Bounce Back
February 3rd, 2021
Bounceback game?
The Bucs consider cornerback Carlton Davis a shutdown guy. And he had games where he very much lived up to that belief.
The last time the Bucs played the Chiefs was not one of them. Cheetah Hill cooked Davis over an open fire in the first quarter.
It’s one reason some believe the Bucs are in for a massive uphill climb in trying to win Super Bowl LV.
But Joe’s good friend Mike Tanier of Pro Football Network believes if Davis has a good game, the Bucs are in the ballgame and perhaps in position to win.
There weren’t enough aloe plants in the world to soothe Davis’ fourth-degree burns after he bore the brunt of Tyreek Hill’s 13-catch, 269-yard explosion in Week 12. Buccaneers’ defensive coordinator Todd Bowles would be forgiven for relegating Davis to backup tight end coverage duty after that experience. However, Davis is the best man for the thankless/hopeless task of shutting down Hill in Super Bowl LV.
Davis often shadows the opponent’s best receiver, though his playoff results were mixed. He held Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints without a catch in the Divisional Round but struggled against Davante Adams of the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game.
Davis will need more help from his safeties and pass rush than he got in Week 12. The Buccaneers can win if Davis gets singed a bit by Hill, but not if he bursts into flames again.
Davis will, in part, be asked to cover Cheetah again. Maybe not man-to-man but Cheetah will be Davis’ responsibility.
And if somehow Davis can contain the fastest receiver in the game, that cannot be anything but a good sign for the Bucs defense.
February 3rd, 2021 at 9:05 am
If Davis has a good game and a couple of the other 6 guys in the backfield keep Kelce’s production reasonable, the we get to witness a 2003 style trouncing.
February 3rd, 2021 at 9:13 am
The Chiefs are tough because not only do they have speed at wide receiver, but Mahomes is elusive at evading the pass rush, and can easily throw 50 yards, off his back foot.
February 3rd, 2021 at 9:15 am
With all the DB’s the Bucs drafted in the last few years CB is still the weakest position on the team. Davis, Bunting & Dean all have had there ups & downs. Maybe in a year or two they all may be top Cb’s but not right now. Will probably need to draft a CB fairly high in the draft once again.
February 3rd, 2021 at 9:16 am
The chiefs basically run (crossing routes) their receivers from one side of field to the other while kelsey just finds a whole in middle behind linebackers and in front of safeties
And with all the crossing defenders can get picked
Hope we are ready
Our speed on front end is good
Speed is back end not so good
February 3rd, 2021 at 9:22 am
Are brass knuckles allowed?
February 3rd, 2021 at 9:23 am
Is imperative CD elevates his game, specially when tackling……He misses way to much tackles, and when you play guys like Hill, you just can’t miss, they will kill you…..
February 3rd, 2021 at 9:28 am
Man with safety over the top is what I’d do.
But even that won’t work if the Bucs can’t dirty-up Mahomes uniform.
Forcing quicker reads with pressure will slow KC down. No pressure, and it won’t matter how Hill is covered.
February 3rd, 2021 at 9:36 am
Hopefully our front four can get pressure with those linemen out and we can keep safeties back.
Btw.. just saw 2003 qb challenge… Right after our superbowl win.
Guess who was #1 and who was the runner up?
February 3rd, 2021 at 10:09 am
Although I expect more short throws by KC with the return of Vea to the dline, they kinda held Hill down after 200 yards the first quarter lol. Return to that change.
February 3rd, 2021 at 10:13 am
No takers? Ok so Brad the bull won that skills comp after winning our first superbowl a week or two before . He narrowly beat out Brady, who 18 years later will hopefully win our second sb
February 3rd, 2021 at 10:15 am
What’s this about him struggling against Devante Adam’s? Adams had like 68 yards and one TD on about 7 or 8 throws his way in the red zone. Struggled my ***
February 3rd, 2021 at 10:19 am
The pass rush will help Davis. Pressuring Mahomes will help the entire secondary
February 3rd, 2021 at 10:59 am
The Bucs D just needs to play well enough to keep KC under 30 points. It will be up to the Bucs Offense to score a lot of points, which they are fully capable of doing.
February 3rd, 2021 at 11:18 am
I see Davis on Hill most the game and a safety over the top.
I think LVD or Dean will be doing the same on Kelce with the other safety most the time.
Basically double-team those guys most the day.
Those two guys are almost 60% of KCs passing game. Mahomes barely looks for anyone else. If they aren’t available and the D line gets fast pressure
WITH CONTAINMENT, the Bucs could shock the world with a double digit win.
After going down 17-0, that is kind of what they did in the first game. Late in the game KC let up a little bit but they were stifled for a lot of the rest of it. The Buccaneers out scored them 24-7 after fixing their coverage.
Their coverage and their pressure, are all much better now, plus VEA is in the middle
LFG!!
February 3rd, 2021 at 11:25 am
First off, Michael Thomas has zeros across the board. NO catches to speak of. No yards or TD’s. Also, struggled against Adams? Is this guy insane? He held Adams to less than 75 yards for the game. Gave up a touchdown on a slant that was less than 5 yards from the endzone. This dude needs a reality check.
February 3rd, 2021 at 12:39 pm
Bird,
Our corners are not slow . Don’t know who you are comparing them to but they’re all 4.4 guys or better.
Granted I’ve read many comments suggesting Carlton Davis is slow but I have to conclude that most fans are unaware that CD according to next gen stats was top 3 in the NFL for top speed in a couple games. There’s no room to dismiss that kind of stat.
If you want to make an argument about his technique slows him down in certain situations or something like that, then it’s valid. But strictly speaking, CD and our other guys are among the top, speed wise, tier of NFL players.
February 3rd, 2021 at 2:37 pm
struggled against adams? Adams had 67 yards on 15 targets
February 3rd, 2021 at 3:27 pm
Davis performance will rest on whether the referees call penalties. No penalty on holding and pi will go in our favor.
February 3rd, 2021 at 7:27 pm
Davis is likely already 💩ing his pants. He likely has the most stressful role on Sunday. Even with help he is going to be in the spotlight whether he can or cannot cover Cheetah !
February 3rd, 2021 at 8:35 pm
Exactly D1. You beat me to it. Bird is wrong. Our DBs are as fast as any group in the NFL. Dean is literally the fastest corner in the league at the Combine. There was a no name guy drafted by Jacksonville a few years back that ran faster but he’s out of the league. Davis is the slowest of the bunch and he’s still fast with the body of a safety. SMB is a 4.4 guy and huge for a corner. Put down the pipe or pick up the stop watch.
February 4th, 2021 at 8:59 am
The only way we win if he does get burned is if the offense comes out hot n ready matching point for point, not starting out ice cold like they did for 6 straight weeks.