NFL GAME DAY DISCUSSION Wild Card game discussion: Bucs @ Football team

[DropKickFlutie]

Brady haters have it much worse. There's just nothing left to latch onto at this point. Brady's still playing elite football at age 43. He hasn't missed a beat away from Belichick. In fact he looks better now than he did at any point over his last two seasons in New England. From a quarterbacking standpoint Belichick was holding Brady back. I mean, that's the new debate now... to what extent was Belichick holding Brady back from his full potential?

Just think, if Belichick had any clue how to draft a receiver then we probably would have been watching Brady hang 380 on Indy. Look around the league, there's an abundance of 1st and 2nd round receivers making an impact.

Think about this... Belichick selected Jordan Richards (a projected 7th or 6th rounder at best) with pick #64. Tyler Lockett went to Seattle at #69. Then Belichick takes N'Keal Harry over multiple other receivers including D.K. Metcalf. If Belichick had a clue judging receiver talent then the Patriots could set at WR for a decade.

Even with 6 rings I do get upset thinking about how the crappy WR/CB drafts screwed up by McDaniels led to Brady leaving and/or missing out on even more rings.

.

 

[crawhammer]

From what I've read this morning, the Bucs are still lacking a short and check-down passing game. Do they have room for White and/or Edelman next year?

Whatever they're doing since the beginning of December they need to continue. Brown and Godwin can run any route at any level... both are that versatile. Gronk and Brate are a solid TE duo. Jones and Fournette both are serviceable for check-downs. Their running game is viable enough to set up the play-action. Brady's the key to making it all work and he's on fire at this point. Tampa's problem is their secondary which is terrible.

Good chance Edelman's career is over. Age and an accumulation of injures may have him thinking retirement. I'm sure he has no interest in sticking around for New England's rebuild. White could take McCoy's spot in Tampa... basically 3rd down back duties. Tampa wants to develop Vaughn in that role and White's the perfect mentor.

 

[Lagaffe_07]

Evans is a beast, basically caught for 119 yards on one knee.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Great game. Tom shut the critics up yet again. It gets tougher here on out.

 

[Kontradiction]

Evans is a beast, basically caught for 119 yards on one knee.

Don’t forget his ankle too. Bet you that’s still gimpy.

Great game. Tom shut the critics up yet again. It gets tougher here on out.

The team they have to worry about now is the Saints. That’s the last defense left in the dance in the NFC that has a prayer of slowing that offense down. Activate playoff Foles.

 

[Uptown]

 

[everlong]

The biggest worry is the defense. You know it's bad when Tony Dungy has it figured out and continuously says "that's not what Todd Bowles does....he wants to stop the run on first down and blitz on second down........" A coach like Payton has been destroying them knowing just that. Bring your blitz. We're going to either throw a screen or using angles zone blocking when you do to take you out of position and gouge you for huge yards.

They simply have to identify their own tendencies. When Washington with a practice squad QB puts up 23 points on you......

 

[NYCPATS4LIFE]

The biggest worry is the defense. You know it's bad when Tony Dungy has it figured out and continuously says "that's not what Todd Bowles does....he wants to stop the run on first down and blitz on second down........" A coach like Payton has been destroying them knowing just that. Bring your blitz. We're going to either throw a screen or using angles zone blocking when you do to take you out of position and gouge you for huge yards.

They simply have to identify their own tendencies. When Washington with a practice squad QB puts up 23 points on you......

Toilet Bowles sucks. I can’t wait to see him play zone against drew brees next week. You have to play some type of press coverage and make brees make the tight throws. One thing is for sure. A slow start for the Bucs and it will be another long afternoon for them.

 

[venecol]

Arians is not a very good HC, but one thing you have to give him credit for is bringing in solid depth: Fournette for Rojo, Gronk for Howard, AB for Evans/Godwin. Too bad there's no such depth in their OL.

 

[SVN]

its hard to beat a team 3 times in a season so odds will favor bucs if they face the saints i believe. And the saints have a tendency to choke at home in the playoffs.

 

[sb1]

its hard to beat a team 3 times in a season so odds will favor bucs if they face the saints i believe. And the saints have a tendency to choke at home in the playoffs.

I like the Bucs if that’s the matchup. This offense can score on anyone in the league and barring injury I don’t see how anyone is going to slow it down.

 

[SVN]

I like the Bucs if that’s the matchup. This offense can score on anyone in the league and barring injury I don’t see how anyone is going to slow it down.

We have heard this "i dont know how anyone can stop X team " so many times over the years. nothing really goes according to script.

 

[captain stone]

Toilet Bowles and his defense feckin Suck...the tackling in particular was absolutely feckin HORRIBLE...That should've been a 35-point win.

 

[PP2]

The biggest worry is the defense. You know it's bad when Tony Dungy has it figured out and continuously says "that's not what Todd Bowles does....he wants to stop the run on first down and blitz on second down........" A coach like Payton has been destroying them knowing just that. Bring your blitz. We're going to either throw a screen or using angles zone blocking when you do to take you out of position and gouge you for huge yards.

They simply have to identify their own tendencies. When Washington with a practice squad QB puts up 23 points on you......

Payton is only one of a handful of OC's in the league that will constantly spin the dial to come up with a winning scheme to destroy that zone crap.

Toilet Bowles is bringing checkers to a chess game.

If Brady doesn't light up the NO defense, it's game over. The only way Bucs can win is via shootout.

 

[venecol]

Fournette will need to have a big game, both running and in receptions. He had 132 scrimmage yards (4/4 in receptions) with a TD against WAS. He'll need to do the same or better with maybe 2 TDs. For a comparison, Kamara had 106 scrimmage yards with 1 TD against the Bears.

Not sure why AB disappeared in the 2nd half (only 3/2 receptions, 1 TD), but they'll need to involve him more to get ball out fast.

Can only hope Hendrickson is out since Cappa will also be out. He created havoc (3 sacks, 4 QB hits, 3 TFL) during both regular season games.