Fundamental Football
October 2nd, 2019
Key defensive skill displayed.
It may be 2019 but it could also be 1949.
The game of football comes down to two of the sport’s most fundamental skills: blocking and tackling. You make blocks, an offense hums. You tackle, and it’s hard for an offense to score on you.
Joe also remembers when John Madden was working Monday Night Football and he marveled at the Bucs and Steelers defenses. Madden cited the fact the two teams had grizzled, old school coaches as defensive coordinators, Monte Kiffin and Dick LeBeau.
What made those two so special? Madden said it was because the two coaches demanded solid tackling and, as a result, were the two best tackling teams in the NFL.
At least with Bucs rookie safety Mike Edwards, he’s got the tackling part down.
Former NFL offensive lineman Brian Baldinger, now of NFL Network and FOX, likes to post video breakdowns on Twitter. And what he sees from Edwards is really impressing him.
Now did the entire Bucs defense have a good day in Los Angeles? No. But Baldinger believes the game may have had a different outcome if not for the open field tackling of Edwards.
Have a look at Baldinger’s video below.
.@Buccaneers #Bucs @M__Edwards7 played all 98 snaps v @RamsNFL and made a bunch of open field tackles. Bucs were aggressive v @rams all game long and when you do that, your safeties better be able to hold up on the back end. Lots of promise with Edwards #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/xw8wytF7kH
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 1, 2019
October 2nd, 2019 at 7:17 am
Thats not solid tackling thats holding on for dear life. Wrap up and drop. Not ankle dragging cmon
October 2nd, 2019 at 7:17 am
So far, Edwards is by far the best rookie of the year.
October 2nd, 2019 at 7:18 am
Let me rephrase, the best “Buc’s” rookie.
October 2nd, 2019 at 7:29 am
We know he can play, but maybe I am watching some other team, but I sae miss several tackles, am I wrong?
October 2nd, 2019 at 8:00 am
Stoned Buc … Solid tackling to me is getting the guy on the ground. Edwards did that in each of those plays. Was it pretty? Nah. Was it effective? Sure was. Since he was the last line of defense, that’s what counts. BTW, I liked the way he kinda methodically ‘stalked’ into position for the tackle (like a big cat?) as opposed to just running helter-skelter towards the play (like Kwon often did IMO). Stayed under control the whole way.
October 2nd, 2019 at 8:03 am
We haven’t had a safety duo this good since Lynch and Jackson.
October 2nd, 2019 at 8:17 am
Looks like
October 2nd, 2019 at 8:20 am
The only problem is that the receivers are catching the ball first….
Ryan Smith is a great tackler also….adding him to the backfield will help.
October 2nd, 2019 at 8:32 am
@stoned, yeah and risk helmet to helmet or whatever call against us the refs are just waiting to make! This is the new way and he’s playing it the right way. If you want to watch ufc or wrestling, you know where to find it….the kinds of tackles that entertained us from the past are now gone. He’s taking the guy down w/o a penalty and thats what counts imo.
oh….FIRE LICHT NOW!!!! (lol)
October 2nd, 2019 at 9:15 am
the previous coaching staff sucked!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!!
October 2nd, 2019 at 9:16 am
Mad max, not sure if your Jason Licht comment is an irony or not, but in case it is, I defenately would fire Licht……He is paid for draft good players, he is payed to bring players on the free agency….He is paid to bring the best players he can…..and because we made a great win on sunday doesnt make him a good GM, because he is not…….simply he is not…..look at the whole picture my friend!!! Not just one excelent game we had last week!!!!! And I can give you a big list of his errors and you´ll be surprised, of course he made good choices, no doubt about that, but hiss misses are way much more…….
And in case it was not an irony, first I appologize and second I agree!!!!
October 2nd, 2019 at 9:23 am
Glad Edwards stopped some plays, but what about technique? Why does grabbing someone’s shoe lace count as a ‘tackle’? What about Monte K’s ‘Slobber -knockin’? I get that rules about player safety changed up what is permitted, but I remember John Lynch explaining his punishing tactic. Head up, arms extended, contact opponent with breastplate and run through your opponent. That is tackling, bruising, painful, don’t-come-back-here, jack you up tackling. Dude knocked out his own brother-in-law as I remember. Let’s see some of that. Don’t tickle ’em down. Rattle their bones. You know, slobber knock ’em.
Go Bucs! Beat them Aints!!
October 2nd, 2019 at 9:54 am
@StonedBuc I’ll assume you’re joking, because that is probably the dumbest thing have ever read.
October 2nd, 2019 at 10:41 am
Agree totally with D.R. and DB55.
I get that “intimidation” is a big part of football. I get that stripping a ball and forcing a turnover is wonderful.
Sometimes though as D.R. suggests you simply need to get the guy on the ground.
I hate to see safeties intent on “sending a message” try and blow a guy up but miss the tackle. It’s great if you have the shot but please no penalties. Great to strip a ball but you need to pick your spots.
NO for me I judge a tackle by where they spot the ball after you make the play. When it reaches the end zone I don’t care if the safety can blow people up…that’s fun…but six points are REAL.
This is why all those Kentucky guys mentioned Edwards more frequently than Josh Allen.
October 2nd, 2019 at 10:44 am
Joe, I felt the same way on Sunday. Even though the Rams were able to move the ball and make completions, Edwards play was a welcome change from years past when most of those plays would also have YAC adding insult to injury.
October 2nd, 2019 at 10:55 am
This is truly the dumbest fan base. We have an ex nfl player breaking down film and showing great play from a rookie safety and we have two idiots so far on this thread complaining how the rookie made the tackles. Smdh…you can’t make this up. No wonder jameis will never be able to please many of you. We have yahoos complaining about a rookie safety actually making the tackle.
October 2nd, 2019 at 11:00 am
@ZZ, i was being facetious for your liking…carry on, nothing to see 🙂
October 2nd, 2019 at 11:53 am
Webster:
Preach
October 2nd, 2019 at 11:58 am
DR and DB and Webster are spot on.
Did he get the guy in the ground? That’s what matters. He’s a rookie, his technique will improve with time.
October 2nd, 2019 at 12:04 pm
The best rookie I seen is Devin Bush (Steelers)
October 2nd, 2019 at 1:42 pm
I was at the game and even though we gave up yards the defense swarmed to the ball on every play and guys were tackling well. We couldn’t cover the out route but those didn’t turn into yac
October 2nd, 2019 at 2:25 pm
Good to see Edwards play decent now about sean murphy bunting smb wow–we need cornerback coaching to step up–our dudes are not making plays
October 3rd, 2019 at 2:42 am
U get that leg they ain’t going anyway after the hit n wrapping up that leg wtf u talkin about Stonedbuc r u that high 🤷♂️