The Morning After
October 25th, 2021
(Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
Happy Victory Monday, Bucs fans! What a game yesterday. Joe loves it when the Bucs curbstomp one of their old rivals in the (nee) NFC Central. Yes, Joe still wishes the Bucs would be in the same division as the Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings.
Maybe the way things have shaken out the past two years, those teams don’t.
So grab a fresh, hot cup of java and let’s get rolling.
JPP the Warrior
What jumped out at Joe more than anything in the beat down of the Bears yesterday was the guts of Jason Pierre-Paul. Yeah, you read that right. “Guts.” JPP after the game explained what really was going on with his shoulder and hand injuries.
JPP has a torn rotator cuff, which is a major injury and likely means he’s having surgery as soon as the season is over. For him to be able rush the passer and put moves on a blocker(s) and tackle with a torn rotator cuff blows Joe’s mind.
Then he said he had two fingers that were broken in two spots that force him to wear a club on one of his hands. You can imagine how dicey that makes trying to wrap a guy up (and JPP is a good tackler).
Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians was effusive in his praise of JPP after the game, saying, “He’s a warrior. He’s a warrior. … The energy he brings and the way he plays the game, I’ve never been around too many warriors like him.”
And Arians has been around some damn good warriors, guys that are in the Hall of Fame, too.
Arians summed up JPP perfectly. He’s a warrior. You need guys like that on championship teams. Guys that you have to drag off the field to keep them from playing. Guys that will fight through anything.
JPP is the spirit of the Bucs defense, and he demonstrated that when he had the entire team at midfield before the game, firing them up to ready for battle.
What JPP brings to the team cannot be measured in a box score. Arians said he told JPP last week not to practice and he just wants him to play on Sunday. And look how JPP responded with two sacks, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits. JPP damn near had a third sack but he couldn’t pull Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields down with one hand.
The defense is different when JPP is balling out.
“Ridiculous” Offense
In the first half, the Bucs offense was damn near perfect. In the second half, well, when is the last time you heard a coach gripe about winning by 35 points?
Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians did. And he wasn’t wrong. The Bucs left a lot of points on the field. Arians even suggested the Bucs could have pushed 60 points if they executed properly.
“We let everybody we played back in [the game] and we were determined to not to make this one close and defensively [the Bucs] did their job,” Arians said. “Offensively, again, were stopped inside the twos as many times as we did, that’s ridiculous.”
The Saints, the next opponent, are a damn talented team and dangerous. Forget who the quarterback it, the Saints are not a team to f@rt around with. You might be able to get away with leaving points on the field against lousy teams like the Bears.
But this is the NFL. Sooner or later that will come back to bite you in the backside. Why not feed the ball to Vita Vea inside the two?
Yeah, it sounds cheap to grumble about a lack of points when you win by 35, but Arians is on the money about how the Bucs need to be more disciplined on offense. Maybe they miss foot-rubbing, car-littering film guru Rob Gronkowski that much?
Almost a Todd Bowles Masterpiece
In the second half, the Bucs were playing without their top five outside corners: Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting, Jamel Dean, Dee Delaney and Richard Sherman.
With Bowles having to juggle spare parts and a bottle of cologne, he was still able to keep the Bears offense out of the end zone.
That’s pretty remarkable. It may have been Bowles’ best coaching job since the Super Bowl.
After the game, Arians thought Dean would be OK after injuring his shoulder. He was less optimistic about Delaney, though Delaney said he is fine at his news conference.
So the Bucs could be playing the slimy Saints without their top five corners. Ouch.
As for the defensive effort, when is the last time you saw a Bucs team force more turnovers than points allowed? That’s pretty special and suggests Bowles had a helluva game plan.
Hunting for a Corner
The trade deadline is a week from tomorrow. Joe is pretty sure that Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was hoping above hope that he could somehow make it to the bye week (the first weekend in November) without having to make a move, and then hope guys can get healthy enough to play the WTF on Nov. 14.
Joe isn’t sure that is possible now.
If Licht trades for a corner, Joe suspects it won’t be a star or even a stud and may not even be a full-time starter.
Right now the Bucs need a corner better than a guy who cannot find a job before Halloween. In theory, a guy currently earning a regular NFL check is better than someone unemployed this time of the year.
The Bucs also need an inexpensive corner, and that element is very important. Because the Bucs have scant cash under the salary cap.
A Happy Return
How awesome was it to see Antoine Winfield return from concussion protocol? And he may have had his best game of the season.
Winfield had a forced fumble, a sack, three tackles and a quarterback hit. Not a bad day.
And after the game, Winfield seemed as happy to be back as Bucs fans were to have him back.
“It’s fun, always, being out there and, first and foremost, being able to play because it’s been two weeks for me. Being out there and being able to make that play, getting the team fired up, that’s what I’m here for.”
As for playing for the Bucs, Winfield said, “It’s a blessing. I’m glad it’s with Tampa Bay. It’s the best I can ask for. “
October 25th, 2021 at 12:45 am
Many commenters here have been writing JPP off for the last couple weeks. They foolishly though the insight they gained sitting on their couch was telling them to that it was time to bench him for JTS. I’m so glad JPP made them look like the fools they are.
October 25th, 2021 at 1:18 am
Great game for the young man!
October 25th, 2021 at 1:20 am
^^^ Winfield.
October 25th, 2021 at 2:23 am
After only getting 211 yards and being benched in the 4th quarter, Brady’s is down to only 6 yards in the passing title… He’s got to pick it up.
Also after that pass to Godwin at the goalline in the 4th, he got reverse greedy, and refused to take the free TD he’d get if he tossed it to Evans, and instead tried to get Fournette another TD. That’s what happens when you refuse to put your throat on someone’s neck. Gotta fire daggers and put up 40+ on everyone if you’re 40+.
October 25th, 2021 at 3:15 am
Coach Sherman is my new fav Coach!!! More please!!
October 25th, 2021 at 4:22 am
Tom Brady had a 93.1 QBR for the game, that’s insanely high if you’re not up to date on the QBR stat, even a really good game is normally in the high 70s.
Anyways, Fields had a 1.9 QBR rating, I’ve never seen one that low before.
That has to be the biggest difference in starting QB history in the QBR stat, I’ve never seen anything close to a 90-point difference before.
October 25th, 2021 at 4:28 am
It’s pretty wild that we have our best start in Franchise history and leading our Division at 6-1 AND yet we are technically only the 3rd seed in the NFC as it sits right now under Playoff formatting
…and the 4th and 5th seeds right behind us are both currently 6-1 and 5-1 nippin’ at our the heels
October 25th, 2021 at 4:39 am
…or would we be the #2 seed over the Packers right now? ^^^^^^^
I know the Rams (even though beating us head to head) are behind us because they aren’t leading their own Division and we beat the other Division leader Dallas Cowboys head to head (and they’ve played a game less too)
October 25th, 2021 at 5:25 am
JGhotier — Currently we’d be the #2 seed right now according to the NFL’s Playoff Picture page.
So in the playoff picture, the Cards get a bye week, the Bucs then are the top seeded team and would face the Vikings.
BTW, the Falcons, Panthers AND Bears are all one game out of that #7 spot, and the #6 spot is owned by the Saints.
October 25th, 2021 at 5:57 am
It’s petty but, I hate seeing this offense turtle. We left serious points out there.
That’s how you welcome a rookie QB to the NFL! Well done defense!
How’s that running game?!
October 25th, 2021 at 6:16 am
Jpp the warrior is so true. Its almost like he cant play healhy
Blown fingers , tears in knee , broken neck , fractured fingers and tears in shoulder. Dude is a walking stunt double
Hoping he can get that dang club off soon.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:43 am
Shout out to orlandobuc
What trash. Dog 💩. Did you see open thread? States he/she does not watch games on the tv. Listens on radio. And then commented that brady looked his age the first few drives … 😂
I mean the same orlbuc who talks about the heart of the other team the bucs are playing.
And then orlbuc had the nerve to call another poster a troll 😂
What a total clown show. I think its pretty amazing that orlbuc does not like brady. Literally the best free agent signing in nfl history. Pretty clear he/she is not really a bucs fan. Man we have some losers on this site.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:56 am
Defense absolutely balled out. The camera panned to fields on the bench and the look on his face told the story. He wished he was not there for that beatdown. I sure hope delaney comment to joe is correct and not what arians stated to the contrary. Lavonte should be ready for saints cause we will need him. Payton knows how to gameplan better then any other coach in nfl. His qb can throw for 100-150 yards and win. Taysome and bridgewater went 7-1 combined
Saints defense is one of best in league. Lattimore is best db in nfl in my opinion. Hope evans got some swag with 3 tds from this game to play better against lattimore who has owned him over the years. Def in his head.
Brady has 21 tds and 3 ints thru 7 games. Thats nuts!
Dont forget 2 came in cowboys game
The 2 ints – Hailmary before half and easy screen pass to lenny who thought he was playing hot potato as a kid
Honestly its 21 and 1. (But its 3) Thats straight filth
And pretty sure AB and Gronk back next game for saints on halloween
October 25th, 2021 at 7:56 am
What concerned me was Brady missing that many pass completions. They reported that was the longest string of missed completions in his career.
October 25th, 2021 at 9:00 am
Rod Munch what was the QB rating difference in Winston’s first game vs. Mariotta?
If i remember correctly Mariotta had a near perfect score when they pulled him out.
October 25th, 2021 at 9:08 am
Jerry strickland^^^
As being a poster in red (color) there are only a few of us
So since jerry strickland 1st time posting ever and trying to highlight brady in negative fashion
Wanna bet its oneil or jameis almighty
Just scared to use own name
Former members of the messiah cult
October 25th, 2021 at 9:26 am
Bird, get off the snide. Brady was missing passes and showing his age. I wasn’t the only long time educated Bucs noticing that and I like listening to Bucs Radio. Guess you haven’t been around when the Bucs had a great QB and an atrocious offense. Steve Young? The Snow Bowl in Green Bay? Yeah, I thought so. Moran.
October 25th, 2021 at 9:27 am
*Bucs fan
October 25th, 2021 at 9:29 am
Bird, get off the snide. Brady was missing passes and showing his age. I wasn’t the only long time educated Bucs* noticing that and I like listening to Bucs Radio. Guess you haven’t been around when the Bucs had a great QB and an atrocious offense. Steve Young? The Snow Bowl in Green Bay? Yeah, I thought so. Moran.
October 25th, 2021 at 9:53 am
Orlbuc
You just called me a moran? 😂
You mean moron dumb dumb
Yah keep up the brady hate. Its just blatant obvious. You look horrible.
Just curious – how can you say a person is looking their age if you listen on radio
It was literally at the start of the game
So he looked old / slow after the first two series of the game that you cannot see with your own eyes cause you dont watch on tv? Nah – you are just trying to be negative about the greatest signing in nfl history. Let me guess …its like that cause you had heart emojis for the previous guy.
😂
October 25th, 2021 at 10:19 am
Brady had an off day and still threw 4 td’s. Brady is fine. I did notice he’s got the knee brace back on.
October 25th, 2021 at 10:29 am
Buddy, you’re about as literate as a dead ant. Keep at it cos I’m enjoying it. You don’t remember Steve Young being a Buc? Yep, thought so.
October 25th, 2021 at 10:30 am
Moran is a snark take on moron by the way.
October 25th, 2021 at 10:50 am
I love the column, great stuff Joe’s.
October 25th, 2021 at 10:56 am
No its not snark take dumb dumb
And where did i say anything about steve young and bucs
Born in largo in 75 so yah born into being a buc fan
I actually drive over from orlando to watch the bucs play at home
I like pointing out your brady hate. There are a few of you. Hey all good. It makes you look like a true moron. This team was on the verge of something special before he came here with his all world bros
Oh and saying the other team is playing hard and has heart
😂
Just wow
October 25th, 2021 at 1:11 pm
Gotta admit as a True Bucs Fan who is thankful that Brady is our QB, I can’t imagine ever saying Brady showed his age after that game.
Did you happen to see the throws he MADE?
That was a good Bears defense too.
Point is, usually someone who comments/mentions something like that is usually not a TRUE Bucs fan.
In fact the WHOLE football world disagrees with that statement!!!
October 25th, 2021 at 2:09 pm
Brady had an amazing qbr rating omg and therea still haters..oh and hes #1 in tds!! An absolute dime to ME13…if they threw more in the redzone in second half he would.of had 6 tds easily