Tykee Smith & The Knockout Shot
October 14th, 2024
Rookie nickel cornerback Tykee Smith.
Joe can only imagine how much fist-pumping Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht did yesterday afternoon.
He probably worked up a sweat and needed a shower with his players at the slimy Saints’ Superdome.
Licht’s draft picks and young players were crushing it.
And it came early.
Rookie third-round pick nickel cornerback Tykee Smith continued his habit of forcing fumbles with a touchdown-causing strip in the first-quarter of Saints wide receiver Chris Olave. And because third-year cornerback Zyon McCollum constantly and refreshingly plays like he gives a crap, McCollum was right there to hammer Olave after the strip and knocked him out of the game (video below).
Olave, arguably the Saints’ most dangerous weapon, left with a concussion.
Joe doesn’t want to see any player get concussed, but it’s a byproduct of aggressive play and Joe certainly wants to see that from all Bucs.
Not to be forgotten, Smith and McCollum added late-game interceptions.
Rookie fourth-round pick running Bucky Irving was aggressive in his typical way, impressing in his first start.
Two second-year undrafted players also got their first significant action and made the most of it. Practice squad receiver Ryan Miller capitalized on his call-up with an important 31-yard reception, and Joe’s written plenty about running back Sean Tucker monster two-touchdown day that saw him run for 136 yards.
How bout that Bucs depth and youth! Licht should be damn proud.
Catch. Fumble. And a touchdown for Antoine Winfield Jr.!
šŗ: #TBvsNO on FOX
š±: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/mWrp01OUnDā NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024
October 14th, 2024 at 10:33 am
As many like to say, the arrow’s point up for this Bucs roster.
October 14th, 2024 at 10:49 am
licht did it again with his picks has really perfected the draft process. off topic but what happened to camarda he stop using peds? how do you lose that weapon in a year?
October 14th, 2024 at 11:03 am
Getting good production from several rookiesā¦.Tykee looks like a great pick
October 14th, 2024 at 11:10 am
Really want to see how 6th round OG looks.
October 14th, 2024 at 11:11 am
All good stuff I agree. But can we impress more than 1 game in a row?
We seem to have letdowns after every big win. Play like every week is the Super Bowl.
October 14th, 2024 at 11:20 am
Throw in Diaby and Kancy as young guys who play like they give a crap !
October 14th, 2024 at 11:20 am
Braswell too
October 14th, 2024 at 11:28 am
Shoot, even Britt woke up , got that shared sack
Tykee was awesome
GO BAKER, GO BUCS
October 14th, 2024 at 11:34 am
That was a stupid/dirty helmet-to-helmet hit by McCollum on that strip/TD.
Idk how the refs missed that one, but Zion will surely be fired by the issue for that hit.
I love Zion’s gane overall, but that was a terrible/ dangerous/stupid hit.
Lead with your shoulder, not with your helmet bro!
October 14th, 2024 at 11:35 am
Typo.
Zion will *surely be fined by the *NFL for that hit.
October 14th, 2024 at 11:43 am
Joes, you were also forgetting that forced fumble that Tyker caused with WR Bubb Means in the game.
One of the Many horrendous calls that the refs Were involved in was changing that force fumble to an incomplete pass. That was total BS AND WAS DEFINITELY a fumble.
That would have given Tykee 2 Forced fumbles and an interception in the game. I would have thought he would have been nominated for defensive player of the week with those stats as well.
There Should be an article this week on the horrendous officiating that the Bucs have experienced in the last several games this year. Yesterday, that was the most atrocious one-sided officiating Iāve ever seen.
Despite the Bucs having to play both the Saints and the refs, they still put the smack down on them.
October 14th, 2024 at 11:46 am
Hey, Joe.
Have you noticed that on Godwin 55 yard touchdown the Saints defense played like a Lovie Smithās trained defense trying to knock the ball out instead of wrapping up?
Go Bucs!
October 14th, 2024 at 11:59 am
Tykee becoming a weapon for the Bucs, strip fumbles are often game changers. Hey Jason, keep the SEC DBs coming.
October 14th, 2024 at 11:59 am
We still in the hunt for the division….
October 14th, 2024 at 11:59 am
Erik, it is difficult to control everything at full speed bro…. simmer down.
October 14th, 2024 at 12:01 pm
Despite the Bucs having to play both the Saints and the refs, they still put the smack down on them
ā **ā ******ā ***********************
Since the inception of this franchise…. It has been necessary to beat the refs as well as the other team.
Doing just one of those results in a loss.
It almost seems like the refs put the game up for bid the day before kickoff, and the Bucs never win the bid.
October 14th, 2024 at 12:12 pm
Tykee, McCollum, Dennis, Bucky, Barton, and Izien are all legit! Now Tucker is shining.
Even Logan Hall is coming on now.
Licht is the man.
October 14th, 2024 at 12:14 pm
Whereās all the Hainsey hate this morning? I like Barton, but it just shows you donāt need to draft interior o line in round one. Sure looks like we know where the issue was in the run game. Kudos Joe, you were right.
October 14th, 2024 at 12:16 pm
The non PI call on the Aināt holding Mikeās right arm was particularly egregious. But I donāt expect to read this as the algo rhythms.
October 14th, 2024 at 12:32 pm
The running game was set up by the passing game. And the reason the running game did as well as it did was due to some very rare unpredictability. We even ran a reverse flea flicker! When is the last time you saw THAT from a Bucs offense?
October 14th, 2024 at 12:33 pm
Loved AJWs heads up play and rushing in to pick up the ball and score
October 14th, 2024 at 12:33 pm
Hey Eric, after that show the refs put on in the 2nd quarter, Aints are lucky Bucs didn’t behead them! McCollum will be watching film with his D bros this week. He knows he got a little hot. We’ve got some for-real talent surfacing yet again on this team. Thanks to Licht, the Scouts, Bowles and everyone else. Great win, Bucs! Now they have to get ready for the Ravens. Have the Bucs ever beaten Baltimore?
October 14th, 2024 at 12:41 pm
Wait, what…. No Rachaad White reference (I mean put down) in this article. I thought every JBF article this week had one at least.
October 14th, 2024 at 12:52 pm
This dude is a baller. Exciting to get young studs on D.
October 14th, 2024 at 12:57 pm
Godwin deserves an extension but how will that affect the cap. I know another guy that deserves an extension and that’s Licht. His drafts have been incredible. Occasionally he’s pick a clunker or a kicker but I’ll put his drafts against any GM in the league.
October 14th, 2024 at 1:26 pm
I too initially thought it was a targeting hit by McCollum on Olave, but the replay better showed him leading with his shoulder pad. Zion did not launch himself, did not use the crown of his helmet, and did not hit a defenseless player. If you have enough time to turn make a football move and fumble, you’re not defenseless. It was well officiated after seeing the replay.
October 14th, 2024 at 2:57 pm
Shel is a baller, Ryan Miller is faster than I thought. Time for Kenny Bell Junior and the Darden clone to learn from the practice squad for a while.
And Dean? Good riddance. Trade him now.
October 14th, 2024 at 2:58 pm
tykee has looked almost amazing all season for a rook…
especially yesterday…
in the atlanta game dude looked lost af for whatever reason…it happens…there were so many problems with that short week game anyway…
but yeah tykee appears to be turning out to be a terrific draft pick
October 14th, 2024 at 3:20 pm
Tykee balled out… The defense as a whole did really. Had to watch a 2nd time to realize the defense actually made adjustments and and/or clamped down after the half.
Rattler (and Kubiak) caught us a little off guard with designed roll outs to start but once we started to contain him a little it was over.
If we can keep snuffing the run and stay healthy on D who knows? With a dominant defense and our offensive talent the skies the limit.
I’ve had my doubts about Todd, like many here, but he did a hell of a job this week getting the D ready to play.
October 14th, 2024 at 3:55 pm
I love the bucs. We will go undefeated rest of way
October 14th, 2024 at 4:10 pm
Am I the only one can see that Jamel Dean has checked out. Heās soft, fragile, timid, n just play scared. I believe Tyrek Funderburk played alright for a rookie thrown to the wolves. Letās give him some PT so he can adjust with his 4.3 speed that heāll put to use just like McCollum. Iām highly impressed with Zyon. We shouldāve kept CDavis n got rid of Dean.
October 14th, 2024 at 4:45 pm
If Dean is in the field, he should play press man against the opponent #2 receiver. Period. Heās either too dumb or doesnāt care about his team to play zone, and itās obvious no one can teach him to play it properly. Trade him for a bag of Little Debbieās and a āHow to be a Head Coachā Handbook.
October 14th, 2024 at 4:46 pm
Yes Dean is Charmin Soft. He had the chance for a great hit BUT instead caught the WR in his arms and let dude bend him backwards. Don’t want to see anyone get hurt but hopefully he’s out for a game or two and the back up balls out and we don’t see Dean with his 12yd cushion on the field anymore.
October 14th, 2024 at 5:25 pm
dmatt,
No, you arenāt the only one. Davis and Dean both quit on the team last year. I think this will be Deans last season with the Bucs.
I wonāt miss him
October 14th, 2024 at 5:48 pm
Tykee Smith really should be NFC Defensive Player of the Week: 4 tackles, 2 passes broken up, the FF and an INT. What a game he had!
McCollum meanwhile is quietly matching Ward of Cleveland as league’s best cover CB over the first 6 weeks of the season. He’s now tied for the NFL lead with 10 PDs and has 2 INTs to go with it. If he keeps this up, he’ll make his first pro bowl.
October 14th, 2024 at 8:46 pm
dean’s fast becoming a china doll and zyon is working his way onto pro bowl ballots….
my oh my how times change
October 14th, 2024 at 9:44 pm
Tykee is a playmaker!!
October 15th, 2024 at 4:58 pm
I know everyone is like Licht is the man, but let’s see here. He drafted Jose Ramirez & Josh Hayes over Christian Izien last season. The only one I seen play yet in their drafted position is Izien. Hayes had the shot and got injured in 2.2 seconds. But Izien is the backup guy. Make it, make sense.
Knuck if Buc!
October 15th, 2024 at 8:38 pm
This was the best draft class since we snagged Wirfs & Winfield in the first two rounds of 2020
October 15th, 2024 at 8:44 pm
That was a super smart/aggressive/clean/beautiful hit by Zyon! Give me a break dude! McCollum was playing aggressive against a dirty team that we justifiably hate with a passion after what they did to Cade, Yaya and Godwin. Zyon did everything right and guess what if you lead with your shoulder, what sits right on top of that? Your head! You moron. This is a dangerous game and player safety is an oxymoron. These guys know the risks and go out there and lay it on the line every game. Donāt sit there and Monday morning armchair expert Zyon and his high caliber defensive play.