Planning Time Will Let Bucs Overcome
January 8th, 2022
Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich
Cris Collinsworth has a hearty laugh for anyone who thinks the Bucs’ Super Bowl chances have evaporated without Chris Godwin and bicycle-throwing, furniture-hurling, topless-quitting, naughty-pregamer Antonio Brown.
The former Pro Bowl receiver and current Sunday Night Football analyst was adamant on The Rich Eisen Show this week that in-game losses of players are brutal on the Bucs or any team, and Tampa Bay has had that happen many times this season.
But Collinsworth contends that Tom Brady plus time to prepare should equal success for the Bucs. He said the Bucs have the personnel to play three-tight-end sets, and there’s still Mike Evans and Collinsworth is a fan of Tyler Johnson.
Collinsworth is confident the Bucs can game-plan around their losses successfully.
Joe agrees wholeheartedly. However, there’s no substitute for the playmaking ability of Brown and Godwin. Often times it takes elite talent to make the necessary play in the postseason.
For what it’s worth (not much) Collinsworth says Aaron Rodgers is his MVP but the PFF Tribe data nerds (aka Pro Football Focus), of which he’s a major investor, say Tom Brady is the league’s top dog.
January 8th, 2022 at 5:41 pm
As long as we have Tom Brady, we have a chance!
With Grayson and Perriman on the field, we have blazing speed, that must be respected.
The safeties will be forced deep, opening up the middle for our Tight Ends. Maybe, just Maybe OJ Howard will emerge as the weapon he was supposed to be.
January 8th, 2022 at 5:44 pm
This reminds me when a starting quarterback gets hurt and a back up comes in. The books always seem to have a hard time in those situations I’m just hopeful other teams will have a hard time with these receivers that they haven’t seen a lot of. I hope anyway
January 8th, 2022 at 5:45 pm
Sorry that’s supposed to say Bucs
January 8th, 2022 at 6:00 pm
The keyword there is game plane. On many occasions, this season and the 2020 season the Bucs would come into a game with bad game plans, which lead to large deficits, they were able to overcome those deficits because of their elite talent on the offensive side of the football.
I just don’t trust this coaching to make the necessary adjustments come playoff time, it’s just not in their history. They will continue to call games as if they have Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown.
January 8th, 2022 at 6:03 pm
Honestly not worried about it – it’s going to force us to run the ball, and when we don’t run the ball is when we get in the most trouble.
Perriman, Darden, Scotty Miller, and Grayson ALL have crazy speed that can stretch the field and also do a lot of damage with a drag route in a hurry as Perriman did to the Bills.
Perriman and Grayson can block pretty well also.
The loss of Godwin will hurt more than AB – AB was basically a part-time player anyways.
January 8th, 2022 at 6:10 pm
Colin Cowherd said if Rodgers doesn’t win MVP, than Burrow should because he has better numbers than Rodgers. Brady has better numbers than everyone. Brady has been put on a higher standard than everybody else.
January 8th, 2022 at 6:18 pm
I’m hoping he’s correct but I’m doubtful. Simply because BA has said several times that the game plan doesn’t change guys have to win their match ups. He doesn’t care who the WR is. Please prove me wrong and come with a plan that utilizes the skills of the guys we have on the field. 🙏🏾🙏🏾
January 8th, 2022 at 6:24 pm
Defense wins championships. Need some health luck over there on d.
January 8th, 2022 at 6:31 pm
They ain’t got us yet and we still got Sir Thomas Brady.
January 8th, 2022 at 6:59 pm
Need evans to step up his game to a new level. Also gronk. We shall see. They need a healthy fornette back. Fornette is versatile.
January 8th, 2022 at 7:01 pm
My concern as always is even if OJ get open to catch a ball, can he hold on to it because he becomes timid whenever he comes in contact with the defender. He’s too big for that. The players if active that I have no doubt will step up in the playoffs are Brady, Gronk, Fournette, LBell, JPP, Lavonte, Winfield, Whitehead, TJohnson, n truth be told, I believe CGrayson will be our Joe Jurevicius of the playoffs. It’s all about me, me, me, not AB, but aka Queen B’s antics last week has elevated this team to another level. Let’s Goooooo!
January 8th, 2022 at 7:10 pm
I don’t know, I’ve watched the Chiefs play maybe 6 or 7 times this year. I think it’s time to move him back in the pack with the other top 5 QBs. Mahomes ain’t better than everybody else when HILL can’t run free anymore. Nothing but screen passes if Kelsey ain’t open.
January 8th, 2022 at 7:21 pm
We still have a great team if we get back Mike and Leonard healthy as our other receivers are really good and fast. The differences now and what we need to focus on is getting the defenses to open up. We have a weapon now in Bell to get the field to open up as he is really, really good at catching wider screen passes which make defenses cheat back to that side because they can’t afford a one on one in space with Bell it is like having a good running Quarterback. New Orleans has been able to use this spread offense effectively against us, so now by using this weapon we don’t have to have Brady threading the needle all the time because the defense is congested around our receivers. So, if Bell makes quick and decisive runs with the intent of getting first downs instead of dancing looking for the homerun, the defense will have to honor him and shift. I also believe our defense is going to rise up and play amazing in the playoffs, so hopefully we stay healthy as we are going for history trying to go back-to-back.
January 8th, 2022 at 7:48 pm
Tom Brady has won with a much, much less talent on offense, so I think he can work with what we’ve got. The question is really whether the defense can rise up or not.
January 8th, 2022 at 7:54 pm
Three TE sets? The Bucs barely have 2 TEs.
I guess Collinsworth has to say these things. He is in the business of generating eyeballs for NFL game advertisers.
January 8th, 2022 at 7:57 pm
Passingthru it will come down to the combination of Grayson/ Johnson to pick up the slack. I been waiting on johnson. Guy needs to step up.
January 8th, 2022 at 8:03 pm
I think it’s pretty amazing that despite having one of the worst injury rates in the NFL, the Bucs have tied their best ever season record, and will probably exceed it. That’s the power of Brady
January 8th, 2022 at 8:20 pm
Chris Apple I say you are wrong. I say if you got Tom Brady and a great OL in front of him you got a chanse. On top of that you got the greatest TE to ever live and the greatest Bucs reciever to ever play.
The missing recievers do hurt a lot. We will probably have to grind our way down the field more then we are used to and I think we got RBs and players on the roster who can get it done.
For me the biggest worry is defense and alls we can do is hope. We gotta hope we can get healthy……if we can do that i like our chanses to play at the high level we did last year and make more game changing plays.
Lavonte David is the biggest worry. He is still on IR(I believe). Doesnt sound like he will be ready next week. Joe made a great point that a great play you can count on from a Godwin or Brown could bethe difference……….You can say the same thing about David.
January 8th, 2022 at 8:30 pm
Off topic but just saw playoff schedule for next weekend and for first time ever will be a MONDAY NITE game WHAT? Immediately went to a NFL article that says winner may even have to play on following Saturday. This is shocking sure hope it ,s not the bucs that have to play in playoff game on 4 days rest or so . NFL will do anything for ratings , so much for player safety. Still can’t believe this.
January 8th, 2022 at 8:34 pm
BL has all the time in the world to scheme that magical 1st down run off center for 1.7 yards.
Can’t wait.
But seriously…..
Go Bucs!
I like our chances.
January 8th, 2022 at 8:40 pm
Saints are going to be without former Buc great Caleb Cannotblock, out with the sniffles.
January 8th, 2022 at 8:59 pm
Vita got paid!
4 yr extension 73 m…
January 8th, 2022 at 9:01 pm
Congrats, Big V!
January 8th, 2022 at 9:20 pm
He!!ll yeah….BIG V!!!!
January 8th, 2022 at 9:24 pm
For those watching the Dallas Phili game, that nice run was accomplished via zone blocking. The Bucs have plenty of strength and athleticism in their O line, I just don’t get this heavy reliance on man run-blocking. In an ideal word you do both, though many teams tend to rely on one or the other.
OK back to Vita Vea. Great signing. Does this mean we won’t have cap space to resign Antonio Brown?
January 8th, 2022 at 9:30 pm
Kjh & Doosh, kinda hard laying a plan out when your OC is in Jacksonville interviewing for a better job. True dedication. Dan Quinn refused to interview until after the season. In Brady Bucs need to trust.
January 8th, 2022 at 9:41 pm
So let me get this straight…There are people who give Leftwich ZERO credit for the Bucs prolific offense, say he’s not a real coach, etc. and are now mad because he interviewed with the Jaguars? Are some you bipolar, or have some sort of split personality disorder?
January 8th, 2022 at 9:43 pm
*Some of you
January 8th, 2022 at 9:51 pm
Listnfrmafar Says:
January 8th, 2022 at 9:30 pm
Kjh & Doosh, kinda hard laying a plan out when your OC is in Jacksonville interviewing for a better job. True dedication. Dan Quinn refused to interview until after the season. In Brady Bucs need to trust.
^^^^^^
Dude, the Bucs don’t even know who they play in the first round yet. Do you think that has anything to do with a game plan?
January 8th, 2022 at 10:05 pm
Sorry Joe in the Lions suck so I’ll troll here. My mistake, I thought the Bucs had a game Sunday and the current offense is depleted. I imagine he still gets paid.
January 8th, 2022 at 10:33 pm
I think the Bucs will do fine tomorrow. We shall see.
January 8th, 2022 at 10:38 pm
Let’s see how good BL is at game planning and creating some play design.
January 8th, 2022 at 10:39 pm
I agree that they should be able to game plan to utilize Evans, Johnson, Perriman, Grayson, and Miller, heck maybe even Darden on a WR screen.
Hi ab much more worried about the Defense. It’s starts and ends with the D line stopping the run and getting after the pass. JPP has been a shell of himself. Suh has not done much. Shaq has been injured. LVD has been injured.
If they can come back next week in the playoffs looking like they did last year in the playoffs, then game on!! LFG
January 8th, 2022 at 11:16 pm
let’s not forget one scottish miller…
before AB arrive at midseason last year, scotty actually had 500 yards and was on pace for a 1000 yard season…
the arrival of AB straight derailed one scottish miller…
maybe just maybe they can start to get something out of him as well come playoff time…
i wouldn’t expect sh!t from him this week, but he can almost be a secret weapon people will be sleeping on…
he’s been with brady a while now, maybe they will renew their vows lol 🙂
January 8th, 2022 at 11:43 pm
Who?
Has he made an offensive play since January 2021?
Does anyone remember him?
January 8th, 2022 at 11:49 pm
it’s true joe, he has all but disappeared this year – except for the one special teams play…
one might wonder if he doesn’t re-emerge with AB gone, will he even be on the team next year…?
don’t forget before AB arrived, i’d venture to say scotty was a fan favorite…
wow how it all disappeared for him so fast tho
January 8th, 2022 at 11:58 pm
hypothetically speaking… i think scotty has dipped down to about number 6 receiver now
if everyone is healthy per say:
evans
godwin
grayson
perriman
tyler
scotty
darden – kinda gone
and maybe perriman and tyler can are interchangeable or flip spots…
so scotty is last man standing in the receiver bunch…hypothetically…
he’s almost outta here if a pearson or watson unseats him in camp next year…
scotty should put down the thrasher boarding mags and wake up…
also brady, if he’s still here next year, might bring in another diva wr that’s floating about the league unsigned, and flood the whole receiver group, causing scotty and other to become dead weight
January 9th, 2022 at 1:25 am
Just from a retired businessman’s view.
The AB decision was stupid. He was being kept for the playoff’s
Just like what’s his name on defense.
It was an investment. Then the coach throws out the investment
Without clearing it with the management.
We put up with drama queen AB, then we pamper him,
Then we fire him. Sounds like a soap opera not a football
Decision. Should have kept CRY baby AB. Use him and then
Can the narcissistic bastard at the end. Coach BA
has thrown out a needed talent. Thrown out investment
and hurt this year’s chances. Not good for business.
Football is a business.
January 9th, 2022 at 2:50 am
If Boron’s Leftwurst actually calls a game with tactical precision as well as strategic trajectory, the Bucs can win. Also provided that the defense gets LVD back. And JPP. And Shaq.
And Offense gets back Lenny.
And Rojo.
Yeah with all that we’ll be fine.
Cue JerkInMichigan who says Tom Brady is over the hill and not worth signing to bring up a candy-arse dispute.
January 9th, 2022 at 2:52 am
Joe in Michigan Says:
March 12th, 2020 at 9:57 am
I’ve had enough “splash moves” in my years as a Bucs fan to last me a lifetime, such as:
Taking Steve Young instead of Reggie White in the 1984 supplemental draft (I’ve always loved pass rushers).
Drafting Vinny Testaverde over Cornelius Bennett, and trading Young off for peanuts.
Trading a 1st Rounder for Chris Chandler because Testaverde got blamed for losses, even though the rest of the team was terrible.
Trading 2 1st Rounders for Keyshawn Johnson, even though it was known he was a locker room cancer.
If signing Brady costs us not being able to sign some of our good players that AREN’T OVER THE HILL LIKE BRADY, this will be another possible “splash move” failure to add to the list.
January 9th, 2022 at 9:40 am
Swampbuc: The Bucs aren’t going 6-11, as you so famously predicted, more than once. You say that it “was that time of the month” when you said that, your I call it quitting on your team. Hahahaha
January 9th, 2022 at 9:55 am
That’s some serious revisionist history. Key on the Bucs when the Bucs were one of the best teams in the NFL. Won a Super Bowl with him. Teams should be full of cancers if Key was one.
Guy played for Parcells twice. Think Parcells would tolerate a cancer twice?
January 9th, 2022 at 11:41 am
Is it revisionist history to say everything was fine with Keyshawn in the Bucs locker room? I’d say so.
January 9th, 2022 at 12:50 pm
I was 100% wrong on Brady, though.