OT: Official 2021 Tompa Bay Gronkaneers Thread

[amfootball]

posting first take should be a bannable post

Lol. You're right. Won't happen again.

 

[Haterproof]

That Saints loss just looms so incredibly large. Brady had the ball 1:40 and a timeout and just needed a field goal to win. Increasingly likely the difference between the 1 or 3 seed. Which means if chalk wins out the Bucs go into Green Bay in the divisional round.

They could also be @ Arizona in the Divisional round for a very intriguing matchup! It's going to be very interesting to see how all of the seeding in the NFC shakes up down the stretch! I still don't think there's a defense in the NFC that can stop a fully healthy Bucs team with AB in the mix regardless of where they play!

 

[Guts]

 

[Deus Irae]

As expected, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson on the call for Sunday's Bills-Bucs game on CBS. Kickoff at 4:25. #Bucs

 

[Deus Irae]

Bucs have announced DB Richard Sherman and WR Justin Watson have been designated to return from Injured Reserve and will begin their 21 day practice period today.

 

[Deus Irae]

Yes, Bills have played 12 games and five are against backup QBs: Brissett, Heinicke, Mills, White, Siemian. That leaves them 2-5 when facing starting QBs this season.

 

[Deus Irae]

So Bucs offense has the second-most passing plays of 20 yards or longer this year (52) while the Bills defense has given up the fewest (20). And on really deep throws, Bucs and Bills defenses have allowed only three pass plays of 40+ -- only Falcons (0) have given up fewer.

 

[Deus Irae]

Yes, count this as formal notice to all potential Tom Brady touchdown recipients this weekend: 2nd TD throw is his 700th, including the postseason, so if you toss it to a fan, it will be monetized by experts immediately and you will face extensive public scorn.

 

[Deus Irae]

Fun stat to watch: Tom Brady's deal with Bucs gives him up to four $562,500 bonuses if he finishes in top 5 in four passing categories. One (passing TDs) is already locked up once he threw 25 of them, but the other three are very much in play over the final five games. /thread

 

[Deus Irae]

One is completion percentage -- Brady needs to finish in top five, and he's currently seventh, at 68.31 percent. Fifth place (Cousins) is at 68.39 percent, close enough that Brady needs only two completions to move into fifth. Obviously comes down to the entire season.

Another is passer rating, and Brady is exactly fifth right now (assuming some normal qualifying requirements). Closest healthy players that could outpace him and drop him to sixth are Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott ...

And the last one is yards per attempt. Brady ranks 14th in this (lots of screens/dumpoffs) at 7.4 yards per attempt, and it'd be really hard to get up to 8.1, which is what you need to finish top five. Very unlikely, but $1.1 million in 2022 cap space on the line with others.

 

[Deus Irae]

On those Brady incentives, to make them initially count on cap as "not likely to be earned," there's a rider on each that says Bucs must finish higher than 26th in team rushing yards per attempt. They're at 17th right now (4.22 yards) so that's almost a lock to be triggered.

 

[Deus Irae]

Worth coming back to Bucs and penalties, as they were the most-penalized team in the NFL for big chunk of this season. Last four games -- 43, 39, 44, 15 yards -- that's 35.3 yards per game, lowering season average to 60.1 yards on penalties.

Bucs improving with defensive pass interference as well -- Week 6, they had flags for 45 and 50 yards in same game. In six games since then, four total DPI penalties for a combined 51 yards, so much better there.

 

[Deus Irae]

Here’s the initial injury report for Bucs and Bills. Ryan Jensen’s ankle is a new injury to keep an eye on:

 

[Deus Irae]

Factoid of the Day: Tom Brady needs 18 completions Sunday to pass Drew Brees (7,142) for the most in NFL history. #Bucs

 

[Deus Irae]

During the Bucs' Monday night win against the Giants on Nov. 22, Tom Brady eclipsed the 100,000-yard passing mark for his career (college and pro). #Bucs #GoBucs #TomBrady

 

[Deus Irae]

On his weekly podcast, @RSherman_25 said this about working at safety: "I think it's going to be cool. It's just the run-game fits I've got to get used to. Seeing the guard pull, being able to see play-action, high hats and then get up out of there. ...

Understanding the hook drops and how they're trying to attack. ... Seeing the game different from being on the edges." #Bucs

 

[VectorPrime]

Bucs are molding into shape just like last year and aren’t gonna lose again.

 

[Deus Irae]

Just confirmed: The Bucs’ 21.6 points margin at home vs their -.14 margin on the road is the largest drop-off in points per game margin by any team this season when looking at home vs road.

Full list of teams by home/road point swing...

 

[Deus Irae]

Bucs are molding into shape just like last year and aren’t gonna lose again.

After watching them piss away the Saints and Redskins games, I'm not taking anything for granted. But I definitely like their chances on a game-by-game basis. After this upcoming Bills game, all that's left are the divisional matchups, and they get the Saints at home next time.

 

[Deus Irae]

Courtesy of @NextGenStats...Josh Allen hit Gabriel Davis on a 14-yard post route for a TD -- his sixth post route thrown this season. He has a perfect passer rating when targeting posts (158.3), going 19-of-23 for 461 yards and six touchdowns.