Is The Ghost Of Jim Bates Gone For Good?
October 4th, 2011Those that read Joe regularly know where Joe’s going with the headline here. The Bucs have now stuffed the run in a big way in two consecutives games.
That hasn’t happened since somewhere before December 2008.
Tonight against the Colts, the Bucs kept the bad guys to 18 rushes for 62 yards, most in the first quarter. The Bucs tightened up in a huge way, and it was from the defensive line, not heroics from the second level. Last week, big bad Michael Turner only found 20 yards on the ground.
Is a new era of run-stuffing upon us? Frank Gore should answer that question Sunday.
October 4th, 2011 at 12:51 am
Actually the ghost of Jim Bates is still around but in a good way as the Bucs are running a ton of the press-man coverage attacking 4-3 defense that Bates was originally brought in to install. The difference is that now the Bucs have the horses on d-line and some effective blitzing linebackers in Foster and Watson. Thats what was lacking from the equation under Bates.
October 4th, 2011 at 12:59 am
Keith Millard is without a doubt the MVP of our season so far. He’s got these young Bucs playing so damn nasty! Im starting to drink the kool-aid on this line. The more pressure and more sacks they get the more confident they play. You can see it plain as day and it’s awesome to watch.
P.S. Steve White needs to get a scouting gig. He totally called it on Bennett’s potential to be a beast.
October 4th, 2011 at 1:51 am
I know we held Gore well last year, but I can’t remember two consecutive run stuffing games.
Well, we did it last year, why not this year?
October 4th, 2011 at 6:50 am
I’ll be there at the SF game again on Sunday, for the second year in a row. I’m taking the exact same flight, wearing the exact same clothes, and even sitting in the exact same seats! This 49er team is clearly much better than last year, and it is brutal to give us a west coast game on a short week (thanks NFL!). Gore is going to get a lot more touches, so we are going to have to play excellent defense. However, as long as we stay in the game and #5 has the ball, I like our chances. Isn’t it amazing to have a QB that can actually win games, instead of praying that our QB doesn’t lose the game?
October 4th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Let’s not forget that the Colts have no running game, and haven’t for years.