David has a weekly sermon for the Bucs.
Now That’s A Pass Rush!
You know it’s a good day for the Bucs when Logan Hall gets a sack. No, really.
That’s how the Bucs defense was humming yesterday. The last time the second-round pick had a full sack was October 9, 2022. That’s an awfully long drought. But that’s also how well the Bucs were getting after Jalen Hurts.
The Bucs finished the game with six sacks. That’s incredible.
If yesterday wasn’t a mirage, when Calijah Kancey returns, this team could have a hellacious defense that includes a real pass rush.
Kevin Carberry Actually Smiles
So last week when the Bucs lost to Denver, the offensive line was truly a jailbreak. Seven sacks on Baker Mayfield. Just unacceptable.
There are all sorts of reasons the Bucs lost that game. In fact, you could argue there were no innocents. Every coach, every player had a hand in the loss. (Total team effort!)
Joe was outside the Bucs’ locker room entrance after that game. Joe didn’t hear one word from players as they came off the field. They all looked shell-shocked. Zero smiles or joking.
One guy was fully steamed. And that was Carberry, the Bucs’ offensive line coach. Joe saw him rip off his cap and slap his leg in anger. Carberry had every bit the look on his face of wanting to deck someone with a right hook.
Joe has dealt with Carberry a couple of times and, man, is he focused. Intense. Driven.
Fast-forward to yesterday. Justin Skule, who previously was a pair of swinging saloon doors playing for concussed Luke Goedeke at right tackle, played OK if not decent for much of the game (notice Joe didn’t say “all of the game”).
Overall, the line got the job done yesterday.
So Joe again noticed Carberry walking in the tunnel headed to the postgame locker room. He still had that intense look on his face. Joe and Carberry made eye contact and Carberry flashed a smile. That’s the first time Joe saw Carberry smile.
Joe knew what he was smiling about: his offensive line. It opened holes for running backs and mostly kept Baker Mayfield upright. Mayfield largely had plenty of time to find open receivers and throw on 47 pass attempts.
Carberry’s smile could sum up the entire Bucs day. The team rebounded beautifully from an embarrassing loss. A loss that is nearly forgotten now.
The pirate ship has been righted and it appears the Bucs are once again headed in the right direction.
That sure is ample reason to smile this morning.
September 30th, 2024 at 5:16 am
On to the Falcons – Any chance of Winfield / Kancey being back or is it more likely they’ll get the mini bye and have a shot at the Saints?
Assuming Godeke should be ok this time but now Palmer will be out as well as McMillen
September 30th, 2024 at 5:38 am
I think Brady had some input in to the O game plan.
September 30th, 2024 at 6:16 am
Whats happened with Camarda?
September 30th, 2024 at 6:25 am
Who is this Callijah Kancey u speak of?
September 30th, 2024 at 6:46 am
Here’s the sixth thing….
Tom Brady’s comments made it clear to me that he liked, admired and respected Bruce Arians. Meaning the whole idea some were floating that Brady forced Arians out as HC in 2022 was BS from the getgo….
September 30th, 2024 at 7:08 am
Buc U he’s Tampa’s version of Big Foot and the Loch Ness monster, a mythical character never seen.
September 30th, 2024 at 7:12 am
Opening drive touchdown! WooHoo!!
September 30th, 2024 at 7:28 am
Btw…It was great having Brady commentating. It was the first I heard him work a broadcast, and supposedly he had a slow start to kick off the season, from the sound of it, he’s going to be just fine.
Even better, we were throttling the Eagles, and you could tell Brady was really getting into it, obviously when Mike and Chris are getting involved, that was a familiar feeling he could lean into. You’re not supposed to be leaning with one team or another, you felt his lean towards Tampa, of course given the beat down early, it was pretty easy to do that. That being said, I love at half when they asked him about Baker’s comments regarding what it was like when Brady was here, and he didn’t dodge or deflect the comments, he was tactful going right after it saying he didn’t come to Tampa to run a “daycare”. Love this commit…this is what a champion sounds like.
September 30th, 2024 at 7:39 am
Gotta find a way to win at least 3 of these next 6, preferably all 3 of the divisional games. (6-4) at BYE and the last 7 are all winnable games.
September 30th, 2024 at 7:44 am
Great time to be a Bucs fan.
September 30th, 2024 at 7:53 am
Great team win !! Mauch looked terrible again not for nothing. Know it was hot but come on man
September 30th, 2024 at 8:25 am
Timing is everything and yesterday the Bucs timing was on when it came to QB & Receivers. Bucs also decided to attack weaknesses instead of sticking to a game plan.
Passing against a team that is 5th from the bottom is Pass Defense was a smart thing to do. Facing the Eagles without their two star receivers was another area when timing fell in their favor. Had the Bucs been facing the Commanders in Week 4 and not Week 1 I don’t think they win that game.
Bucs looked good yesterday just like week 1. Playing well half the time is a recipe for a 8-9 or 9-8 record. Without the fortunate timing of playing the Lions or Commanders when they did Bucs would be 2-2 or worse and just another team in the NFCS.
Next two weeks they have the fortune of playing the Falcons and Saints where one has not hit their stride and one has hit a speed bump.
Playing well in September might help with Seeding should the Bucs make the Playoffs that start week 19 and from Week 11 on they really don’t face any competition so they will be the mirage of NFC Champs and Mayfield MVP the rest of the way. Even if they get rolled by the Ravens, Chiefs, and 49er’s before the Bye.
September 30th, 2024 at 8:42 am
Who the Bucs play is almost irrelevant. Pete Rozelle constructed a parity or parody league if you will. If you show up flat any NFL team will beat you. That is why the prime time and so called top teams are a better matchup then the so called bad teams. Only the Bucs can beat the Bucs and the real enemy is not taking teams seriously.
September 30th, 2024 at 8:48 am
Not surprised that a humiliating loss to Sean Payton was one reason why LVD blew his cool. LVD is one of the most highly respected Bucs on the team. He’s earned it over all the years he refused to leave Tampa Bay. This quick turnaround with Atlanta is going to be another statement game. Go Bucs!!
September 30th, 2024 at 8:58 am
I wondered on an earlier post if the o-line played better yesterday, if the Bronco’s pass rush was superior to Denver’s or if Coen schemed extra pass protection in the game plan. Maybe a little of each?
September 30th, 2024 at 9:01 am
@Marky Mark. So true. No team will lose fewer than three or four games or win fewer than three or four. It is an emotional game and you can’t be up for every game.
September 30th, 2024 at 9:02 am
Brutal schedule ahead
September 30th, 2024 at 10:07 am
I’m sure it is a mere coincidence, but Vea plays and beasts the center OL, and suddenly an outside pass rush appears.
As I said, it’s a coincidence.
/sarc
September 30th, 2024 at 10:09 am
I was harsh in my criticism of the horrendous player and coaching effort against the Broncos, but I will tip my hat to those same players and coaches for a fine effort against the Iggles.
May they NEVER take any team lightly again.
September 30th, 2024 at 10:22 am
The team just has to be mindful that all-out focus and effort gets them yesterday’s results, and losing focus or relaxed effort gets them a Denver result.
September 30th, 2024 at 10:24 am
They had a good plan by getting the ball out quickly. Godwin is best is that short passing game and anytime they throw it sideways to White and he is one on one with a db he always makes them miss in the open field. White is a true weapon in the short passing game. I would tilt the running plays more to Bucky as he is a better running back in tight spots and has more fluid moves.
September 30th, 2024 at 11:26 am
Hall also deflected a swing pass. His sack was interesting, he sort of slow rolled off the snap and plodded through an opening. Pleasant surprise to see him make some impact plays.
Carberry is my kind of coach but whatever whuparse he opened on Skule last week, he needs to double down on this short week. Fowlclowns are coming off a tough win, anre building confidence. We know how Todd’s teams respond to success. Coaches (and LVD) must keep the pressure on.
September 30th, 2024 at 12:01 pm
Great game.. would like a little more info on Camarda, though.
As far as Baker and Tom, I think Baker spoke out of turn.
That being said, when TB got here he was old enough to be father to a lot of the players. Kinda like daycare🙂
September 30th, 2024 at 12:44 pm
Sounds like a bunch of Brady rubbed off on David. Apparently he didn’t want to come to work at a Daycare either,
September 30th, 2024 at 1:32 pm
PREACH! I want that fire from David every single week!
That’s a very tough 6-game stretch no matter what. If we can go 4-2, I’d be ecstatic. Will be tough though for sure. Need to get through these games healthy too.