Three In A Row?
September 28th, 2019
Rams RB Todd Gurley
Lost in the furor over the Bucs’ shameful kicking, horrid secondary play and questionable playcalling is the fact the Bucs defense stifled and suffocated Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley in consecutive games.
And on top of that, they absolutely beat up Barkley with crushing hits.
It was damn impressive.
Tomorrow’s test is running back Todd Gurley, who doesn’t seem like the superstar he used to be.
Gurley’s first four seasons put him on a fast track to the Hall of Fame, but a lingering knee issue appears to have turned him mortal. Gurley led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in each of the past two seasons, but he has just one this season and has been no factor in the passing game, where he typically thrives.
Joe has consumed a lot of Rams content this week and seasoned team observers certainly believe Gurley isn’t 100 percent healthy and the Rams are being cautious with him. Still, Gurley is averaging 4.6 yards per carry and punished the Panthers and Saints in Weeks 1 and 2.
Will the Bucs make it three in a row and shut down Gurley? Joe thinks that will be the Bucs key to winning, since the Rams have a clear advantage with their receivers against the Bucs secondary. Make the Rams one-dimensional and hope/pray your blitzes get home and at least one of your corners or safeties has a special afternoon.
If Gurley’s rolling and the Rams can stay balanced, they could run up 35 points easily. The Bucs have to keep the slamming door in the run game.
Joe wonders whether Rams playcaller/shotcaller Sean McVay studied the Bucs defense and already has decided to pass first and often against Tampa Bay?
September 28th, 2019 at 10:59 am
Paging Todd Bowles!
Get your secondary some help.
September 28th, 2019 at 11:05 am
How about the ST doing its job, and a few inventive 2-minute drill plays for the offense? Not worried about the defense. Hey, Bucs can win this one.
September 28th, 2019 at 11:06 am
He went from being Gurley to Girl ey real quick
Non factor
Not worried about run defense
Vea and Suh are 2 tree stumps you can pull out of your yard even with a truck.
September 28th, 2019 at 11:07 am
Test
September 28th, 2019 at 11:07 am
When he blitzes- he is going to have to trust his outside guys and press. He is falling back into the soft Tampa 2 and we are getting eaten alive. If he doesn’t trust- don’t blitz and play tough man.
September 28th, 2019 at 11:11 am
defense will step up….
GO BUCS!!!!
September 28th, 2019 at 11:27 am
Helps that the Rams have been bad running the football so far, I don’t expect that to change tomorrow. What we should all be concerned about is whether we can stifle that Rams passing attack and somehow put up points against that great Rams D
September 28th, 2019 at 11:28 am
“Defense will step up…”
After last week’s disaster, the only way it CAN step is up !!
September 28th, 2019 at 11:44 am
Need turnovers…….for that we’ll have to stop the run and pressure the QB….tight coverage…..easier said.
September 28th, 2019 at 11:53 am
“My Dad and I
Marked this week game vs Rams as the
Darrell Henderson vs Devin White game”
Son of Kobe Faker
September 28th, 2019 at 11:59 am
This is exactly the kind of game the Bucs have historically won.
The less chance the Bucs have the better they seem to play.
My fear is we jell…beat LA…then win a very important game at New Orleans only to lose to a VERY beatable Panthers team in London.
It’s the Buc’s way…compete well against the best and choke against the weak.
September 28th, 2019 at 12:15 pm
Actually the Rams have NOT been bad running the football this year and they are 3-0.
The Bucs have actually already got 3 in a row because they shut down Breida in the 1st game.
They better hope they don’t knock Gurley out of the game like they did Barkley, because then they’ll be forced to unleash the “SECRET WEAPON”…..Henderson.
September 28th, 2019 at 12:20 pm
This D reminds me a lot of Schiano’s….great at stopping the run not so good at the stopping the pass, lots of blitzes…eventually teams are just gonna pass like they did all over that secondary and not even bother running.
September 28th, 2019 at 12:32 pm
The picture in the article is not Todd Gurley…. lol.
September 28th, 2019 at 1:30 pm
“The picture in the article is not Todd Gurley…. lol.”
Looks like Joe is playing a trick on us. That’s #27 Darrell Henderson.
September 28th, 2019 at 1:53 pm
Yep, if the Rams put up 35 points we’re finished. We are only averaging 20 points a game offensively not counting defensive TD’s.
September 28th, 2019 at 1:59 pm
Let’s hope d line doesn’t have a bad game because this site will roast them too and exaggerate then probably call for a fire sale, this is what happens at their headquarters after a bad half. The world knew the secondary was young, inexperienced and playing a new scheme but somehow apparently we are the only team in the NFL that has breakdowns in the secondary. This is nothing like greg schiano defense, dont get why bucs fans love to live in the past. Worst fanbase in the nfl and media is no better since they are the main instigators
September 28th, 2019 at 2:32 pm
@Pewter power: “…dont get why bucs fans love to live in the past. Worst fanbase in the nfl and media is no better since they are the main instigators”
Finishing in LAST place in the Division 7 of the last 8 years AND not making the playoffs for 11 straight years (12 after this year) AND losing two winnable home games to start the season may have something to do with the fan base’s attitude.
It actually should be much worse. But apathy is setting in.
September 28th, 2019 at 2:38 pm
Trade Vernon Hargreaves and Ryan Smith for Jalen Ramsey.
Trade a 2nd and a 4th for Patrick Peterson.
Boom.
Super Bowl quality defense.
September 28th, 2019 at 3:30 pm
“Ramsey isnt going anywhere
Ramsey was pissed he didnt get a extension this past offseason
Kahn is going to back the Brink truck with $18-20 million per for 5 years
It is and It always was about the Bengamins”
Son of Kobe Faker
September 28th, 2019 at 4:50 pm
@Sydney
I absolutely get it but if I can’t be positive about the direction of my team there is no point watching anymore. No one expected this team top be good all offseason and seems only way fans well be happy is if they go 16-0, 3 games into the season there is no reason to have this much panic unless you instigate it. When they win media will act like they weren’t freaking out. It’s why they keep mentioning this brutal road stretch but not last 5 of 8 away home they could easily make a run at the end of the season
September 28th, 2019 at 5:59 pm
Hargreaves and Ryan Smith for Ramsey?! Bucs would have to throw in 2 1sts to offset the liability of those two players.
September 29th, 2019 at 6:53 am
@Pewter, I get where you are coming from, but cannot agree. Its not even the YEARS of losing. Its all the stupid decisions that this team has made. How can a billion dollar organization not find a competent CEO (coach/GM) in over a decade? Bringing Martin back, drafting a kicker in the 2nd round when we needed so many other positions filled, Lovie, Mike Smith…. there are just so many asinine things. Then all this losing and not even being competitive year, after sorry friggin year.
Bucs fans have a right to be apathetic. But Pewter, I admire your attitude.
September 29th, 2019 at 11:59 am
3 wins in a row starts today.
September 29th, 2019 at 12:51 pm
we cant win our division or a wildcard spot or god forbid the superbowl but maybe we can be best at something-some aspect of the game. we can be best at the run defense–reason to watch Go Bucs!