Hidden Swaggy
September 20th, 2017
Box score misleading, says Bucs DC Mike Smith.
Some Bucs fans are muttering under their breath because on Sunday night they noticed shy, belly shirt-wearing, practice-hating, kicker-heckling, tree-grinding , non-contact-football-loving Swaggy Baker had but one statistic show up in the official NFL box score for the win over the Bears.
Swaggy, who logged 25 snaps at defensive tackle, nearly threw up a goose egg. He had no tackles, no assists, no nothing but one quarterback hit.
Now after the game, T.J. Ward told Joe the defensive line was a big reason why the Bucs shut down the running attack of the Bears. While Ward didn’t single out Baker, Swaggy did take 25 snaps at tackle.
Ward said the defensive line clogging running lanes not only stunted the rush but allowed Bucs linebackers to prowl.
When this subject was brought up today to Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith in his weekly presser, Smith said Baker’s efforts would never show up in a box score but Baker’s play was significant.
“Chris did a nice job,” Smith said. “There were a number of times that both of our defensive tackles had four hands on them. What I mean by that is it’s a double team and they’ve got four hands in their zone-blocking schemes. When there [are] four hands on the three techniques and the one technique, that means our linebackers are going to have an opportunity to run free. I think that contributed to our number of minus yards plays.
“That’s the dirty work that [defensive linemen] have to do and people don’t realize it. You look at a stat sheet and you say, ‘Well, he didn’t make the stat sheet.’ Well, three of those tackle-for-losses were because [Baker] kept the offensive guard and center or the tackle and guard occupied so our linebacker was able to run through.”
Again, what Smith said here is just about what Ward told Joe immediately after the game.
Hey, if Baker continues to be virtually invisible in each game’s box score and opponents struggle running the ball like the Bears did Sunday and the Bucs win, then Joe hopes Swaggy keeps having no stats and jamming runners inside.
September 20th, 2017 at 4:50 pm
All these rummies pounding on Swaggy. We held the Bears to 20 yds rushing. If he wasn’t doing his job that wouldn’t have happened!
September 20th, 2017 at 4:53 pm
I thought it was funny people thought Baker sucked. We held a good rushing tandem / team with supposedly good interior lineman to 20 yards rushing. That means Baker probably played a pretty damn good game and I didn’t see them getting a push on him at all in terms of an eye test
September 20th, 2017 at 5:00 pm
Dammit iwant swaggy I to lead the league in picks. Smh
September 20th, 2017 at 5:01 pm
Swaggy doing what they hired him to do. That is all.
September 20th, 2017 at 5:13 pm
Go watch what he did on the 3rd and 1 play.
September 20th, 2017 at 5:14 pm
Watch the coach tape… first half, he wasn’t low effort AF
September 20th, 2017 at 5:14 pm
But to some of the self proclaimed football experts, stats are all that matters. Tackles are in particular the most important thing. Clearly they know more than Smitty.
September 20th, 2017 at 5:15 pm
Oops… meant he was low effort
September 20th, 2017 at 5:16 pm
McDonald did his job also, with less drama. I think his alter ego Saggy comes out before it’s all said and done. Good job this week DT’s
September 20th, 2017 at 5:19 pm
Smitty is remembering his defenses in Baltimore and Jacksonville, with ugly brutes like Tony Siragusa and Marcus Stroud clogging the middle and other ugly brutes like Ray Lewis and Peter Boulware roaming at will in the second level. Bucs fans rejoice.
September 20th, 2017 at 5:24 pm
The BS here is the Nancy Boys whimpering about our solitary sack after holding the Bears to 20 yards rushing.
September 20th, 2017 at 5:24 pm
Baker is making only slightly more than Evan Smith, who hasn’t started in 2 years – those that think Baker was a big FA signing didn’t really pay much attention to the fact the calendar puts us in the year 2017, not 2004.
September 20th, 2017 at 5:47 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Everyone has to have a Swaggy…..loveable and worthless as tit$ on a bull…..Pablo’s Padre used to say “Pablo, you are inútil como tetas en un toro” Pablo luv him sum Swaggy but Swaggy need to back off the burritos.”
September 20th, 2017 at 5:49 pm
I’ll take that all season!!!!
#leaveSwaggyAlone
September 20th, 2017 at 6:01 pm
Great job saggy. Keep it up!
September 20th, 2017 at 6:02 pm
Sounds like the DTs Baltimore had that allowed Ray Lewis to run free to the ball carrier. Swaggy is a space eater (no pun intended). He’ll get push on his pass rush, but he has more value occupying blockers so our fast LBs can play fast.
September 20th, 2017 at 6:42 pm
No qualms from me about Baker’s play on Sunday.
“Stats are for losers” anyway….
September 20th, 2017 at 6:55 pm
The dline was the Red Sea last year. Right up the gut was our weakness. Nose tackles are supposed to take up space and take two guys. Not 5-10 sack guys
September 20th, 2017 at 7:41 pm
Look at the coaches film.
Baker and McCoy were constantly doubled, and the still clogged up the middle and pushed the LoS backwards.
Folks focused on stats don’t know rel football.
“The eye in the sky never lies.”
September 20th, 2017 at 7:53 pm
Exactly what a DT should do. The whole front 7 played great
September 20th, 2017 at 9:22 pm
I don’t like the guy.
If he had a fraction of the pride that Kwon has he would be an all pro
September 20th, 2017 at 9:23 pm
Saggy was good on Sunday. He filled the gap well. He still needs to get in better game shape if he ever does want to make the stat sheet. IMHO getting a sack is still a good idea.
September 20th, 2017 at 10:28 pm
If we have this many negative fans after a 29-7 manhandling, I can only imagine how bad it’s going to be when we lose. Geez, what a bunch of miserable people.
September 20th, 2017 at 10:37 pm
I think Chris Baker was an awesome signing, he does his job, seems to be well liked by his teammates as well. I listen to some pundits on radio criticizing him. I’m glad Smith clarified what Baker meant to this team this past Sunday. I’m very glad we have Chris Baker.
September 20th, 2017 at 10:39 pm
Swaggy > Akeem Spence.
Simple as that.
Go BUCS!!!
September 20th, 2017 at 10:41 pm
It’s kind of a complaining fan base. The word of the day should be grateful. Find out what it means… and go from there.
Id like to see Swaggy get in better shape to stay on the field more. Definitely need the meat up the middle taking up double teams and pushing o-line backwards.
September 20th, 2017 at 10:42 pm
Looked to me at the first of the game we played a bunch of 3-4 defense
September 20th, 2017 at 11:50 pm
Bird Says:
September 20th, 2017 at 6:55 pm
The dline was the Red Sea last year. Right up the gut was our weakness. Nose tackles are supposed to take up space and take two guys. Not 5-10 sack guys
Bird is a man that knows Football. The games we lost, we mostly because they ran right thru our Nose tackle. That was the huge inprovement Sunday. Baker had a great game. If he keeps it up, along with the much improved William Gholsten, we will be hard to run on!!
Bucnekid Says:
September 20th, 2017 at 5:14 pm
Watch the coach tape… first half, he was low effort AF.
Thank the Lord!! Coach Smith forgot to watch tapes of the game!! He was just wandering around OneBuc, whistling and Humming to himself!
But now that a brilliant football genius has enlightened him, Im sure he will run straight down the hall to the film room. Once their, he will profit from the Football genius’s amazing ability to breakdown tape of a DT!! No need to seperate the DT fronm the rest of the line! Just watch them all heaped together, and pannaway from them frequently. Just like TV.
Once Smith listens to the Genius, I expect Baker will be cut immediatrly
Smh
September 21st, 2017 at 8:36 am
any one hating on swaggy is just a stat sheet watcher and quite frankly has been listening too much to what you guys have been posting about him… it should have never been brought up about his practice habits or anything else with swaggy because we hadn’t played a real game yet. i knew he didn’t like to practice and i know some players like to take it easy during preseason so i wasn’t concerened at all. he was taking on double teams all game and not getting moved off the line at all that’s what having a 330 pound man in the middle does for you. mcdonald played good too he plays a different style than baker where he doesn’t so much eat up blockers and space like baker does but he is so good at shedding blocks that he is going to make some tackles in the back field both very good football players but they do it in different ways
September 21st, 2017 at 11:58 am
Swaggy is very capable of giving the Bucs more. But he won’t. WHY? Because he’s one of those rare players who knows how to get his job done..and do nothing more. You know, Kinda like that guy you work with in the offfice who is smart, more than capable..But does just enough to get that..slightly above average eval at the end of the year to secure..next yrs paychecks. Swaggy is decent football player who does his job. Don’t expect for him though..to become the beast he is capable of being. In his mind, he just wants to earn his paycheck..as easy as possible. And he’s doin..just that!