Don’t Be Fooled

April 20th, 2019

There are bad wins.

Joe has decided to document highlights of Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians captured when he coached Arizona during the inaugural season of “All or Nothing,” a “Hard Knocks”-like miniseries by NFL Films that follows a pro or college team throughout a season and is exclusive to Amazon Prime. Joe hopes these highlights will help Bucs fans learn what to expect from the 12th coach in franchise history. This series of posts will appear periodically until the days leading up to the draft later this month.

A win is a win. NFL coaches like to say this. For Bruce Arians, this cliche isn’t an absolute.

Oh, Arians will always take a win over a loss. Who wouldn’t? That doesn’t mean Arians is happy with how his team won.

In this “All or Nothing” episode of the NFL Films-produced miniseries that followed Arians and his Cardinals for a full season, the Cardinals narrowly beat the Bengals.

How close was it? Former Bucs guard Ted Larsen jumped offsides as the Cardinals were setting up for a potential game-winning field goal in the final seconds. Regulation should have ended in a tie with a 10-second runoff.

But Larsen and the Cardinals were bailed out when, on a replay review, the Bengals were flagged for a personal foul allowing the Cardinals to kick a chip shot field goal for the win.

In the Cardinals’ first meeting after the win, Arians blasted both his team and Larsen for sloppy play. Arians showed teams stats on an overhead projector where almost all of the Cardinals’ stats were in red, not because it signified team colors but because the Cardinals got outplayed in each red area, which was most of the stats.

“We were very fortunate to win this ballgame, the way we played,” Arians said. “It is nice to learn from almost losing than rather than losing. But don’t sit here and pat yourself on the back. We were not the most physical team. We got our @ss kicked in short yardage and goal line.

“We had critical penalties. And Ted, you are very, very lucky you are not right there. And if you were right there, you wouldn’t be sitting where you are at right now. There is no f*cking excuse for you to move in that *od-damned situation where we are killing that clock.”

Arians also made it clear he believes veterans are team leaders and expects them to lead or get out.

This team meeting was to begin what Arians called “Niners Week.” He scoffed hearing some labeling the game as a trap game. Arians told his team how it had been eight years since the Cardinals won in San Francisco, not to mention it is a division game.

“I don’t know how in the hell the 49ers can be a trap game for us,” Arians said. He then scanned the room and asked for the oldest teammate in each position group to raise their hand. Players complied and Arians slowly made eye contact with each player who has his arm in the air.

Arians then nodded his head and barked while stabbing the air with a pointed finger, “Get them f*cking ready.”

15 Responses to “Don’t Be Fooled”

  1. martinii Says:

    Hey for what they pay these guys I’m all in on the discipline. I would have fined Larsen and then watched as he and his position coach ran wind sprints at the next practice. Too many games are lost over one stupid penalty, although the experts say several breakdowns throughout the game are by far the biggest contributor to loses.

  2. rrsrq Says:

    So we are talking, Dot, Barber, Gabbert and Evans on offense and
    JPP, LVD, VHIII and Brice on defense to get them ready

  3. Dewey Selmon Says:

    RIP Reggie Cobb, had one of the greatest runs vs the Cardinals where he somersaulted over the line, landed on his feet and continued for a TD while everyone else thought he was down.

  4. JimmyJack Says:

    So does this mean we have a HC who cares about short yardage plays?

    Those plays alone have cost us wins in the past & our HC never seemed to care because we never showed any improvement.

    We have been bad on both sides of the ball at short yardage for over a decade. No Lie……….Its gotten to the point where I am beginning to not even care about it anymore……Nobody inside One Bucs seems to care so what’s the point?

  5. Defense Rules Says:

    Doubt that BA needs to worry about the Bucs taking ANY opposing team for granted.

  6. HeavyE Says:

    Its about time, we have a Coach that will hold players accountable!! Been along time coming! Go BUCS!!!!

  7. SC Bucs Fan Says:

    Not sure of your denomination but happy Easter Joe, I appreciate all your hard work here.

  8. admin Says:

    Thanks SC. You too!

  9. MadMax Says:

    Need to trade up, unfortunately, if Q is still there at #4….i think Gruden will take him, but he wants White…..we are in a mfing debacle and will fail if we miss on Q. Im seeing this, its happening. Ok, Oakland has 3 1st’s already….so trade up with whatever and GET Q!

    If he’s still there at 4, you GET Q… Gruden would do us a solid, ya’ll know this!!!!!!!!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKaBG_Kr-GU&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR3Nw9TsDxIrtGiEKSsJqaKNZ5WOF_6X122vXkHgO1f3ZLZwKZN7JQwceFg

  10. MadMax Says:

    🙁 Joes didnt approve my post with a Q breakdown from Voch…alrighty

    For those wanting to view breakdowns and film sessions like no other, watch Voch on utube….just put in Q’s name followed by Voch, you’ll see.

    (sorry about the other day Joes, i got a little snappy, havent been sleeping well plus working a lot)

  11. Ndog Says:

    Rumor is now that AZ is not taking Kyler Murray. That would make figuring out who will be there when we pick very tough. Of course that could just be garbage buy IF it is true the you are looking at
    1. Q Williams
    2. Bosa
    3. Oliver
    4. Allen?
    5 White?

    Or does someone trade up for a QB some where in there? Looking more and more like White will be all that’s left when we pick, in terms of impact defensive players. Again I would want Q. Williams, Oliver and White in that order. Now if somehow they are all gone that would really suck.

  12. Ndog Says:

    BTW is Tommy Pham the worst base runner in history or what? I mean the dude gets an out on the bases every freaking night!

  13. Clw JB Says:

    Dirk after a 12 penalty half “come on guys let’s try to use our heads a little better”

    BA – “Jason, we cut Caleb and Gholston in the 2nd qtr, now listen up anybody else want to get cut? Gey your head outta ur arse and go win the damn game!

    And we will 👍

  14. rhenry Says:

    Hey Dewey, I remember that play but thought it was Lars Tate, not Reggie Cobb.

  15. Alex Says:

    Rhenry. I agree. It was Tate. Not Cobb