Bucs Embrace Being Some …
January 22nd, 2021
Not just Tom’s team.
Pretty cool piece Joe found on how the Bucs were built.
A lot of attention this week — and if the Bucs win, a whole lot more attention in the next two weeks will be given — to park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking Bucs quarterback Tom Brady for single-handedly turning around the Bucs from losers to winners.
(If you have to pinch yourself thinking the Bucs are one of the best teams in the NFL, don’t feel bad. So does Joe. In less than a year this team went from being the NFL’s fire hydrant in a dog park to one of the best. It’s true!)
Crediting Brady with the full turnaround would be lazy and inaccurate analysis. Many pieces to the puzzle were already here, thanks to Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
Brady just found the four or five more to finish the puzzle, documents Kaelen Jones of The Ringer.
This is the 14th time Brady has reached a conference championship game. On this Bucs team, he has one of the most talented supporting casts in his career. Some teams would be lucky to have just one offensive playmaker of the caliber of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, or Rob Gronkowski. Tampa Bay has placed all four around the game’s greatest quarterback. It’s certainly an upgrade from the skill players Brady worked with in his final game as a Patriot: James White, Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, and Phillip Dorsett. …
Brady has been in this position before, and his veteran leadership will be helpful for Tampa Bay: The Bucs’ starting offense and defense features 11 players with five years or fewer of NFL experience. The Bucs haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2007 season, so this is the first postseason for most of the roster. “When you’ve been there and done it,” Arians said Tuesday, “guys just follow you.” Last week, a pair of young wideouts came up with arguably the biggest catches of the game. Rookie Tyler Johnson made an acrobatic adjustment to convert a third-and-11 early in the fourth quarter; a few plays later, second-year slot man Scotty Miller made a crucial catch on a third-and-5. Those completions helped set up a field goal drive that put the Bucs in the lead.
Joe can go deeper. There was backup safety Mike Edwards who ended Drew Brees’ career. There is Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who has filled in quite well for injured Vita Vea.
And maybe the best story is unknown offensive lineman Aaron Stinnie. After right guard Alex Cappa (who has become a damn good player) busted up his ankle, the Bucs turned to Stinnie against the slimy Saints. The only time Joe heard his name last week was when he got flagged for one penalty.
Joe has a hunch if the Bucs win two more games, this Bucs team may go down in franchise history as a popular group of self-glossed “m@therf@ckers.”
Joe will let linebacker Devin White explain.
“Everybody always asked, ‘What was our identity?’ And we didn’t have an answer. But Coach B.A. had an answer. He said, ‘We’re some m@therf@ckers who are gonna find a way to win the game.’ And that was the best thing I’d ever heard.”
Joe can imagine rosters of 31 other teams watching the Bucs hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy aloft in the thick and dewy Tampa night air, “Those m@therf@ckers!”
January 22nd, 2021 at 5:14 am
We are the underdogs, I kinda like it that way! Pressure is on Green Bay. Here we go, LFG, get LIVE!
January 22nd, 2021 at 5:15 am
A-W-E-S-O-M-E article Joe! Absolutely love that quote from BA.
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:03 am
It’s a wonder your own article didn’t end up in moderation!
LOL!
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:03 am
Hopefully that famous quote will be etched at One Buc Palace with a new shrine of our current Bucs. As fun as all this sounds, let’s take care of business first and send the Packers packing lol. Go Bucs!
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:03 am
Good article. I think we are set up really well here. Guys like Vea, Cappa, Dean, Davis, SMB, White, Winfield, Miller, Rojo haven’t reached their full potential yet we are in the championship. If this group stays together, they will be great for a long time. Just need to prepare for life after Brady.
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:08 am
The Stick Carriers!!.. LOL
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:23 am
wouldn’t it be something if “those m@therf@ckers” go into green bay and open a big ole can of whoop azz in the latest battle of the bays…
then eat some nice juicy @zz of green bay packers wives and girlfriends…
whoop their azz and take their women…then come home
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:24 am
Good stuff, Cheers. Raising my first cut of coffee to you.
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:26 am
—bucs playbook for sunday—
1 – whoop some azz
2 – eat some azz
3 – get your azz on a flight back home
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:39 am
adam from ny
Dr Fauci says that in these “unprecedented times” eating arse opens the fecal oral route and its not recommended. If everyone stops eating arse or #masksup before they do “we’ll flatten the curve”. “We’re all in this together” #gobucs
#lordfauci
January 22nd, 2021 at 6:47 am
Damn, 14th time! That means he’s 9-4 in Conference Championship games. Almost a full regular season worth of high stake, high pressure games vs the best of opponents. Now that’s some playoff experience right there. Just go ahead and make it 10-4, I don’t mind.
January 22nd, 2021 at 7:05 am
Frankly, I don’t know the outcome on Sunday but I sure am glad to be at least wondering……this is great…..not used to caring about football this time of year………
January 22nd, 2021 at 7:21 am
So who are taking in the first round of the draft?
Sorry – old habits die hard.
LOL!
Go Bucs!
January 22nd, 2021 at 7:25 am
^ I’m just happy to not be looking at the draft before Halloween, lol.
Realistically, the Bucs have been the one source of good news the past year. I’m so thankful for that.
January 22nd, 2021 at 7:55 am
How about the tampa bay pro sports teams this year, unfreakingreal.
January 22nd, 2021 at 8:03 am
Joe your post “m@therf@ckers” is waiting for a review.
January 22nd, 2021 at 8:03 am
You sure got that right EA. Bucs, Bolts & Rays. Enjoy Tampa Bay fateful, we deserve it.
January 22nd, 2021 at 8:13 am
Hell Yess the mutherlovin stick carriers!! Love it
January 22nd, 2021 at 8:26 am
The Bucs were not a bad team before Brady, they were a team that got got bad breaks and didn’t know how to win. From Youngry, to StickCarriers that cat Brady is a bad mother (shut your mouth), I’m talking bout Brady – some will get it it
January 22nd, 2021 at 8:36 am
Let’s go Bucs! 22,000 fans will be allowed in to Raymond James Stadium! Go Bucs!!!
January 22nd, 2021 at 9:02 am
I’m excited…..Lets GO BUCS !!!!
January 22nd, 2021 at 9:27 am
Good stuff!!
January 22nd, 2021 at 9:31 am
So hopefully, Tampa will be home of the MFs! Love it, and love the article!
January 22nd, 2021 at 9:32 am
I love the MOFO’s name. Brady strives on being the underdog, those that bet against usually lose, now let’s see if the rest of those moto’s don’t listen to the noise. All the pressure is on Roger’s, most likely MVP, only 1 superbowl win in his.career, everyone is playing this Brady vs Roger’s at home, he can either except the challenge or shat his draws, in the past he choose the mud route. Let’s hope he does it again. In his interviews he seems all cool and collected but I doubt he really is.
January 22nd, 2021 at 10:20 am
love it!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
January 22nd, 2021 at 10:20 am
Love it! Find a way to win the game.
If they have to run 40 times, run.
If they have to pass 50 times, pass.
If they have to sell out to stop the run or
if they have to play man and blitz or
if they have to drop 8…
Whatever it takes
January 22nd, 2021 at 10:22 am
People got jacked up calling them the stick carriers… let’s not make that mistake again.
All I’m interested in being called is World Champions
January 22nd, 2021 at 11:10 am
Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t we 8-2 on the road this season? 5-3 at home?