Top Speed
November 30th, 2021
Overdrive.
One cool thing about NextGen Stats is the tracking of how fast players run.
Teams love this because if a guy happens to be, for example, running slower than normal, that’s usually a tip that something wrong with the player, exhaustion or perhaps an injury.
All kinds of great plays were made by the Bucs in Sunday’s win at Indianapolis. Antoine Winfield going all Ed Reed on an interception. Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett flipping the game with a strip-sack. Playoff Lenny’s 28-yard dagger of a touchdown run. The most important? Maybe Mike Edwards’ game-saving tackle on Isiah Rodgers’ kick return with 20 seconds left.
Edwards actually bruised his knee on the play, pushing Rodgers out of bounds with one hand. Had Edwards not made the tackle, who knows if the Bucs win?
Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians noted how big that play was when he spoke about it Monday.
“Mike, I think he hit top speed of his life chasing [Rodgers] on the kickoff return and thank God he did,” Arians quipped.
Of course, Arians would know this because the Bucs have printouts of all the data.
Again, there were so many damn good plays made by the Bucs. It’s hard to pick one. But Joe is glad to hear that on the play Edwards made to save the win, he did it in overdrive.
November 30th, 2021 at 5:36 am
He ran “Ludicrous” speed.
November 30th, 2021 at 5:50 am
Yeah, he was Tesla “Plaid” on the field.
November 30th, 2021 at 6:25 am
I remember thinking, ‘I hope it’s not Bradley Pinion’ who’s our last line of defense on that return! No offense to Pinion, of course.
November 30th, 2021 at 6:31 am
This guy has been making plays since he got more playing time due to injuries.
He makes plays and Bucs need to find ways to keep him on the field. Our safeties
and in this case safety/nickelback are a strength of the team.
November 30th, 2021 at 7:19 am
thought it was a touchdown getting past the kicker…dodged a bullet, kick coverage has been iffy.
November 30th, 2021 at 7:59 am
running slower than normal, that’s usually a tip that something wrong with the player, exhaustion or perhaps an injury.
Or perhaps doing a VH3 (loafing)
November 30th, 2021 at 8:32 am
He saved our as is what he did!
November 30th, 2021 at 9:03 am
Edwards deserves to stay the starting nickel when (if) all the dbs come back healthy.
November 30th, 2021 at 9:37 am
Here’s another stat: whenever Mike Edwards has an interception, the Bucs are undefeated.
November 30th, 2021 at 10:59 am
Edwards and Winfield and Whitehead… They are all pretty good safeties but occasionally screwup.
Earlier Winfield but on the flat route while someone went over top for a touchdown.
But!!! Then he gets that INT. Or then Edwards makes that tackle. Or then Whitehead makes a hit and forces a fumble.
I believe all three of them could be much better, pro bowl potential, if they clean up some of the little mistakes because they all have a knack for making a play, creating turnovers.
November 30th, 2021 at 9:00 pm
Tampaabaybucfan Says:
“running slower than normal, that’s usually a tip that something wrong with the player, exhaustion or perhaps an injury.
Or perhaps doing a VH3 (loafing)”
.
.
Or perhaps doing the muscle hamster (rolling).
November 30th, 2021 at 9:05 pm
The only thing I don’t like about how our DBs play is that they DON’T PLAY THE BALL 🏈 !! It’s like they run with the receiver , watch the receiver turn his head and wait for the ball to land in their hands. Instead of seeing the receiver turn and do the same , they would probably be leading the NFL in INT’S if they would just play the ball 🏈. Remember RONDE BARBER and Brian Kelly ?? They were almost unstoppable !! They both would lead the league in PDs and were always up there in INT’S .. Simply because they didn’t wait for the guy to catch the ball and then try to tackle him. At least get your hands off the WR and in the air so you have the chance to knock it down.