A Standing Ovation For Crezdon Butler

November 16th, 2014
Tampa Bay Buccaneers v New Orleans Saints

A stunning shutdown

When was the last time — before today — that Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson combined for five catches for 41 yards?

Keep thinking. Take your time.

Yeah, Robert Griffin, III, missed touchdown throws, but the Bucs’ starting corners did a hell of a job on the dangerous Redskins receivers

Some of those six Tampa Bay sacks today had to have been coverage sacks. RGIII was holding the ball too long for it to be anything else. Joe can’t wait to see the game film.

Cornerback Crezdon Butler, acquired off the street in September, started for the Bucs today in place of Alterraun Verner. Butler, 27, with his sixth NFL team in five seasons, was roasted in previous Bucs games, starting with the home beating by the Ravens. But he got the job done today.

In his radio pregame interview, Lovie Smith referenced how Butler would be called upon to step up against the Redskins.

This is a great sign for the Tampa Bay personnel department headed by general manager Jason Licht. September streetwalkers Butler and defensive end Jacqueis Smith (two sacks today) are contributing in a major roles and ways.

That’s not Lovie out there scouting once training camp starts. Team Licht identified these guys as fits and talents, and they’ve made good under the coaching staff. Joe hopes this is a harbinger of great personnel moves.

14 Responses to “A Standing Ovation For Crezdon Butler”

  1. Picaroon45 Says:

    Maybe it was dime packages, but could swear that the dread-locked #39 rookie took over for in the first half after Bulter missed a few tackles. I’ll have to watch the replay to confirm.

  2. Glennongrad Says:

    I was on the bucs sidelines and butler banks and licht had a friendly conversation after the game was locked up.

  3. Glennongrad Says:

    I was on the bucs sidelines and butler banks and licht had a friendly conversation after the game was locked up.

  4. sho-nuff Says:

    I like how this coach sat $…with the new CBA it tilts towards the younger hungrier guys…these FA’s are getting paid then using the new rules to sit with “injuries”..

  5. Brandon Says:

    There were definitely coverage sacks, but to generate ANY sacks, there usually has to be a good combo of coverage and pressure, one without the other is not a recipe for success.

    Against the Redskins, the Bucs were very disciplined (except for a couple of times) in their rushes and kept Griffin in front of them, their heads up, and tried to walk their linemen back to the QB. You have to have good coverage for this to work.

    One other thing of note, especially early, was the work of the LBs buzzing the flats and slant lanes. Foster did a great job of getting out to the flat to get Banks his INT. Kudos to Foster, i’m one of his harshest critics, but he played that pass very well.

  6. Capt.Tim Says:

    Indeed – good job Crezdon Butler!
    He did a very good job today

    And even better Job by Mr, Licht!!
    Way to diamonds among the debris

  7. sho-nuff Says:

    did the “hawk” err waste of $ even play?… never heard his name

  8. Pickgrin Says:

    The stats might suggest otherwise – but I saw Butler out of position on a # of plays. But keep working it Crezdon Butler. One day you might even be as good as Leonard Johnson.

  9. Kyle Says:

    Sorry, but if RGIII makes better throws you’re singing a completely different tune. You can’t just discount missed throws, especially when they’re 40+ yard bombs.

  10. Howard Cosell Says:

    Give this guy a starting job!
    About time we had some good luck with personal.

    I’m fired up, even though the Redskins are a bad team.
    At least the Bucs did what you would expect a Lovie Smith team
    to do to a bad team.

    First time this year they looked dominant.
    I know, I know, the Redskins are terrible, but so are the Falcons.

    Maybe this is it. The big corner turn we all though might never come.

    Great job. Now win one at home fer the luv a pete.

  11. SAMCRO Says:

    Finally, on this one day, the Bucs were better than their opponent. If they played the Redskins tomorrow, they may not win. The parity in the NFL is ridiculous. Because of the new CBA, all teams are forced to spend 90% of their cap money. If we just had those games back that were lost on the last possession, we could be sitting in first place, in the worst division in football, where one team is guaranteed a playoff birth, regardless of a losing record. It may not be the greatest honor bestowed but at least you’d could say your were better than the other lame ducks in your division. 🙂

  12. Zam Says:

    There’s a hope if Licht can spot talent like this that he’ll have more influence over personnel decisions going forward. If Lovie cannot evaluate talent (he can’t), then maybe Licht can. And maybe with some trust coming from good decisions like these, Lovie will let him.

  13. Bucsfan4lyf Says:

    Could have sworn he was taken out for Dixon who I think played of a hell of a game, Butler missed tackles and had bad angles in coveage.

  14. teacherman777 Says:

    Guys,

    we did this again “RG-3”

    The worst starting QB in the NFL.

    the guy is nuts. and he sucks. nuts.