“Because Of The Concussion Protocol Stuff”

August 11th, 2019

Bucco Bruce Arians confused Joe yesterday while talking about a blown block by running back Andre Ellington that led to a sack/fumble of Ryan Griffin against the Steelers.

Arians noted the obvious muffed blitz pick-up by Ellington and said his running backs hadn’t done much blitz-pickup work in training camp “because of the concussion protocol stuff.”

Huh?

So is Arians fearful of guys banging heads? Or is he a bit concerned about the concussion issues in Ellington’s past? This was odd. Consider that Ellington was called on during the game to be a kick returner; that’s certainly a position prone to have one’s head drilled.

If you’re going to practice blitz pick-up at all, then wouldn’t you do it early in camp, in order to help prevent injury to a QB in preseason? Now if Arians isn’t planning on much blitz-pickup work, then that’s another story.

When further talking/glowing about his running backs stable yesterday, Arians referred to emerging RB “Dare” Ogunbowale as a pass protection guy but he called Ellington a “pass receiver, nickel back type guy.”

Joe just hopes all these backs stay healthy and are well schooled in preserving the health of America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston.

25 Responses to ““Because Of The Concussion Protocol Stuff””

  1. Swampbuc Says:

    Agreed on the preservation of Jameis’ health. I can’t watch Gabbert without a barf bag next to me.

  2. Magadude Says:

    I think it’s the former…that they just haven’t done much of that in camp yet. Agreed, seems doing it earlier would make sense. But of course, there is so much to do before Week 1 with everything being new. Winston, who normally knows the playbook well, seemed to be looking at his wrist more than usual. So I think it’s drinking through a fire hose and there only so much time in a day. You can bet with the Griffin fumble Friday night, and Winston’s history of putting it on the ground, they will be covering that stuff this week?

  3. Bob in Valrico Says:

    Having already been in Arians system, Ellington should already be ready for blitz pickups. It also didn’t stop BA from having a word with him on the sideline. I’d be willing to bet it wasn’t to apologize for lack of blitz pickup training.

  4. Barbosa Says:

    It’s very early, but a good first impression from Jones. Drafted at 20, playing against elite athletic full grown men had to be a shock. My big hope is that Barber and Jones really compliment each other and the Bucs offense can be a better top ten passing AND rushing attack.
    Also, went to Buffalo Wild Wings and enjoyed hanging out with Ira and Man Beast, good people!

  5. Cobraboy Says:

    Non-story.

  6. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    By ‘blitz-pickup’ I assume he meant they didn’t practice it because they did not think they needed to with the way the NFL protects QBs these days.l

    Which is dumb because we blitz a lot now ourselves.

  7. TOM Says:

    Neither backup QB impressed me. The KC backup were more impressive or was it the bad defense?

  8. westernbuc Says:

    Running backs picking up the blitz was a priority for Koetter

  9. AwShbucs Says:

    Seemed to me from what limited passing reps we saw from Jameis that BA and Leftwich plan on protecting him by designing/ calling plays that get the ball out of his hands quick. And it certainly looked effective.

  10. NOSBOS Says:

    What Cobra said. There are clips on the Bucs app showing Rojo picking up a blitzing Minter a few times. Trust me BA is practicing blitz pickup. It would be negligent not to. Y’all ask goofy @$$ questions so he’s beginning to give y’all goofy @$$ answers.

  11. NOSBOS Says:

    Now I hope SMB get his head in next weeks game. The USF young man Mazzi Wilkins made a huge statement with that 4th qtr FF and a near pick. Duke look like he trying to steal a roster spot. Bucs app says we just added a D lineman.

  12. danr Says:

    sounds like he meant because of the new CBA stuff, number of padded practices.

    thats what I thought he meant. they are both meant to protect players and annoy coaches, seems likely that is what he intended to say.

  13. Pick6 Says:

    As much as Bowles is blitzing, how can they NOT be focused on picking up the blitz to execute?

  14. Colin in Canada Says:

    danr Says:
    August 11th, 2019 at 4:26 pm
    sounds like he meant because of the new CBA stuff, number of padded practices.

    thats what I thought he meant. they are both meant to protect players and annoy coaches, seems likely that is what he intended to say.
    _____________________________

    Thats what I thought he meant too. I think he meant that they didn’t do much hitting because of the rules about contact and referred to them as the concussion protocol instead of the CBA or whatever. Miscommunication of some kind but I understood what he meant. I didn’t take it as a reference to previous concussions by Ellington

  15. Race to 10 Says:

    You practice recognition and technique yea I get that but never thought you wouldn’t do it in live because of injuries especially of you talk about how they’ll be hitting in training camp.. odd statement indeed

  16. JimmyJack Says:

    The use of the word protocol sounds like he is talking about rules that are over his head & he has no control over.

    Maybe I’m just a dumbass, which is entiverly possible, but this article seems to be searching for something that aren’t there.

  17. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Am I the only one or did Jameis look a lot like Brad Johnson?…..I mean he dumped the ball off to open receivers….running plays……didn’t even throw to ME13……looked solid….poised.
    We can win with THAT Jameis…..

  18. Defense Rules Says:

    Bob in Valrico … Thank you for calling it like it is. Ellington’s an experienced VETERAN RB. He screwed up the blitz pickup & missed the block. Could’ve gotten his QB seriously hurt.

    And all we’ve read from the start of training camp is how the Bucs defense was throwing the kitchen sink at the QBs. Wouldn’t that sorta-kinda imply BLITZING? It is a Todd Bowles defense after all. I would’ve thought this group of RBs would’ve had more blitz-pickup work than any group of RBs in the NFL. It’s not like BA to make excuses for poor performance, but that’s what it’s sounding like.

  19. BlogTalkFootball.com Says:

    Is Gabbert practicing with the 3’s today?

  20. JA Says:

    If Joe or Joe was there and either became confused, why didn’t the confused Joe ask BA to elaborate?
    A moot question if there were no Joes on the scene, especially the confused Joe.

  21. Rod Munch Says:

    It’s the NFL, not girls powder puff football. If you’re worried about getting hit you should be playing with My Little Ponies, not trying to play football.

  22. BucEmUp Says:

    DONT DONIT BRUCE!!!!! DONT YOU DARE KEEP THIS GUY AROUND AND PULL A DIRK KOETTER/LOVIE/MIKE SMITH TYPE MIVE AND KEEP HIM AROUND BECAUSE OF.YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!!!!!!!!!

    EVERYINE AND THEIR MOTHER COULD SEE THE GUY IS WASHED UP AND TOO OLD. DONT SCREW THIS SPOT IN THE ROSTER AND THE FANS WITH LOYALTY!!!! DO NOT DO.IT!!!!!!!

    BE THE COACH THAT GOT YOU WHERE YOU ARE, NOT THE COACH THAT PEOPLE FROM YOUR PAST WILL APPRECIATE AND SAY THANKS FOR THE HOOKUP.

  23. BucEmUp Says:

    That is a 100% excuse for Ellington that NO OTHER PLAYER WOULD GET!!!!!!! HORSESH!T!!!!
    IVE BEEN ARIAND BIGGEST SUPPPORTER AND THIS WILL NOT PASS IN MY BOOK!!! ELLINGTON IS A TEACHER FOR ROJO AND NOTHING MORE!!!!!!

  24. BA FAN Says:

    Ellington is a solid change of pace back with good speed and great hands and fills a role we need. He can backup Rojo too. However, he is no between the Tackles banger nor is he a Third Down Back. But we already have a third down back in Dare Ogunbowale, and he should be in on third down with each string including Third String and the fumble would not have happened. We should be planning to hide Anderson on the Practice Squad which explains why he got no carries in the first game, but we need to develop him in practice as the backup Third Down Back and to replace Barber if Dare goes down.

  25. BA FAN Says:

    By the way we do not need to worry much about stopping kickoff returns. Just trot out Gay and kick it out of the back of the end zone. We do need to work on returning kicks so teams won’t kick short and try to tackle us deep inside the twenty five yard line so we need to be able to block it well without penalties and at least get it to the twenty five which Bobo Wilson should be able to get us to. Most teams will kick it deep anyway. We need to be good at returning punts though and covering punts too. Special Teams need more work.