Blocking To Win
December 27th, 2021
Key blocks lead to six points.
It was one of the coolest runs Joe has seen this year.
Little-used Ke’Shawn Vaughn broke through the line off left tackle, stiff-armed safety Juston Burris on the second level and headed to the left sideline. Problem was, Stinking Panthers defensive back Myles Hartsfield was chasing Vaughn from the second level and had an angle on him. And who was chasing Hartsfield? The immortal Cyril Grayson.
Grayson with his LSU track speed caught up with Hartsfield. And while Grayson didn’t pancake him or hit him hard, all Grayson had to do was get in Hartsfield’s way.
Twice, Grayson prevented the spinning Hartsfield from getting to Vaughn.
Vaughn got separation from Grayson’s second block and scored on a 55-yard touchdown.
After the game, Grayson said he now understands what it means to be a big ugly upfront.
“I can see how if probably feels for an offensive lineman when the running back scores,” Grayson said. “They probably feel so good. Because when I was able to run down and give such an effort, to help [Vaughn] get in the end zone, I felt like I had scored.”
In his postgame remarks, Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians noted how Grayson is a “ferocious blocker” and that’s a huge reason he was on the field yesterday.
When this was relayed to Grayson, his face lit up with a huge smile.
“I just love the fact that I have a guy like that in my corner,” Grayson said of Arians. “He’s a ferocious coach.”
Often, the little things win ballgames from guys you rarely hear of. Grayson’s hustling and two little moves to get in the way of Hartsfield was the difference between a 25-30-yard run by Vaughn and a Bucs touchdown.
Cyril Grayson on Bruce Arians calling him a ferocious blocker. “I’m just glad to have a guy like that in my corner. He’s a ferocious coach.”
— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) December 26, 2021
December 27th, 2021 at 9:15 am
Last year I said out loud “who the heck is this guy?” no I know him and this is turning out to be such a nice story for him. I’m disappointed that Scotty and Tyler haven’t stepped up, but I’m also happy Perriman (seemingly) and more noticeably Grayson have in their place. If anyone told me these two would outperform the other two, I’d have called them crazy.
December 27th, 2021 at 9:18 am
Suddenly everybody is optimistic again, when 7 days ago, we read by a bunch of people the word apocalipsis, sky is falling…..BL is the worst OC on the league, Gronk is done, Vaughn is trash….and so on….And we were a very few once who said, just chill, no reason for such negativity…..
We are not the best, we have a bunch of key players out, but we can still do it
Time to get optimistic, and bring good vibes….
December 27th, 2021 at 9:18 am
This team is gelling at the right time!
December 27th, 2021 at 9:21 am
Nice to finally see a Bucs RB with smooth moves… give him and all the other backups plenty of PT in the final 2 games, let the veterans heal and rest!
Of course BA& JL know this … screw the individual records
December 27th, 2021 at 9:25 am
Matt Rhule is doing a fine job with the kitties…keep it up!
December 27th, 2021 at 9:35 am
I like this guy, to be honest ALL of Bucs wr are really good downfield blockers. Godwin cleared the way for Lenny’s big TD run in Indy and Evan’s is always blocking for his teammates. A lot of you state Johnson is a good downfield blocker but honestly I watched him in the Saints game and he whiffed on a few easy blocks. Maybe just a bad game, not the best showing for many Bucs that day.
December 27th, 2021 at 9:39 am
It’s outrageous to see so few comments when we do really well and so many when we suck. Here’s to more fewer comments, I guess 🙂
December 27th, 2021 at 9:54 am
Grayson’s performance yesterday says something about our coaches. No one was mentioning him in the “next man up” talk all week. But the coaches know what they have and know the guys that perform and work hard at OBP. BA demands a lot out of his receivers and apparently Grayson has earned it. Kiddos to the kid and the coaching staff.
December 27th, 2021 at 9:54 am
‘track star”….I remember thinking that when that DB chased him down from behind to save the TD. Didn’t look like(Grayson) was loafing either
December 27th, 2021 at 9:58 am
Cricket, the game day threads on bad games usually get close to a thousand. Yesterday it was in the 400’s I believe. Of course Joe closed it down mid fourth quarter so that doesn’t help. But that tells you how many trolls love to troll on this team when things aren’t going well.
December 27th, 2021 at 10:09 am
That’s what I said yesterday beeej. Shouldn’t he have smoked that DB? I’m happy though.
December 27th, 2021 at 10:10 am
I thought the same thing Beeej. After re-watching it I think it was the adjustment to the ball that caused him to lose a step. Track guys usually just run straight and look ahead. He did make a good catch. I think he will improve.
December 27th, 2021 at 10:11 am
Also Tom Brady is doing what he had to do many times in New England. Take less than stellar talent and WIN!
December 27th, 2021 at 10:31 am
I want to calm down a bit on Grayson because Tom Brady does tend to have this effect. I can’t tell you how many nobodies had nice games or stats with Brady. With that said, it feels different with this young man. He has the desire. Looks like he has a good head on his shoulders and he has the talent to succeed. I hope it continues because he could easily win the #3 duties.
December 27th, 2021 at 2:06 pm
If you watch the replay, Grayson had to slow down for the ball while the defender was already sprinting to catch him. If the ball was just a little bit further out Grayson would not have had to slow down and allow the guy to catch him.
December 27th, 2021 at 2:12 pm
In college he ran a 4.33 40. Scotty Miller ran 4.39 at his pro day. Antonio Brown ran 4.47 at his pro day but that was 2010 and he is certainly faster than he was then.
If Grayson can prove he can hold on to the ball, the Bucs deep passing game is suddenly a new dimension to what they can do when Brady has some time to look around.
December 27th, 2021 at 3:26 pm
Don’t fool yourselves, Brady choose Grayson not BA or BL, he throws to guys he feels he can rely on and it is apparent Tyler isn’t one. They obviously watched the Saints film and saw something they didn’t like.