Hands Of Glue
July 25th, 2019
Among NFL’s best hands.
Joe has noticed from time to time Bucs fans mocking receiver Chris Godwin for what they perceive as sometimes having a rash of the dropsies.
This would be news to the PFF Tribe.
The tribe has gone over all of last season’s tape. And the well-trained orangutans jotting down dashes and plus-signs for drops and catches seem to believe only a handful of other NFL players have better hands than Godwin.
Chris Godwin had 1 drop on 60 catchable passes in 2018 resulting in a drop rate percentage of 1.7%
This ranked as the 9th lowest among all #NFL pass catchers with at least 80 targets#GoBucs
📷: Kim Klement – USA TODAY Sports pic.twitter.com/Z4JvfQR03U
— PFF TB Buccaneers (@PFF_Buccaneers) July 23, 2019
Joe has written about drop stats before. First, they are not an official NFL stat. Second, the drop stats are wildly all over the place. Drop stats are extremely subjective. One man’s catchable ball is another man’s uncatchable ball.
Still, it is comforting that someone seems to think catching the ball is no issue for Godwin.
One thing Joe is looking forward to when training camp practices begin tomorrow is how well Godwin shines in Bucco Bruce Arians’ offense.
July 25th, 2019 at 6:06 am
And how are his fumble stats?
July 25th, 2019 at 6:17 am
I remember a game changing drop against the Ravens *sigh*
July 25th, 2019 at 6:24 am
I’m with you on Godwin Joe. As soon as the geeky numbers change on the unis I’ll get a #12
This team may suck…I don’t think so but I get those who do…but you gotta admit we should be entertaining and interesting.
Lots of players under the radar throughout the league. In fact JW and ME may be the only two who get any run at all and frequently for JW it’s been negative.
So there’s my #1 story line. I’m hoping NDOG gets to come here at the end of the year and say….I TOLD YOU SO! Yeah wanna see him get the last laugh in the JW debate. IMO I think there’s a better than 50-50 chance he gets the last laugh.
Spence…talk about potential..and yeah like JW he is on the bubble. Cash in on that talent this year or else…
VHIII…huge year in his career arc as well.
We have taken care of our OL…we have spent the big bucks now on 3 of the 5 spots. Time for them to take care of us and so like those first three guys I think our OL has a lot to prove.
What if Dot has one more year in the tank and somebody shocks us at RG. What if…What if…we had a great OL? A guy can dream.
July 25th, 2019 at 6:25 am
Good article Joe
Godwin is a tenacious receiver who fights for the ball and yardage. Given the fact that he is a third rounder , this is one pick Licht got right.
July 25th, 2019 at 6:41 am
I thought it was drop in the Pittsburgh game where he dropped TD in end zone.
That was his worst game as a buc. He fumbled over ball as well. Bucs should have one that one but here we are.
With that said , this kid is gonna be real good.
So young but humble. He is always looking to get better
July 25th, 2019 at 6:43 am
Was a tad concerned about our receiving corps after we released DJax (41 catches for 774 yds @18.9 Y/R) and didn’t re-sign Humphries (76 catches for 816 yds @10.7 Y/R). Plus released Jacquizz Rodgers who added another 38 catches for 304 yds to their total. That’s over 150 catches & almost 2,000 yds to ‘make up’. Difficult to do considering the only 2 bodies we’ve ADDED to the roster are Brett Perriman (16 catches last year for 304 yds @21.3 Y/R) and 6th round rookie Scotty Miller.
Mike Evans had a career year last year (86 catches for 1,524 yds @17.7 Y/R) and caught over 62% of the balls thrown to him (a career high by quite a bit). We’ll be extremely fortunate if he duplicates that, much less exceeds those numbers.
It’s nice to think that Chris Godwin will step up, and I think he will, BUT he already had fairly high numbers last year (95 targets, 59 catches for 842 yds @ 14.3 Y/R). Godwin caught 62.1% of the balls thrown to him, and that’s probably about what we should expect to see again this year. Hard to see him improving his numbers by more than 50% of what he did last year (adding say 30 catches & 400 yds to his 2018 totals). Still leaves us WAY SHORT of what we’d need to match last year’s production from DJax, Hump & Jacquizz.
IOW, Bucs are REALLY counting on Perriman, Miller & Watson (1 catch last year for 5 yds) much more than Godwin to ‘pick up the slack’. Well, plus more short passes to our RBs hopefully (definite opportunity for RoJo to step up to the plate). All this with a new OC, new play designs, and a QB who’s in the process of being ‘fixed’. And oh ya, plus a running game that’s been meh & an OLine with some questionable blocking skills.
Aah yes, now I feel better. We’ve got this. What could possibly go wrong? Bucs better HOPE that this year’s defense AND S/Ts are significantly better than what we put on the field last year.
July 25th, 2019 at 6:54 am
It’s the timing of the drops that play a role , I recall a few 3rd and Kong’s he dropped and one game a pass over the middle where he had nothing but green for 60 yards and just bounced off hands.
July 25th, 2019 at 6:55 am
Bring back X Ubosi!!
July 25th, 2019 at 7:36 am
@Defense Rules
At least we have the TEs to mix in there too. That will help.
July 25th, 2019 at 7:36 am
BS. He dropped two TD’s alone in the Steelers game.
July 25th, 2019 at 7:37 am
@ Defense
Don’t forget additional activity from the TEs……especially a healthy Cameron Brate…..
I think Ellington will do better than Rodgers……
Perriman will surprise.
July 25th, 2019 at 7:42 am
Our warm weather receivers sometimes struggle when hey have to go up North and play in bad weather. I was a bit surprised that Godwin had issues because he played college in that area.
@ DR
I worry less about our WR corp than our defense, because Licht is always drafting them. That said ,I’m a bit more concerned about Perriman. I wonder why Browns didn’t utilize him more with that catch average and speed.
Also Scotty Miller is is similar receiver in size and physical attributes to DJAX,
so we will see if Jameis and Miller can develop chemistry.
July 25th, 2019 at 7:50 am
Also read somewhere that receivers can’t wear gloves in the rain, so this may be a factor.
July 25th, 2019 at 7:53 am
TBBF & Bonzai … You’re right on; TEs will help a bunch IMO. Both OJ & Cam have room to improve their production, but it’s Antony Auclair who I really expect to take off this year. He’s got 2 years under his belt now & his offensive snaps have risen steadily (15% in 2017 to 30% in 2018) … that’s a good sign IMO. He hasn’t been targeted much, but his catch % is phenomenal (2 targets, 2 catches in 2017 increased to 8 targets, 7 catches in 2018). Not too shabby although he hasn’t been targeted much.
July 25th, 2019 at 7:54 am
I am sure that the “drops” will magically go down as soon as they draft a new QB in next years draft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 25th, 2019 at 7:55 am
I look for Justin Watson to play a much bigger role, He seems to have the size,
speed and good hands to complement our other receivers.
July 25th, 2019 at 8:01 am
@DR
I agree Auclair will play a bigger role in part because he is also a pretty good blocker. We all know the right side of the O line needs all the help it can get in that department, with our current players.
July 25th, 2019 at 8:13 am
I think great receivers coming out of college have the best chance to be good in this league when they have a good size and speed combination, yes rare few small receivers can be dangerous too but I think Watson was a great pic and has many receiving records at Penn and was one of the most productive receivers in FCS history, covering over 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last three seasons he didn’t get a lot of opportunities last season but he is the best applicant for that 3rd receiver role. You can’t blame his use last year when you have Evans, Godwin, Me-sean and Hump on the field.
July 25th, 2019 at 8:27 am
Lol at St Pete. You are lumping in JW and Spence in the same boat??? Spence wasn’t even activated for some games last year when he was completely healthy. Spence may not make the team, and if he does and performs like last year he will most likely be out of the league. JW will be starting in the NFL somewhere in 2020. It will almost certainly be in Tampa, but if it isn’t he will be starting regardless. JW has had plenty of great games in Tampa so don’t believe what all his detractors are saying. Bad QBs don’t put up 300 plus yards consistently. QBs that put up those yards start for NFL franchises. LBs that are healthy scratches are on their way to driving UPS trucks.
July 25th, 2019 at 8:39 am
@ST Pete,
if we are successful this year and Jameis has a great year. I suspect there won’t
be as clear a winner as you hope for in the debate . Some here want Jameis to succeed but believe he
has to proitect the ball better to do that.
July 25th, 2019 at 8:56 am
not too concerned with the drops….he’s pretty consistent….
GO BUCS!!!!
July 25th, 2019 at 9:27 am
There is one area that Licht and his staff seem to do very well in. Seems the Bucs do a nice job in evaluating wide receivers and linebackers.
July 25th, 2019 at 9:44 am
sarasota garey Says:
July 25th, 2019 at 6:17 am
I remember a game changing drop against the Ravens *sigh*
Monday night game against Pittsburg as well. He’s kind of like Jamies. Does great until the game is on the line then the “uh ohs” happen.
I attribute it to mental weakness and weak coaching.
I expect JW and Godwin to excel under the new regime.
Godwin from the slot is going to be magic MAGIC I TELL YA!
July 25th, 2019 at 9:56 am
another perspective on the math …
1 drop of 60 catchable of 95 targets good for godwin
but also means
35 uncatchable of 95 targets
36.8 % uncatchable percentage by jw3 to godwin
that’s over a third or 1 out of three uncatchable throws
to godwin
July 25th, 2019 at 10:05 am
I seem to remember a few drops that he had last season. This stat is super inaccurate.
July 25th, 2019 at 10:33 am
@TDTB
Certainly accept your point about the importance and talent level difference between our starting QB and a potential OLB who “could” go off this year.
I was trying to convey more of a make or break season. Again…I’m with you on JW”s performance this year..I think he’ll blow up…I also agree if he fails somebody will give him a chance but he could slip into Fitz territory if he doesn’t produce somewhere soon.
As for Spence…of course he’s not JW level but everybody has written him off. He has reasons to be optimistic.
He never failed anywhere until he hit our black hole. He had 5.5 sacks his rookie year with a horribly injured shoulder. He’s been played in a 4-3 when his physical skill set indicates he’d be far better in a 3-4. Oh and he has spent years laboring under Smitty…who is now out of the league and sadly may have taken some players with him. Hope he hasn’t taken Spence with him.
BTW…just anecdotal…no cite…my son who lives in Columbus has told me that in their freshmen years Buckeye supporters thought Spence was better than Bosa.
July 25th, 2019 at 10:35 am
Inaccurate. There were drops in multiple games and the one drop during the Ravens game first drive seems to be 70 yard td but he dropped it wide open In the primetime games he has drops all over the place
July 25th, 2019 at 11:23 am
He’s been a big part of the receiving corp the past few years and people wanna say he drops too much? I’ve never understood either. Guy is also a good down field blocker and is good at breaking the tackle.
July 25th, 2019 at 11:26 am
I really like how Godwin played. But he did have a confidence blip where there was
a number of balls that seemed catchable. I would love to know what their criteria
was.
July 25th, 2019 at 10:57 pm
I just worry about his fumbles