Hargreaves The Hero

September 13th, 2019

Major game.

If Joe would have told just about any Bucs fan that in 2019, Vernon Hargreaves would not only be one of the leading tacklers in a Bucs win, but record the game-winning tackle on Christian McCaffrey, people would have broken bones from falling down laughing.

But no joke! Not only did Hargreaves lead the Bucs with 12 tackles, his final play was a game-saving tackle of the great Christian McCaffrey, dragging him out of bounds with the ball just a dog’s whisker away from a first-and-goal on the Bucs-1.

The Stinking Panthers tried some razzle-dazzle with a direct snap to McCaffrey out of a Wildcat formation.

Hargreaves thought the Stinking Panthers were going to use a Super Bowl play, he told the Buccaneers Radio Network.

“I thought it was a Philly Special only they were coming [to the right],” Hargreaves said of the play, recognizing McCaffrey was coming his way. The only difference was McCaffrey wasn’t going to catch a pass as Hargreaves initially thought. Instead, he was running to Hargreaves.

“That’s what the NFL is about,” Hargreaves said of his special play on McCaffrey.

Hargreaves’ night capped what likely is the best defensive performance by the Bucs in years, likely since the “choke out” game against Seattle in 2016.

58 Responses to “Hargreaves The Hero”

  1. LargoBuc Says:

    Hargreaves came to play. Gotta love a corner than can tackle and play physical. Ronde must be proud.

  2. Matt14 Says:

    It is so refreshing to see our new defense. They are playing with heart out there!!! Let’s keep this going. They will get better as the games progress. I’m excited. GO BUCS!!!

  3. tmaxcon Says:

    one thing is for sure is ron Rivera gave bucs a freebee and BA and staff make lovie Smith look intelligent

    Vh3bust was torched all game one lucky play doesn’t make the local ignorant feel good failure a hero

  4. Bculaw Says:

    Nice to finally have a legit defense. Mike Smith was a thief!!! In Todd we trust!!!

  5. Buc4evr Says:

    Game balls to Vernon and Shaq

  6. WeeManOfScots Says:

    Pffft..I said it last year and said it the year before!!! Smitty made zombies out of our guys and I knew that VH3 was going to play a lot better with good coaching!!

  7. Dirks Great Granpappy Says:

    You can’t spell Winston without INST

  8. Athlete Says:

    Gonna be funny to see who comments here. Blowing this guy up like he is the worst pick ever!!! Two weeks in a row is a good streak to start!!!

  9. Bird Says:

    This is a team sport but players win the game every Sunday (or Thursday’s )

    Against their best player for a half yard . Wow
    Winner

    Jameis played amazing. Hargreaves brought the dagger

  10. BucAllNight Says:

    Great win Bucs way to go on the road in the division and kick A**

    The DRIVE to 11 – 5

    Let’s Gooooooooo!!!!!!

  11. Rod Munch Says:

    This entire defense just shows what a clueless piece of trash Mike Smith was as the DC. This was literally a historically bad defense for the last two years – and it’s basically the same people here.

  12. bkgrime Says:

    Imagine calling yourself a bucs fan and post like tmaxcon

  13. Snook Says:

    It’s so nice to watch an aggressive defense.

    McCoy with a costly penalty and missed tackles tonight for a losing team. Just like he did in Tampa. Good riddance to that fool.

  14. Bird Says:

    tmas

    Lucky ?
    How’s the wifey ?
    Mccafrey went 2 or 3 maybe 4 overall in every fantasy draft
    One vs one

    That’s balling

  15. BucDan Says:

    Hargreaves led in tackles, but that was another great outing by Whitehead.

    Loved to see that the whole defense was on their cues for that final play. Cam and Samuel were both being tracked.

    And shout out to Vita Vea, Anthony Nelson and Shaq Barrett for wreaking havoc across the line and stuffing Cam and McCaffery!!!

  16. lambchop Says:

    Hargreaves had the most tackles as DJ Moore had no problem catching with VH3 covering him. Any way, it was pure luck on that last play (1 referee call away from it being a 1st). CMC had a stiff arm that bent VH3’s neck and almost had enoguh to reach for the 1st.

    This was a sloppy game and for once luck was on our side.

  17. tnew Says:

    Rod…. agree for the most part but you can’t understate the effect of Suh and a second year Vea.

  18. JWilBuc Says:

    Buc4evr Same thoughts!! Defense came to play and those 2 saved the game and looked dang good doing it!!!!

  19. JimmyJack Says:

    I’d give the game ball straight to Todd Bowles ……..What he has done with this defense is nothing short of miraculous.

  20. JimmyJack Says:

    We have stopped 3rd & 1 or 4th and 1 at a championship level. We can win with this defense.

  21. Rayjay1122 Says:

    VHIII looking like a 1st round draft pick! Woooo

  22. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Vita Vea and our Dline made it impossible for them to run the ball up the middle……shut them down the entire game…..great job…

  23. Jeebs the Honey Bear Says:

    VH3 had a great game. While the JBF resident troll will tell you he got “torched”, VH3 kept everything in front of him, making quick tackles to prevent short completions from becoming 1st downs. Then when it mattered most, he made the big stop. This is the VH3 we thought we were getting out of Florida, before Mike Smith neutered him. The other secondary standout was Whitehead. He is quickly becoming our enforcer. This Bucs D will likely only get better. Now we need Arians to take the offense back. We look stale, rigid, uncreative on offense. I’m not quite ready to call it the Mike Smith equivalent of offense, but it’s close….

  24. HowToSpellRhonde Says:

    Tmaxcon’s mother said put it back in, then found a coat hanger.

  25. Rod Munch Says:

    NEXTGEN STATS

    The Buccaneers defense has blitzed Cam Newton on 66% of dropbacks tonight, the 2nd-highest blitz rate against Newton in a game since Week 12, 2017…

    …when the Todd Bowles-led Jets blitzed Newton on 68% of dropbacks.

  26. Tbbucs3 Says:

    Here’s the thing with Hargreaves. Aside from the HUGE game winning tackle. He actually didn’t play good at all. But I’m willing to forget about that for tonight,

  27. lambchop Says:

    @JimmyJack,

    I would have agreed until that back to back timeout. They almost screwed this game up from the sideline. But, Bowles is a God-send, what a DC!

    I can’t believe the D is keeping us in games and giving this team a chance to win.

  28. tmaxcon Says:

    The reason Vh3bust had the most tackles is because his receiver caught everything thrown his way…. having the most tackles as a cb means opposing team thinks you suck….. way to spin low standard bucfan….

  29. firethecannons Says:

    We come a long way with VH3 he playing his game now not mike smith ‘s game of 15 yards off dude is gonna get better too

  30. lambchop Says:

    @Tbbucs3,

    Agreed. I actually agree with Tmaxipad. The last tackle was luck that it went our way. Do these people who claim VH3 looked like a 1st Rd pick forget the Curtis Samuel bomb that VH3 bit on the double move earlier in the game? Or that DJ Moore and Samuel picked up chunk yardage against him at will?

    Anyway, I’ll enjoy this win; but we got a gift tonight. I’m impressed with the D, but against better teams, our secondary is gonna get lit up a few times this season.

  31. BucAllNight Says:

    THAT last play and form TACKLE is the reason you put your team in PADS early and TACKLE in camp so they are ready during the season.

    Theres a reason PITT and other teams do this every year….

    Let’s rest up and get ready for our first home win to get to 2-1.

    GO BUCS!!!

  32. Rod Munch Says:

    Tbbucs3 – on VH3, when a corner has a ton of tackles it’s generally because people are throwing at him, and catching the ball, and he’s tackling them. Like Ryan Smith would have 6 tackles in the game but they’d all be 40 yards down the field as he’d get burned. VH3 mostly kept everything in front of him and he won the game with that big play – the only bad play I can remember off the top of my head was that early pass. But hard to say he didn’t have a good game when he literally won the game for the team.

  33. Jason S. Mclaurin Says:

    He played great in the first game of last season as well. He just got hurt. If he stays healthy he will breakout. I feel a move to safety would be big time for him though. Playing safety would keep him healthy I feel like. I feel Dean should be our corner #2 while Bucanon plays all over as a MLB, CB, FS. Whitehead also played big.

  34. Pickgrin Says:

    Great play at the end by Hargreaves. The WINNING play in fact.

    And 12 tackles by a CB in one game is a very high number.

    BUT – how did Hargreaves manage 12 tackles playing outside CB?

    Could it be that he was getting picked on a little? Giving up catches and yards before making the majority of those 12 tackles?

    Just asking for a friend who was too embarrassed to bring it up….

  35. Doctor_berto Says:

    Props to vhiii for the game ending play but let’s be honest, he had a pretty disappointing game other than that

  36. TampaTown Says:

    2016 draft is saved

  37. tmaxcon Says:

    Pickgrin

    You mean lucky play. Your low standard fan boy arse wouldn’t know a good play if Lawrence taylor walked you through the theismann broken ankle sack which is easily the greatest play in nfl history

  38. LordCorn Says:

    weirdest fan base lol

  39. tmaxcon Says:

    Joe uses hero like legend he clearly is confused again

  40. Jeffbuc Says:

    Joe for the love of god please do us all a favor and put tmax in timeout
    This is us miserable bucs fans place of salvation. And after a win on the road tonight against a division opponent every one should be happy. But no tmax still has to be negative as fuc$. He doesn’t bring anything to any post anyways I was all excited about the win and couldn’t wait to come celebrate with the real fans. Only to read his dumb as$ negative comments enough is enough. Tell him to come back when he can act like a real fan and be excited when we win a huge road game. You would get a standing ovation just like the last time you did it to his other screen name

  41. LargoBuc Says:

    Tmax just enjoy the dam win! Lighten up a little!

  42. TampaTown Says:

    JeffBuc

    What you said

  43. BucsBandit Says:

    It’s funny how no one seems to remember Hargreaves was playing really well last year at nickel before he got injured. He’s always had talent but struggled at corner under Mike Smith.

  44. Bird Says:

    He won the game

    What other game did you watch
    It comes down to one play sometimeS
    Mccafrey is their best. They gave it to him with a half yard
    Cam 250 had that up the middle

    Tblup- wrong

  45. adam from ny Says:

    wow…no grievances at all…the kid is coming thru game after game…

    as it should be…

    go hargreaves go!

  46. Baldbuc Says:

    ..
    . ,Tampax returns. You’re such a negative FLICK. I’m so proud of this team right now. Looking forward to see if we can keep it rolling . Hope the injuries sustained are minor. GO BUCS!!!!#

  47. D-Rome Says:

    Vh3bust was torched all game one lucky play doesn’t make the local ignorant feel good failure a hero

    Well, he came up with the big play when it mattered most! You’re right though, he was torched all game.

  48. Crack3rK Says:

    Tmax, You’re so predictable! Dude, your made up fake troll negativity is eventually going to eat your soul. Be careful you don’t turn into that guy.

  49. Buccan8 Says:

    Which is it? Sh@t on McCoy for early game stats and not showing up when the game matters most, or sh@t on VH3 for early mistakes, but slamming the door on the best player they have when the game is on the line?

    Some of you have become caricatures of your own selves. Yes yes, I’m sure there’s an opening there about how #LowStandardBucFan is its own kind of caricature—and have fun with that freebie—but most of us are just rolling our eyes at people who p!ss on wins that weren’t counted at the start.

  50. Bob in Valrico Says:

    Lets face it McCaffrey in a one on one situation is usually a mismatch. Great effort by VH3 to man up and stop him. I remember Vh3 getting beat downfield
    once. But given the fact the Panthers could not convert TD’s, I don’t see it as much of an issue in this game.

  51. orlbucfan Says:

    Well, well, well. Bucs Defense helped win this one. Still, WHY was GMC let go, Joes??

  52. Old School Athlete Says:

    Yes! Talent is being developed, excuses are not being tolerated, and we won a huge road game on national prime time TV against a divisional opponent.
    I know there are things to work on, but if you can’t see improvement on this team, you’re not paying attention.

  53. BucDan Says:

    Vernon gave up catches BUT NOBODY SCORED ON HIM. I don’t care about “well if Cam threw a perfect ball he’d have been beat deep” because it didn’t happen! The defense (including Hargreaves) kept the Panthers out of the end zone ALL GAME made especially on the play that it mattered the most.

  54. Reach87 Says:

    Good solid tackles led to 3rd and 4th down plays we mostly stopped. That’s what the coaches are telling the team. That’s reality. That’s complimentary football (front 7, back 4 working together to get off the field). That’s a big reason why we won. Spouting the CB had a bad game because he had 12 tackles illustrates the level of football intelligence of the poster. Why search for reasons to cast shade? Not a good look. Funny. Sad. Go Bucs!

  55. 813bucboi Says:

    VHG kept everything in front of him….no one scored on him and he made another big play in back to back weeks….this is what #1 CBs do….make big plays….

    @tmax STOP HATING….go help @realist wash BAs golf cart….

    GO BUCS

  56. widerightandleft Says:

    Tmaxcon,
    Please take your anti-depressants before you blog here.

  57. TDTB Says:

    I still believe VHIII is playing out of position. He looks like an elite nickel to me. As a CB he looks average at this level. He makes some plays and misses others. He has tremendous skills but his height and speed limit him. If Dean or Bunting can step up their game, moving VHIII would put the defense in a much better position.

  58. Buccfan37 Says:

    Hargreaves put a lickin on McCaffrey because he would have scored there 99 times out a 100. The Bucs overall bottled him up like a cork stuffed into a fizzy bottle.