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First, I have to say I generally love all your posts and many others on this thread. But I do find it comical that so many continue to berate this offense every week and here they are in the SB largely because the offense has caught fire the last 7 games. I think most of us have a brain cramp watching Brady in this offense because we saw 20 years of the dink and dunk. That is not the Bucs at all. They completed 6 passes of 20 yards or more vs GB which included the Miller TD at the end of the half which IMO iced the game even though GB clawed back in late. I do wish they did more of short stuff but they also put up 30 points every single playoff game on the road with the most explosive plays by a mile over any other team. Those chunk plays are a killer and flip games by their very nature. They are not going to change much vs KC nor should they. As you say, they are the worst secondary in the playoffs they will face. They can easily connect on the deep throws which they did the first game as well.
Thanks man. I like your posts too.
I’m not saying the coordinators are total buffoons. They’ve called some great plays. I’ve posted quite a bit that they should be getting more appreciation and that, in particular, if their names were Belichick and McDaniels, so many would be calling them geniuses. Examples last game: the bomb to Miller before halftime, the awesome dump off to Gronk in the 4th, the 9-yard gainer to Evans to kill the clock. I’ve also said Brady’s INTs are not on the coaches at all.
I like their aggressiveness and their willingness to use the deep pass. I actually think throwing deep in 3rd and 2 is a smart decision. That really isn’t my issue with the offense.
My issue is that on first down, they basically waste a play smashing into a brick wall for 2 yards, over and over and over again. They line up in an obvious run formation. They rarely use shotgun. They keep AB off the field. There’s no variety. There’s no chance to for a big gain. It’s literally like a 1980s smash mouth concept. Whereas they could have a much more effective running game keeping teams guessing and off-balance and mixing up formations, motioning, etc.
The team has scored 30 points against every playoff team, true. But it doesn’t change that the offense has lagged and is extremely lucky that the defense has forced so many turnovers. They will not beat KC with another offensive outing like that. And the main reason for the offense’s struggles is they’ve reverted back to that running style as well as mainly vertical routes from receivers.
I was gushing about the offense from weeks 14-17. Yes, they played bad defenses. But it’s the concepts they used...quick crossers for AB and Godwin, comebacks for Evans. Once those became established as their bread and butter, running the ball against a confused defense became very easy and converting deep plays became much easier too.
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