The Reggie Bush Factor

November 22nd, 2013

Lions running back/pseudo wide receiver Reggie Bush is a much better player indoors at Ford Field.

Many NFL watchers are talking about the match-up of Darrelle Revis and Calvin Johnson. That should be big and whoever wins that, his team has a solid chance of winning the game.

But if the Bucs are just worried about Johnson, they will get burned. There’s a guy in the Lions backfield named “Reggie Bush,” who, on the turf Ford Field, is pretty damned dangerous. Thankfully, Bucs commander Greg Schiano knows this.

Bush creates “Big time [mismatches],” Schiano said. “They displace him a lot so you’ll see him out here, you’ll see him as a wide out on both sides, they free release him out of the backfield so even though he lines up in the backfield appearing like he’s going to protect, he’ll free release so it’s like being out there as a receiver. And when he gets the ball in his hands he’s very, very good.”

Now Bush didn’t do anything last week at Pittsburgh against a now average Steelers defense (how far has that team crashed?). Something about Bush at a cold-weather site on grass, he vanishes. But put him on the turf and under the roof of Ford Field and he’s another man.

Bush touched the ball against the Steelers (rushes and receptions) 14 times for 54 yards. Sadly, Bush seems ticked off at his performance Sunday in Pittsburgh, which is not good for the Bucs, per Kyle Meinke of MLive.com.

“It’s very frustrating, because I want to be out there making plays,” Bush said. “It’s been on my mind ever since, and it should sting. It should hurt. It shouldn’t feel good.”

Stopping Bush will be as important if not more important for the Bucs to win Sunday than stopping Johnson.

3 Responses to “The Reggie Bush Factor”

  1. Andrew 1 Says:

    I think if we put Lavonte David on him, we can neutralize him.

  2. Tim Says:

    Bush doesn’t scare me all to bad, he never hurt to bad when he was in NO. Its the vertical hard pounders (Marshawn Lynch) backs that normally hurt us.

    I agree with Andrew, I would like to see us have Lavante spi Bush on about 35-45% of the plays, and when hes not spying on him make sure Barren or Tandy are coming down to fill the box and dbl him up. Let Revis stay on Calvin all day, CJ will get his but if Stafford goes there too many times Revis will pick his pocket.

  3. BucFanForever Says:

    Reading this article and the first thought that came to mind was what te first two commenters mentioned.

    Lavonte David

    Schiano’s Bucs never cower in fear of a running back.