“He’s Hardly An Elite Left Tackle”

September 15th, 2011

Donald Penn loves to trash talk and seems to enjoy reacting to and delivering bulletin board material.

So Penn should like this one. In a breakdown of the upcoming Bucs-Vikings game for the Star-Tribune, Minnesota beat writer Mark Craig says Penn isn’t all that.

 Penn vs. Jared Allen: A favorable matchup for Allen becomes even moreso with the crowd noise generated inside the Metrodome. Penn got the big payday a few years back, but he’s hardly an elite left tackle. According to ProFootballFocus.com, Penn, a former Vikings’ practice squad player, gave up six sacks, nine more knockdowns and 36 pressures in 2010.

Joe suggests you click on through above to the whole piece.

One take there suggests the young Bucs will struggle in the noise of the Metrodome. Joe can’t argue with that, but that’s not much of a factor when you’re running the ball successfully, which the Bucs desperately have to do.

14 Responses to ““He’s Hardly An Elite Left Tackle””

  1. FLBoyInDallas Says:

    Penn might not be elite, but he’s damn good. And that’s hard enough to come by at the LT position. Plus if memory serves me, Penn handled Allen last time they played without too much difficulty.

  2. FLBoyInDallas Says:

    I bet the numbskulls who thought Suh would dominate our line last week will now be claiming Allen will somehow dominate Penn. The pessimists just never give up, do they?

  3. loweredexpectations Says:

    nor do the optimists apparently…

  4. BigMacAttack Says:

    Donald Penn is a Big Bad Dude and wouldn’t want to p!ss him off. I really hope this p!sses him off.

  5. Capt.Tim Says:

    Penn is a great, pro Bowl tackle. And has shut Allen down several times before- both as a chief and a Viking. I’m sure he’ll remind him Sunday.

  6. stimpy Says:

    Did anyone read the article?

    They are bad mouthing their own team. Damn!

    BTW…Penn is a awesome left tackle!

  7. FIRE GREG OLSON! Says:

    He’s good, not elite. No one on our line is Elite…

  8. SRQBucFan Says:

    umm didn’t Penn go to the Pro Bowl last year after that “big payday”? Yea i think he did. If memory serves me correctly also. Penn held MOST well known pass rushers to minimal attacks. 6sack and 9 knock downs seems like pretty good numbers to me. IF you consider how plays he blocked through and the names he went against. Those numbers are not as bad as they appear alone on the board like that.

  9. SRQBucFan Says:

    *how MANY plays

  10. Tom Says:

    @ Joe-

    Did you post this?

    http://www.vikingsmessageboard.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23428

  11. Stevek Says:

    Penn will do ok. Allen will be chipped/doubleteamed.

    I just want to see the bugs call some runs left side with Blount, so that Penn can blow Allen off the ball and get some confidence.

  12. Mauha Deeb Says:

    I find it hard to believe Joe would post something like that. It was childish as all get out.The use of all caps and words like “SUX” don’t seem like Joe’s MO.

    But, you never know on the internet. Even the most sensible people act silly behind their keyboard at times.

  13. Apple Roof Cleaning Says:

    The crowd noise in the Metrodome is gonna be a factor

  14. Jonny Says:

    @Capt Tim: When was Allen as a Chief dominated by Penn? 2007 Superbowl? This is the best example to show you make up a lot of things to further overrate already overrated players on our roster.