OT: Official 2021 Tompa Bay Gronkaneers Thread

[skinnydog]

I was still on the AB train even after he left the field during the Jets game, hoping he'd be back, questioning the way the team handled the incentives, injury, etc.

But honestly, dude, **** that guy. It's one thing to have beef with the coach and management; many players have lots of complaints over that stuff. What gets me is the way he went out there and basically just crapped on everyone...pointing out how he was the best receiver on the team, Brady needs him, and posting that meme after the Bucs lost to rub salt on their wounds. Any reasonable human being would have been at least praising his ex-teammates for that effort.

I can only imagine the type of **** that he pulls frequently with his teammates, and my guess is whatever happened was tip of the iceberg stuff. Something tells me a 70 year old coach like Bruce Arians didn't just want to get rid of AB and wasn't willing to put up with tremendous amounts of ********...he probably was, but AB is a bigger douche than we had even imagined.

In terms of needing him, and AB's claim about his importance....the last few games of the season demonstrated that Mike Evans had taken on a much lesser role for the good of the team. With Evans running the primary routes, he was much, much, much better than AB, at this stage of AB's career. AB is a great talent, but he's actually not that efficient. Lots of mistimed routes, miscommunications with Brady. Yes, big plays, too, but I think Evans showed what ideally someone is supposed to do in that role. AB was great last year as a complementary receiver; this year, when he was on the field, the offense ran through him, and it didn't work as well. Godwin was the biggest loss, no doubt, as his versatility and ability to move the chains was huge. Meanwhile, the team lost Grayson and Perriman, two guys who had stepped up.

I honestly don't think AB makes that much difference in the Rams game. Yes, they move the ball a little easier. The protection problems are still bad. They don't gameplan to get Evans open either, as they basically just decoy him like other games against the Rams and Saints (big mistake there.) But that Rams game was basically a huge blowout until the Rams inexplicably coughed the ball up four times.

AB can get open real quick, like at the snap of the ball quick. He would have made a real difference.

 

[Guts]

There’s only one way the Bucs can convince Tom Brady to return

Tricky spot though if you wait and see what the Bucs will do. Brady is the ultimate FA draw so if he says he's coming back he can bolster the chances of the Bucs being able to maneuver the roster around

 

[VectorPrime]

Tricky spot though if you wait and see what the Bucs will do. Brady is the ultimate FA draw so if he says he's coming back he can bolster the chances of the Bucs being able to maneuver the roster around

Most of the free agents he needs back are currently with the team. It’s not tampering to immediately begin talking to figure out if they can be kept.

 

[carmelo15]

Looks like Leftwhich is getting hired in Jacksonville so TB can get an actual good OC hopefully Bowls/Arians could be next

 

[VectorPrime]

AB can get open real quick, like at the snap of the ball quick. He would have made a real difference.

A healthy Wirfs and AB make enough of a difference. Not just AB alone and not just a healthy Wirfs alone.

The real tragedy is a healthy Wirfs, AB, AND Godwin makes the offensive unstoppable. Brady would have gotten the ball out to whoever the hell he wanted before the Rams pressure got to him. Now he’d still have been sacked a couple times because they’d scheme to get home at least a couple times. But the constant duress on almost every snap simply wouldn’t have existed with the 5 healthy lineman and Gronk into block most of the game. You have those 6 in blocking and meanwhile three #1 wide receivers and one of the best pass catching backs in the league go out to catch passes. It would have been unstoppable.

 

[Guts]

A healthy Wirfs and AB make enough of a difference. Not just AB alone and not just a healthy Wirfs alone.

The real tragedy is a healthy Wirfs, AB, AND Godwin makes the offensive unstoppable. Brady would have gotten the ball out to whoever the hell he wanted before the Rams pressure got to him. Now he’d still have been sacked a couple times because they’d scheme to get home at least a couple times. But the constant duress on almost every snap simply wouldn’t have existed with the 5 healthy lineman and Gronk into block most of the game. You have those 6 in blocking and meanwhile three #1 wide receivers and one of the best pass catching backs in the league go out to catch passes. It would have been unstoppable.

I rewatched the game. Brady just needed a little time and he wouldve been okay. So I think a healthy Wirfs and a 100 percent Jensen would've gotten the job done

 

[VectorPrime]

I rewatched the game. Brady just needed a little time and he wouldve been okay. So I think a healthy Wirfs and a 100 percent Jensen would've gotten the job done

Well I’m taking into account that the Bucs only got back in the game because the Rams absolutely could NOT stop puking on themselves which was freakish. Remember in Super Bowl 51 the Pats actually lost the turnover battle. Here the Bucs won it 4-1. That’s just flukey. To reliably beat the Rams straight up as the game probably would gone on any other day the Bucs needed both the o-line protection for that extra half second and one of their missing elite receivers.

 

[Lagaffe_07]

Well I’m taking into account that the Bucs only got back in the game because the Rams absolutely could NOT stop puking on themselves which was freakish. Remember in Super Bowl 51 the Pats actually lost the turnover battle. Here the Bucs won it 4-1. That’s just flukey. To reliably beat the Rams straight up as the game probably would gone on any other day the Bucs needed both the o-line protection for that extra half second and one of their missing elite receivers.

Well I think the most important thing is I think they absolutely needed to have a lead in this game. To put some kind of pressure on Stafford to keep up but most importantly to keep the Rams D guessing. With a lead, you can run the ball and use play action to slow down the pass rush. They were behind so fast that it was easy for the rams. They knew TB wasn’t gonna run the ball so the pass rush could put their ears back and tee off everytime.

1st drive Bucs are driving with 2 big runs from fournette and Gronk drops the first 3rd down that would put them inside Rams territory.

10-0 Rams, the bucs are driving again, 3rd & 4 at LA 27 and Brate drops a 1st down.

The Bucs could have won this game but they needed to play a really good game but too many players crapped the bed. The coaches crapped the bed especially Bowles. Blitz and play soft zone was maybe the most stupid gameplan he could come up with.

 

[sb1]

Not official yet but looks like Leftwich is gone

 

[Lagaffe_07]

Not official yet but looks like Leftwich is gone

Waiting for Arians to get dumped now and McDaniels to come in

 

[amfootball]

It is amazing how many assistant coaches have gotten HC jobs because of Brady - Weiss, Crennel, Mangini, Flores, Patricia, McDaniels, Bill O'Brien and now Leftwich (LOL) and most likely Bowles too although at least Bowles was a HC before.

 

[amfootball]

Waiting for Arians to get dumped now and McDaniels to come in

I don't think Arians is going anywhere.

 

[venecol]

Waiting for Arians to get dumped now and McDaniels to come in

I think Arians said he doesn't want to play call anymore so they either get an OC or he retires. No way Bucs fire him after last years SB win.

 

[amfootball]

I think Arians said he doesn't want to play call anymore so they either get an OC or he retires. No way Bucs fire him after last years SB win.

I believe he said during his PC this week that he would do the play calls for the offense.

 

[Guts]

I believe he said during his PC this week that he would do the play calls for the offense.

His way of trying to keep Brady

 

[amfootball]

His way of trying to keep Brady

It's interesting. I really don't get a sense that Brady has an issue with Arians at all. I am not sure that I buy this retirement talk is his way of strong arming the team given they literally went ALL in last year signing all of their starters. There is no reason not to believe they won't do the same this year and hire whatever OC Brady wants, if he even wants one. Perhaps it is just him and Bruce running the O.

 

[Guts]

It's interesting. I really don't get a sense that Brady has an issue with Arians at all. I am not sure that I buy this retirement talk is his way of strong arming the team given they literally went ALL in last year signing all of their starters. There is no reason not to believe they won't do the same this year and hire whatever OC Brady wants, if he even wants one. Perhaps it is just him and Bruce running the O.

Yeah I believe that Brady doesn't want a new OC at this stage of his career if he comes back. So I think BA saying he'll call plays is something Tom would be okay with. I think his decision is really simple does Gisele let him play?

 

[Le Numéro Douze]

It's interesting. I really don't get a sense that Brady has an issue with Arians at all. I am not sure that I buy this retirement talk is his way of strong arming the team given they literally went ALL in last year signing all of their starters. There is no reason not to believe they won't do the same this year and hire whatever OC Brady wants, if he even wants one. Perhaps it is just him and Bruce running the O.

I do not know their relationship, but if I was Brady, I for sure would push for Arians to be shown the door. His stupid philosophy failed once the Bucs lost a few guys. And let's not even talk about undisciplined the team was.

 

[VectorPrime]

There are people who say that Brady and Arians got along swimmingly and others who say Brady hates the man. Same with Leftwhich. God knows what’s going on there.

 

[Lagaffe_07]

I do not know their relationship, but if I was Brady, I for sure would push for Arians to be shown the door. His stupid philosophy failed once the Bucs lost a few guys. And let's not even talk about undisciplined the team was.

Exactly. I think Brady is tired of having to play and coach this team at the same time and try to make guys to play disciplined. Brady has always respected the hierarchy between a coach and a player and Brady never wanted to be a player coach. He 100% wants input on who he plays with.

the Bucs were 7-5 last year until during the bye week Arians let Leftwich and Brady change the offense. Having Arians call the plays next year would be the worst thing for Brady