Shaq Wins Player Of The Week Honor; Bruce Arians Says That Presents A New Challenge
September 18th, 2019
“He’ll be targeted,” says Bruce Arians.
So newcomer Bucs linebacker Shaq Barrett just won the official NFC Defensive Player of the Week award and he leads the NFC in sacks with four.
Now what?
That’s the real question going forward.
And Bucco Bruce Arians addressed it on the Buccaneers Radio network. “He’ll be targeted for a week or so,” Arians said of Barrett. The head coach explains Shaq likely will draw chips from running backs or tight ends and other types of extra attention from offenses.
The challenge now for the Bucs and Barrett, he said, is to move Shaq around and maximize the threat from the rotation of Barrett, Carl Nassib and rookie Anthony Nelson.
Back in 2015, also in Week 2, Bucs defensive end Jacquies Smith sacked Drew Brees three times in a Bucs victory and found himself of NFL Network a few days later being interviewed as the next great sackmaster with four on the season. That’s the same total Barrett has now.
Smith finished that season with seven sacks and, sadly, was injured on special teams in the 2016 season opener and was never the same. Whoever decided to put the Bucs’ top pass rusher on special teams is a man Joe still would like to have a word with.
As Arians might say, “stack’em up, Shaq.” Let’s turn one huge game into three or four.
September 18th, 2019 at 10:03 am
Joe, You think Kenyon drake will be coming to Tampa? Could be an instant upgrade !
September 18th, 2019 at 10:19 am
dont worry joe….
TB will maximize the strength of all our defensive players….
GO BUCS!!!!
September 18th, 2019 at 10:20 am
So if teams double Barrett, Vea, and Suh…that should still leave someone to rush the passer. Maybe Gholston will have a 4 stack game… LOL
September 18th, 2019 at 10:22 am
I trust Bowles & Shaq to figure it out.
September 18th, 2019 at 10:27 am
Wait until LVD revs up. Joes: what happened to that young promising LBacker named Beckwith (sp?)?
September 18th, 2019 at 10:29 am
Gotta get Bond in that outside rusher rotation. It’s what he does naturally.
September 18th, 2019 at 10:33 am
Per PFF (Joes’ favorite!), Shaq had 8 QB pressures against Cam Newton.
If you guys don’t currently know of Steven Cheah on Twitter, he does great breakdowns of Bucs plays weekly and had plenty of clips showing how Barrett affected Newton’s throws Thursday night.
September 18th, 2019 at 10:38 am
Shaq B. leading the league in sacks!!! Best off season addition since JPP. I hope we can get both Shaq and JPP on the field at the same time.
September 18th, 2019 at 11:58 am
When Shaq Barrett donates blood, he brings a bucket with him on third down.
September 18th, 2019 at 12:09 pm
JPP is back in Tampa today, but not at Bucs practice (sideline). Is visiting teammates at USF. This is not a good sign!
@LindseyLamar5
· 2h
Great to have my former USF teammate and Super Bowl Champion Jason Pierre-Paul stop by this morning to talk to the team! #GottaLoveTheGame #AlwaysFightThroughAdversity #HornsUp
September 18th, 2019 at 12:26 pm
Move that man around from one side to the other and maybe a couple of stops in the middle …GET Bond and Cincy more involved so injures don’t hurt so much down the line!! Let them all play so we can have that TOTAL DEFENSIVE LOCK DOWN!!!
September 18th, 2019 at 12:44 pm
Won’t be the last time Sack Barrett wins this award.
September 18th, 2019 at 12:56 pm
Our top pass rusher had a paltry seven sacks. Starters played special teams on our Super Bowl team. Alstott, Barber, and others played on most special teams units. You don’t pay your best players to not play. It’s stupid not to put your best on the field. Special teams are such a huge part of the game. On any given special teams play, points or a turnover are far more likely to happen than any other play in football. Why not have your best players on the field to ensure that this goes in your favor?
September 18th, 2019 at 1:09 pm
Ah, I remember when Jac Smith got injured.
As soon as they kicked off I said to my wife ” Why the fk is he playing special teams?” Boom! Got injured like 2 seconds later and was literally never the same.